en-US Tue, 01 Apr 2025 08:11:23 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 220170498 43 Lucy Loophole Tasha 0 to-read 3.33
author: Lucy Loophole
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.33
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/01
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]]> 213075289 Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

By his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows.]]> 544 Sabaa Tahir 044849454X Tasha 0 soft-dnf, to-read im ready for it ]]> 4.24 2020
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2025/03/06
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: soft-dnf, to-read
review:
soft DNF. i accidentally read a huge spoiler in this book and it made me mad, so i must put aside this book for now until
im ready for it
]]> 28502000 Nearly seventy years after its original publication, Ray Bradbury’s internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 stands as a classic of world literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. Today its message has grown more relevant than ever before.

Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.�� But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.]]> 249 Ray Bradbury 1451673310 Tasha 0 to-read 3.91 1953
author: Ray Bradbury
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1953
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214151316
Bree Matthews is alone. She exiled herself from the Legendborn Order, cut her ancestral connections, and turned away from the friends who can’t understand the impossible cost of her powers. This is the only way to keep herself—and those she loves—safe.

But Bree’s decision has come with a terrible price: an unbreakable bargain with the Shadow King himself, a shapeshifter who can move between humanity, the demon underworld, and the Legendborn secret society. In exchange for training to wield her unprecedented abilities, Bree has put her future in the Shadow King’s hands—and unwittingly bound herself to do his bidding as his new protégé.

Meanwhile, the other Scions must face war with their Round Table fractured, leaderless, and missing its Kingsmage, as Selwyn has also disappeared. When Nick is detained by the Order’s Merlins, he invokes an ancient law that requires the High Council of Regents to convene at the Northern Keep and grant him an audience. No one knows what he will demand of them...or what secrets he has kept hidden from the Table.

As a string of mysterious kidnappings escalates and Merlins are found dead, it becomes clear that no matter how hard Bree runs from who she is, the past will always find her.]]> 656 Tracy Deonn 1665951907 Tasha 0 currently-reading 4.44 2025
author: Tracy Deonn
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 58950846
So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.

Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants - even if she can't stop thinking about Robbie's smile... right?

What would you do if the world's biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school. ]]> 336 Kat Cho 1368064647 Tasha 0 to-read 3.79 2022
author: Kat Cho
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220817728 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easy-going even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warm-hearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, with complex protagonists, telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love, this time among the stars.]]> 352 Taylor Jenkins Reid 0593158717 Tasha 0 to-read 4.44 2025
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 156023123
She’s learning, too.

Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?]]> 231 Sierra Greer 0063312697 Tasha 4
”she has been happy here, and anxiously miserable, but she has never free.��

��

Honestly my expectations were low going into this book even though I had been wanting to read it for months, and i’m surprised by how much i like it.

In this book you follow Annie, a robot who lives with her owner Doug and over the course of the book you see her evolve into something more complex and interesting. she begins to think more human-like and even question her own existence, what it means to be free and what a life looks like without being a puppet on a string.

Doug is a very despicable character but is done well. i almost wanted to skip all the parts where he was on page but that would have been a majority of the book, haha. He thinks of Annie as his property and is only good for fulfilling his personal desires. you can see the tug and pull it causes their relationship over the course of the story.

The messages and lessons in this book are deep and thought provoking. How it feels to be unhappy with life, stuck in a toxic relationship and environment, how it feels when you give all of yourself into one person and relationship, only causing anger and resentment in the end when it isn’t reciprocated. what it means when you prioritize your own well being first.

you can’t help but root for Annie in this book while she goes along her journey and grows as a “person��. if anyone has ever played the game Detroit: Become Human, the game and book are similar in some aspects.

this isn’t a perfect book though and i had my issues with it. the description of characters was kind of bland and lacked flavor, it could have more imagery. also some inconsistency with Annie and her thought processes at times.

overall though, this was a great read and definitely one i would recommend.]]> 3.81 2024
author: Sierra Greer
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/27
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves:
review:
4 ⭐️

”she has been happy here, and anxiously miserable, but she has never free.��

��

Honestly my expectations were low going into this book even though I had been wanting to read it for months, and i’m surprised by how much i like it.

In this book you follow Annie, a robot who lives with her owner Doug and over the course of the book you see her evolve into something more complex and interesting. she begins to think more human-like and even question her own existence, what it means to be free and what a life looks like without being a puppet on a string.

Doug is a very despicable character but is done well. i almost wanted to skip all the parts where he was on page but that would have been a majority of the book, haha. He thinks of Annie as his property and is only good for fulfilling his personal desires. you can see the tug and pull it causes their relationship over the course of the story.

The messages and lessons in this book are deep and thought provoking. How it feels to be unhappy with life, stuck in a toxic relationship and environment, how it feels when you give all of yourself into one person and relationship, only causing anger and resentment in the end when it isn’t reciprocated. what it means when you prioritize your own well being first.

you can’t help but root for Annie in this book while she goes along her journey and grows as a “person��. if anyone has ever played the game Detroit: Become Human, the game and book are similar in some aspects.

this isn’t a perfect book though and i had my issues with it. the description of characters was kind of bland and lacked flavor, it could have more imagery. also some inconsistency with Annie and her thought processes at times.

overall though, this was a great read and definitely one i would recommend.
]]> 52397
Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.]]> 345 Octavia E. Butler 0446675504 Tasha 0 to-read 4.21 1993
author: Octavia E. Butler
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1993
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 174146852 A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only ever read about.

The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest.

But there are other dangers lurking in the forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons waiting beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.

As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for one another—they discover that their professor had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, or if this kingdom is worth saving at all.]]> 384 Allison Saft 0593722345 Tasha 0 to-read 3.60 2024
author: Allison Saft
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 195177497 This cozy debut science fiction novel tells a story of misfits, rebels, found family—and a mystery that spans the stars.

Welcome to the Grand Abeona Hotel: home of the finest food, the sweetest service, and the very best views the galaxy has to offer. All year round it moves from planet to planet, system to system, pampering guests across the furthest reaches of the milky way. The last word in sub-orbital luxury—and an absolute magnet for intrigue. Intrigues such as: Why are there love poems in the lobby inbox? How many Imperial spies are currently on board? What is the true purpose of the Problem Solver's conference? And perhaps most pertinently��who is driving the ship?

Each guest has a secret, every member of staff a universe unto themselves. At the center of these interweaving lives and interlocking mysteries stands Carl, one time stowaway, longtime manager, devoted caretaker to the hotel. It's the love of his life and the only place he's ever called home. But as forces beyond Carl's comprehension converge on the Abeona, he has to face one final question: when is it time to let go?]]> 324 Grace Curtis 075641931X Tasha 0 to-read 3.67 2024
author: Grace Curtis
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 7763 Alternate cover editions of ISBN 9780143038092 can be found here.

Four mothers, four daughters, four families, whose histories shift with the four winds depending on who's telling the stories. In 1949, four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, meet weekly to play mahjong and tell stories of what they left behind in China. United in loss and new hope for their daughters' futures, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club. Their daughters, who have never heard these stories, think their mothers' advice is irrelevant to their modern American lives �� until their own inner crises reveal how much they've unknowingly inherited of their mothers' pasts.

With wit and sensitivity, Amy Tan examines the sometimes painful, often tender, and always deep connection between mothers and daughters. As each woman reveals her secrets, trying to unravel the truth about her life, the strings become more tangled, more entwined. Mothers boast or despair over daughters, and daughters roll their eyes even as they feel the inextricable tightening of their matriarchal ties. Tan is an astute storyteller, enticing readers to immerse themselves into these lives of complexity and mystery.]]> 288 Amy Tan Tasha 0 to-read 3.96 1989
author: Amy Tan
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1989
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
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]]> 195431722
The three Blue sisters are exceptional—and exceptionally different. Avery , the eldest and a recovering heroin addict turned strait-laced lawyer, lives with her wife in London; Bonnie , a former boxer, works as a bouncer in Los Angeles following a devastating defeat; and Lucky , the youngest, models in Paris while trying to outrun her hard-partying ways. They also had a fourth sister, Nicky, whose unexpected death left Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky reeling. A year later, as they each navigate grief, addiction, and ambition, they find they must return to New York to stop the sale of the apartment they were raised in.

But coming home is never as easy as it seems. As the sisters reckon with the disappointments of their childhood and the loss of the only person who held them together, they realize that the greatest secrets they've been keeping might not have been from each other, but from themselves.��

Imbued with Coco Mellors’s signature combination of humor and heart, Blue Sisters is a story of what it takes to keep living after loss—and, ultimately, to fall in love with life again.]]> 272 Coco Mellors 0593723775 Tasha 0 currently-reading 4.02 2024
author: Coco Mellors
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 37906104 A stunning new young adult adventure set in the kingdoms of the Remnant, by the author of the New York Times-bestselling Remnant Chronicles and the Jenna Fox Chronicles.

A formidable outlaw family that claims to be the first among nations.

A son destined to lead, thrust suddenly into power.

Three fierce young women of the Rahtan, the queen's premier guard.

A legendary street thief leading a mission, determined to prove herself.

A dark secret that is a threat to the entire continent.

When outlaw leader meets reformed thief, a cat-and-mouse game of false moves ensues, bringing them intimately together in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts.]]> 507 Mary E. Pearson 1250159024 Tasha 0 to-read 4.21 2018
author: Mary E. Pearson
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 50202953
There is one other person in the house—a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.]]> 272 Susanna Clarke 163557563X Tasha 0 to-read 4.22 2020
author: Susanna Clarke
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 164444179 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780593492918.

Evie Porter has everything a nice Southern girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence, a tight group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.

The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss, Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job isn’t like the others. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time.

Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn’t be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge. . . .]]> 340 Ashley Elston Tasha 3
This was a pretty interesting read. What drew me to this book was the premise, I love a story about a conman or conwoman and walking through their shoes to see their thought process and how they adapt to situations that aren’t in their favor.

Evie wasn’t a perfect character, despite parts of her being morally gray, she did have emotion and was capable of feeling something. The multiple shifts between different personas was both interesting in some parts yet also boring in others.

The main reason for my rating was the big reveal, I guessed it from an early point on and with me usually being the person who is not good at guessing the twists in thrillers, figuring out this one made it fall flat.

Despite that I did like the ending and I liked how everything wrapped up. I just wanted a little more from this. I would still recommend this, and I’m also interested in checking out more from this author.]]> 3.97 2024
author: Ashley Elston
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves:
review:
3.5 ⭐️

This was a pretty interesting read. What drew me to this book was the premise, I love a story about a conman or conwoman and walking through their shoes to see their thought process and how they adapt to situations that aren’t in their favor.

Evie wasn’t a perfect character, despite parts of her being morally gray, she did have emotion and was capable of feeling something. The multiple shifts between different personas was both interesting in some parts yet also boring in others.

The main reason for my rating was the big reveal, I guessed it from an early point on and with me usually being the person who is not good at guessing the twists in thrillers, figuring out this one made it fall flat.

Despite that I did like the ending and I liked how everything wrapped up. I just wanted a little more from this. I would still recommend this, and I’m also interested in checking out more from this author.
]]> 55711559 Honestly, sometimes I think it’s the only recourse. Killing men in times like these.

Joan has spent a lifetime enduring the cruel acts of men. But when one of them commits a shocking act of violence in front of her, she flees New York City in search of Alice, the only person alive who can help her make sense of her past. In the sweltering hills above Los Angeles, Joan unravels the horrific event she witnessed as a child—that has haunted her every waking moment—while forging the power to finally strike back.

Here is the electrifying debut novel from Lisa Taddeo, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Three Women, which was named to more than thirty best-of-the-year lists and hailed as “a dazzling achievement�� (Los Angeles Times) and “a heartbreaking, gripping, astonishing masterpiece�� (Esquire). Animal is a depiction of female rage at its rawest, and a visceral exploration of the fallout from a male-dominated society. With writing that scorches and mesmerizes, Taddeo illustrates one woman’s exhilarating transformation from prey into predator.]]> 336 Lisa Taddeo 1982122129 Tasha 0 to-read 3.71 2021
author: Lisa Taddeo
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211642122 A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

“What the gods did not give us, I would take.��

As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.

Upon her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal�� even if it means losing her heart.]]> 464 Sue Lynn Tan 0063267616 Tasha 0 to-read 3.89 2025
author: Sue Lynn Tan
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220161576 In this razor-sharp, diabolical debut thriller, a young woman steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.]]> 320 Liann Zhang 1668067897 Tasha 0 to-read 3.90 2025
author: Liann Zhang
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 213570821 From the bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

It's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.

After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory...

So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions. Something's not adding up, and they begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...

Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans...


]]> 480 Ashley Winstead 1728270006 Tasha 0 to-read 3.76 2025
author: Ashley Winstead
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 218362004 A young man who has improbably escaped death twice reveals his secret in a spine-tingling short story by New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill.

Martin Lorensen is a twenty-three-year-old counselor for disturbed teenagers. He’s bright, compassionate, attractive, and outgoing. He’s also—and this is the most interesting thing—not dead. Martin has improbably survived not one but two deadly disasters that claimed dozens of lives. The kid is riding one hell of a lucky streak. Two federal agents think there is something darker at play. Now that they’ve arranged to interview Martin, they want answers. Martin is ready to share everything he knows. One thing is for certain: when it comes to escaping death, luck doesn’t figure into it at all.]]> 29 Joe Hill 1662527942 Tasha 0 to-read 4.24 2024
author: Joe Hill
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 75665887 Can they stop hating each other long enough to fall in love?

A commitment-phobe and a hopeless romantic clash over and over again--until heartbreak and unexpected chemistry bring them together in this clever enemies-to-friends-to-lovers debut romance.

When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly.

A free-spirited, struggling comedian who likes to keep things casual, Ari sublets, takes gigs, and she never sleeps over after hooking up. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: Take the culinary world by storm, find The One, and make her breakfast in his spotless kitchen. They have absolutely nothing in common . . . except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman.

Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, as they're both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis is fun when you're too sad to hate each other--and too sad for hate sex.

As friends-without-benefits, they find comfort in late-night Netflix binges, swiping through each other's online dating profiles, and bickering across boroughs. It's better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur. . . .

With sharp observations and sizzling chemistry, You, Again explores the dynamics of co-ed friendship in this sparkling romantic comedy of modern love in all its forms.]]> 448 Kate Goldbeck 059344812X Tasha 0 to-read 3.56 2023
author: Kate Goldbeck
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 32758901 "As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."

In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid--a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.�� Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.]]> 144 Martha Wells Tasha 0 to-read 4.11 2017
author: Martha Wells
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> 27189194
On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.]]> 352 Taylor Jenkins Reid Tasha 0 to-read 4.03 2016
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> 9361589
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.]]> 506 Erin Morgenstern Tasha 0 to-read 4.00 2011
author: Erin Morgenstern
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
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]]> 13623848 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062060624.

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.]]> 408 Madeline Miller Tasha 0 to-read 4.30 2011
author: Madeline Miller
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62926938 An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.]]> 336 Ashley Poston Tasha 0 to-read 4.18 2023
author: Ashley Poston
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> 139400713 Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr! is a paean to how we spend our lives seeking meaning—in faith, art, ourselves, others—in which a newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants, guided by the voices of artists, poets, and kings, embarks on a search that leads him to a terminally ill painter living out her final days in the Brooklyn Museum.

Cyrus Shams is a young man grappling with an inheritance of violence and loss: his mother’s plane was shot down over the skies of Tehran in a senseless accident; and his father’s life in America was circumscribed by his work killing chickens at a factory farm in the Midwest. Cyrus is a drunk, an addict, and a poet, whose obsession with martyrs leads him to examine the mysteries of his past—toward an uncle who rode through Iranian battlefields dressed as the Angel of death to inspire and comfort the dying, and toward his mother, through a painting discovered in a Brooklyn art gallery that suggests she may not have been who or what she seemed.

Electrifying, funny, wholly original, and profound, Martyr! heralds the arrival of a blazing and essential new voice in contemporary fiction.]]> 331 Kaveh Akbar 0593537610 Tasha 0 to-read 4.22 2024
author: Kaveh Akbar
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/17
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review:

]]> 191763518 A poignant, rousing debut book of poetry, full of life, from the former Youth Poet Laureate of Oakland, California

woke up no light��is a Black girl’s saunter turned to a woman’s defiant strut. These are the hymns of a new generation of poetry. Young, alive, yearning. A mouth swung open and ready to devour. A quest for home in a world that knows only wasteland and wanting.

Moving in sections from “girlhood�� to “neighborhood�� to “falsehood�� to, finally, “womanhood,�� these poems reckon with themes of reparations, restitution, and desire. The collection is sharp and raw, wise and rhythmic, a combination that lights up each page. From unearthing histories to searching for ways to dream of a future in a world constantly on the brink of disaster, this young poet sets forth personal and political revelation with piercing detail.

woke up no light��confirms Leila Mottley’s arrival and demonstrates the enduring power of her voice—brave and distinctive and thoroughly her own.]]> 128 Leila Mottley 0593319710 Tasha 0 to-read 4.13
author: Leila Mottley
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.13
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> 199344846
On the morning of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution, preparing to give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man in black—black clothes, black mask—rushed down the aisle toward him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it’s you. Here you are.

What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the literary world and beyond. Now, for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey toward physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide.

Knife is Rushdie at the peak of his powers, writing with urgency, with gravity, with unflinching honesty. It is also a deeply moving reminder of literature’s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable, an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art—and finding the strength to stand up again.]]> 209 Salman Rushdie 0593730240 Tasha 0 to-read 4.00 2024
author: Salman Rushdie
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> 49374507
Interwoven with Margot's present-day search is Mina's story of her first year in Los Angeles as she navigates the promises and perils of the American myth of reinvention. While she's barely earning a living by stocking shelves at a Korean grocery store, the last thing Mina ever expects is to fall in love. But that love story sets in motion a series of events that have consequences for years to come, leading up to the truth of what happened the night of her death.]]> 384 Nancy Jooyoun Kim 0778310175 Tasha 0 to-read 3.48 2020
author: Nancy Jooyoun Kim
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 210690141 In this exquisite speculative novel set in a world where white people no longer exist, college professor Charlie Brunton receives a call from his estranged daughter Sidney, setting off a chain of events as they journey across a truly “post-racial�� America in search of answers.

One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charles Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he’s now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn’t even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old who watched her white mother and step-family drown themselves in the lake behind their house.

Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across America headed for Alabama, where Sidney believes she may still have some family left. But neither Sidney or Charlie is prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it.

When they enter the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humor, Cebo Campbell’s astonishing debut novel is about the power of community and connection, about healing and self-actualization, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.]]> 1 Cebo Campbell 1797182951 Tasha 0 to-read 3.92 2024
author: Cebo Campbell
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/15
shelves: to-read
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]]> 212078458 Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this rivals-to-lovers romance.

Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He's the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year, with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jackson Bennett is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited for—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, Jack agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?]]> 384 Sarah Adams 1035409127 Tasha 0 to-read 4.18 2025
author: Sarah Adams
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60099660 actually invisible.
��
When her parents drop the news that they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship, Alice hatches a plan to monetize her strange new power—she’ll discover the scandalous secrets her classmates want to know, for a price.
��
But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if it’s worth losing her conscience—or even her life.

In this genre-bending YA debut, a Chinese American girl monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates�� most scandalous secrets.]]> 346 Ann Liang 1335915842 Tasha 0 to-read 4.01 2022
author: Ann Liang
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 218559595 Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.]]> 384 Emily Henry 059344129X Tasha 0 to-read 4.26 2025
author: Emily Henry
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214329001 The future of storytelling is here.

Life has thrown Zelu some curveballs over the years, but when she's suddenly dropped from her university job and her latest novel is rejected, all in the middle of her sister's wedding, her life is upended. Disabled, unemployed and from a nosy, high-achieving, judgmental family, she's not sure what comes next.

In her hotel room that night, she takes the risk that will define her life - she decides to write a book VERY unlike her others. A science fiction drama about androids and AI after the extinction of humanity. And everything changes.

What follows is a tale of love and loss, fame and infamy, of extraordinary events in one world, and another. And as Zelu's life evolves, the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur.

Because sometimes a story really does have the power to reshape the world.]]> 448 Nnedi Okorafor 0063391155 Tasha 0 to-read 4.06 2025
author: Nnedi Okorafor
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: to-read
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]]> 219833252 Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby returns with King of Ashes, a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama.

When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father’s car accident, he finds his younger brother, Dante, in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister, Neveah, exhausted from holding the family—and the family business—together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium in the run-down central Virginia town of Jefferson Run, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in real danger.

Roman, a financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he’s forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes that he has only one thing left to offer to save his himself, and his own particular set of skills.

Roman begins his work for the criminals while Neveah tries to uncover the long-ago mystery of what happened to their mother, who disappeared when they were teenagers. But Roman is far less of a pushover than the gangsters realize. He is willing to do anything to save his family. Anything.

Because everything burns.]]> 352 S.A. Cosby 1250832063 Tasha 0 to-read 4.37 2025
author: S.A. Cosby
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 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 Tasha 0 to-read 4.67 2025
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 49090884
His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.�� Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing.

Then one day he’s given a a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.]]> 209 Agustina Bazterrica 1982150920 Tasha 3
”There are times when one has to bear the weight of the world.��

��

I don’t know how to really feel about this book. The premise is very interesting dealing with state sponsored cannibalism.

The main character Marcos comes off as morally grey, knowing that what is going on around him isn’t exactly right but he still makes himself work at a human slaughterhouse because of the things going on in his life. His marriage is strained, he has family drama, experienced tragedy and his life is in a downward spiral.

Following his journey was interesting but this book was hard for me to read. It is graphic and bizarre and sort of uncomfortable which I had kind of expected.

A lot of this book was slow and boring and even though it was only 209 pages, I took many breaks and it took me a few months to finish.

The ending of this book dropped my rating significantly and I’m left disappointed. I had kind of guessed it before it happened and I was hoping I was wrong, but it turns out I wasn’t. Underwhelming at best.

I do still find a lot of the book interesting regardless. I’ll have to be honest when I say it wouldn’t be a book I’d recommend to others though.]]> 3.76 2017
author: Agustina Bazterrica
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/08
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:
3 ⭐️

”There are times when one has to bear the weight of the world.��

��

I don’t know how to really feel about this book. The premise is very interesting dealing with state sponsored cannibalism.

The main character Marcos comes off as morally grey, knowing that what is going on around him isn’t exactly right but he still makes himself work at a human slaughterhouse because of the things going on in his life. His marriage is strained, he has family drama, experienced tragedy and his life is in a downward spiral.

Following his journey was interesting but this book was hard for me to read. It is graphic and bizarre and sort of uncomfortable which I had kind of expected.

A lot of this book was slow and boring and even though it was only 209 pages, I took many breaks and it took me a few months to finish.

The ending of this book dropped my rating significantly and I’m left disappointed. I had kind of guessed it before it happened and I was hoping I was wrong, but it turns out I wasn’t. Underwhelming at best.

I do still find a lot of the book interesting regardless. I’ll have to be honest when I say it wouldn’t be a book I’d recommend to others though.
]]> 195945776 The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. Marcus grew up believing his father killed his mother—then blamed it on the boogeyman under the bed. Always leave the lights on, his father warned, or the boogeyman will get you. Marcus still heeds the superstition, especially when he invites his new girlfriend over.

Is Marcus haunted by a creature or has he just inherited his father’s murderous delusions? The night will tell.

Grady Hendrix’s 'Ankle Snatcher' is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.]]> 29 Grady Hendrix 166251705X Tasha 4
”People like you and me, son, we have to be careful of the Ankle Snatcher.��

I am trying to get out of a book slump so I wanted something quick and short to read, and well, this was it. Only 29 pages. I really enjoyed this. Despite being so short it easily gives you the chills and definitely gives creepy vibes.

It follows the main character whose father was sentenced to prison for killing his mom. The last thing his father told him that it was the Ankle Snatcher and to never leave the bed at night without turning on the lights first. But there’s no way that could be true, right��?

I love Grady’s writing style. Something about it is simple but flows and easy to read.

The ending of this short story was my favorite. Definitely worth picking up.]]> 3.71 2023
author: Grady Hendrix
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/30
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves:
review:
4 ⭐️

”People like you and me, son, we have to be careful of the Ankle Snatcher.��

I am trying to get out of a book slump so I wanted something quick and short to read, and well, this was it. Only 29 pages. I really enjoyed this. Despite being so short it easily gives you the chills and definitely gives creepy vibes.

It follows the main character whose father was sentenced to prison for killing his mom. The last thing his father told him that it was the Ankle Snatcher and to never leave the bed at night without turning on the lights first. But there’s no way that could be true, right��?

I love Grady’s writing style. Something about it is simple but flows and easy to read.

The ending of this short story was my favorite. Definitely worth picking up.
]]> 208430658 Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost—and the collectors have come calling.

An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has always had more to prove than her fellow students. For twenty years, she has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. When she finally claws her way up the ranks to become a highmage, however, she finds that her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues will stop at nothing to let her know she is unwelcome, beginning with giving her a janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant.

What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was once more than a janitor; before he mopped floors for the mages, Thomil was a nomadic hunter from beyond Tiran’s magical barrier. Ten years have passed since he survived the perilous crossing that killed his family. But working for a highmage, he sees the opportunity to finally understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the Tiranish in power.

Through their fractious relationship, mage and outsider uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first. Sciona has defined her life by the pursuit of truth, but how much is one truth worth with the fate of civilization in the balance?

A standalone dark academia brimming with mystery, tragedy, and the damning echoes of the past. For fans of Leigh Bardugo, V. E. Schwab, and Fullmetal Alchemist.

(Content warnings for gore, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation)]]> 430 M.L. Wang 0593873351 Tasha 0 to-read 4.40 2023
author: M.L. Wang
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199534613
“[An] enormously entertaining and lovable book.�� —Nick Hornby, New York Times Book Review

A bold, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartwarming story about one young woman’s attempt to navigate adulthood, new motherhood, and her meager bank account in our increasingly online world—from the PEN/Faulkner finalist and critically acclaimed author of The Knockout Queen.

As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo Millet's always known she’d have to make it on her own. So she enrolls at her local junior college, even though she can’t imagine how she’ll ever make a living. She’s still figuring things out and never planned to have an affair with her English professor—and while the affair is brief, it isn’t brief enough to keep her from getting pregnant. Despite everyone’s advice, she decides to keep the baby, mostly out of naiveté and a yearning for something bigger.

Now, at twenty, Margo is alone with an infant, unemployed, and on the verge of eviction. She needs a cash infusion—fast. When her estranged father, Jinx, shows up on her doorstep and asks to move in with her, she agrees in exchange for help with childcare. Then Margo begins to form a plan: she’ll start an OnlyFans as an experiment, and soon finds herself adapting some of Jinx’s advice from the world of wrestling. Like how to craft a compelling character and make your audience fall in love with you. Before she knows it, she’s turned it into a runaway success. Could this be the answer to all of Margo’s problems, or does internet fame come with too high a price?

Blisteringly funny and filled with sharp insight, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a tender tale starring an endearing young heroine who’s struggling to wrest money and power from a world that has little interest in giving it to her. It’s a playful and honest examination of the art of storytelling and controlling your own narrative, and an empowering portrait of coming into your own, both online and off.

“A wholly original novel. . . . Thorpe is both poetic and profound in the way she brings her remarkable story to an end.�� —The Associated Press]]> 304 Rufi Thorpe 0063356589 Tasha 0 to-read 3.87 2024
author: Rufi Thorpe
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 127305686 New sparks. Old flames. And a mission that's playing with fire.

A year has passed since superstar Winter Young last saw secret agent Sydney Cossette. After barely surviving their first assignment together in London -- and their intense chemistry �� the two haven’t spoken at all. Though they’re never far from the other’s thoughts, or fantasies.

So when Syndey shows up at Winter’s studio one day with a new mission from Panacea, he has no choice but to accept. With the clock ticking, the duo prepares to head to Singapore to rescue an operative in danger -- only to learn he’s none other than Sydney's ex, a rogue agent known as the Arsonist.

Of course, nothing is ever simple when it comes to Winter and Sydney. Especially not with the glamorous Gavi Ginsburg, a globe-trotting socialite and Winter’s one-time girlfriend, in the mix. Is she back for Winter’s heart �� or does she have her eye on another prize?

The smoldering sequel to New York Times-bestselling Stars and Smoke follows Winter and Sydney on yet another treacherous mission that grows more sinister with each twist and turn. To make it out alive, they'll have to figure out how to be partners again -- and if they can resist the burn of something more.]]> 320 Marie Lu 1250852919 Tasha 4
I’m love the main characters and their dynamic and relationship. There were high stakes, lots of action and some cute moments in there as well.

Essentially this book to me is like watching one of those classic Disney Channel original movies. In fact, I hope this gets adapted, it would make for a great movie tbh. Gave me all the nostalgic and feel good vibes.]]> 3.90 2024
author: Marie Lu
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/21
date added: 2024/12/21
shelves:
review:
This was so cute! This is the sequel to Stars and Smoke, a feel good story about a pop star and a secret agent.

I’m love the main characters and their dynamic and relationship. There were high stakes, lots of action and some cute moments in there as well.

Essentially this book to me is like watching one of those classic Disney Channel original movies. In fact, I hope this gets adapted, it would make for a great movie tbh. Gave me all the nostalgic and feel good vibes.
]]> 50892212
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.

But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Descendant of the Crane, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.]]> 449 Chloe Gong 1534457690 Tasha 0 to-read 3.82 2020
author: Chloe Gong
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 210223811 Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.]]> 400 R.F. Kuang Tasha 0 to-read 4.12 2025
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215606317 An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.)
Beyond the Martial Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger.

Helene Aquilla, the Blood Shrike, is desperate to protect her sister's life and the lives of everyone in the Empire. But she knows that danger lurks on all sides: Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable and violent, while Keris Veturia, the ruthless Commandant, capitalizes on the Emperor's volatility to grow her own power--regardless of the carnage she leaves in her path.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. But in the hunt to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would help her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she'd have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that demands his complete surrender--even if that means abandoning the woman he loves.]]> 467 Sabaa Tahir 0448494523 Tasha 4
”Strange how monsters can reach from beyond the grave, as potent in death as they were in life.��

��

This book emotionally destroyed me.

It’s been a while since I’ve been so invested in characters in a series

Sabaa Tahir knows how to rip your heart out, sew it back together and then rip it back apart again.

at this point I’m no longer a fly on the wall, I am in the resistance and I am a fighter for justice and freedom with these people.

Elias’s chapters were so hard to get through. The pain and suffering throughout this book was really well done and so realistic. I was pretty stressed trying to get to the end because of this feeling of hopelessness I kept getting, wondering ‘how in the hell are they gonna get out of this?��

In my opinion this series hasn’t lost its momentum yet, and this book is just as good as the previous two. High stakes go even higher, character development is still refreshing and interesting, plot is still holding strong.

I am however waiting for an explanation dealing with Laia though, and it has not been explored yet but I hope in the last book my questions are answered.

]]> 4.12 2018
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/11
date added: 2024/12/12
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️

”Strange how monsters can reach from beyond the grave, as potent in death as they were in life.��

��

This book emotionally destroyed me.

It’s been a while since I’ve been so invested in characters in a series

Sabaa Tahir knows how to rip your heart out, sew it back together and then rip it back apart again.

at this point I’m no longer a fly on the wall, I am in the resistance and I am a fighter for justice and freedom with these people.

Elias’s chapters were so hard to get through. The pain and suffering throughout this book was really well done and so realistic. I was pretty stressed trying to get to the end because of this feeling of hopelessness I kept getting, wondering ‘how in the hell are they gonna get out of this?��

In my opinion this series hasn’t lost its momentum yet, and this book is just as good as the previous two. High stakes go even higher, character development is still refreshing and interesting, plot is still holding strong.

I am however waiting for an explanation dealing with Laia though, and it has not been explored yet but I hope in the last book my questions are answered.


]]> 60717747 It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

Pick up HALF A SOUL, and be stolen away into Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!]]> 304 Olivia Atwater Tasha 0 to-read 4.04 2020
author: Olivia Atwater
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60879779
I'm Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I'd killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it's a little more complicated than that.

Have I killed someone? Yes. I have.

Who was it?

Let's get started.

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE

My brother

My stepsister

My wife

My father

My mother

My sister-in-law

My uncle

My stepfather

My aunt

Me]]> 371 Benjamin Stevenson 0063279029 Tasha 0 to-read 3.75 2022
author: Benjamin Stevenson
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 20958632
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries�� seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does��

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?]]> 328 Holly Black 0316213071 Tasha 0 to-read 3.87 2015
author: Holly Black
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 206181453 Two kids race to save the world’s last magical place in the first book of a landmark new fantasy series, from “a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.�� (Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass)
��
“Katherine Rundell is a phenomenon.��She crafts original and brilliant books that delight readers of all ages and kinds.�� ―Neil Gaiman, Newbery Medal Winner for The Graveyard Book

“An instant classic from one of the most gifted storytellers of our time, Impossible Creatures is an astonishing miracle of a book.�� —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan
��
The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever.
��
It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago—a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it’s the day he met Mal—a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help.
��
Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.
��
Katherine Rundell’s story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.]]> 367 Katherine Rundell 0593809882 Tasha 0 to-read 4.24 2023
author: Katherine Rundell
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 210722967
From USA Today bestselling author Emily McIntire comes a dark and delicious fractured fairytale of The Little Mermaid.

Venesa Andersen has never been good. She wasn’t good enough for her parents, and she isn’t good enough for the gangster uncle who took her in after they died. But she’s cunning. Beautiful. Dutiful to her uncle’s demands. And she doesn’t have time for a moral compass, anyway. When her runaway cousin returns to their coastal southern town, she brings a man with her…and Venesa soon realizes he’s the only one who’s ever seen her for her.
There’s just one problem: she can never have him.

Enzo “Loverboy�� Marino is a wealthy businessman by day and prince of the underworld by night. Underboss to a notorious mafia syndicate, he answers to no one except his father, the strongest don in the Northeast. When he’s tasked with marriage, Enzo doesn’t think twice.

Until he meets his fiancée’s cousin.

Venesa is everything he never knew he wanted, bewitching him with her sultry voice and supple curves. But Enzo learned long ago that for a man like him, life is better without the things you want.

When plans unravel and temptation sings its siren song, they’ll both have to choose what’s more important: duty to their families, or a forbidden love that was never supposed to be.]]> 544 Emily McIntire 1728275865 Tasha 4
��

11/27/25 - 4 ⭐️

”Then let’s make you the Queen of Ashes��

This book is highly entertaining and hilarious for some reason. Some of the dialogue had me cracking up, and words used. Since some Italian references were thrown in there, it wasn’t overdone, cheesy and redundant.

I love the sprinkles of The Little Mermaid you get throughout the book, like Aria (aka Ariel) enjoying singing and the personification of the animal characters like Sebastian and Flounder.

The conflict was satisfying, drama and stakes were high but done well . Sometimes I found myself annoyed at Vanesa because she kept making the same mistake over and over, even recognizing that she was doing it, and then continued to do it ]]> 4.17 2024
author: Emily McIntire
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/26
date added: 2024/11/27
shelves:
review:
Rating and review to come later!

��

11/27/25 - 4 ⭐️

”Then let’s make you the Queen of Ashes��

This book is highly entertaining and hilarious for some reason. Some of the dialogue had me cracking up, and words used. Since some Italian references were thrown in there, it wasn’t overdone, cheesy and redundant.

I love the sprinkles of The Little Mermaid you get throughout the book, like Aria (aka Ariel) enjoying singing and the personification of the animal characters like Sebastian and Flounder.

The conflict was satisfying, drama and stakes were high but done well . Sometimes I found myself annoyed at Vanesa because she kept making the same mistake over and over, even recognizing that she was doing it, and then continued to do it
]]> 203164421 Psychological horror meets cyber noir in this delicious one-sitting read �� a haunted house story in which the haunting is by AI.

Henry is a brilliant engineer who, after untold hours spent in his home lab, has achieved the breakthrough of his career �� he’s created an artificially intelligent consciousness. He calls the half-formed robot William.

No one knows about William. Henry’s agoraphobia keeps him inside the house, and his fixation on his project keeps him up in the attic, away from everyone, including his pregnant wife, Lily.

When Lily’s coworkers show up, wanting to finally meet Henry and see the new house �� the smartest of smart homes �� Henry decides to introduce them to William, and things go from strange to much worse. Soon Henry and Lily discover the security upgrades intended to keep danger out of the house are even better at locking it in.]]> 224 Mason Coile 0593719603 Tasha 0 to-read 3.52 2024
author: Mason Coile
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36506218 ��
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
��
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
��
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
��
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

From the Hardcover edition.]]> 456 Sabaa Tahir Tasha 5
11/18/24- changed rating to 5 ⭐️ because it deserves it.

I like how the story immediately thrusts you right into the action in the beginning. It kept me engaged pretty much throughout the book. I found myself struggling to finish towards the end but I feel as though I was heading into a book slump and not necessarily the books fault.

I loved Laia. A lot of her personality I could resonate with and I was proud of her towards the end as she began to be more brave and believed in herself more.

Loved Elias even more! I love characters who battle with their moral compass, and his internal struggle with himself as well as conflict with his family and surroundings were really interesting to read about.

The antagonists were antagonizing. My god, my blood literally boiled at certain scenes and I was getting so pissed off lol.

I would have liked to know more about the side characters of the Rebels and a few more. I didn’t really feel attached to them, they could have used a little more depth.

Other than that, I can’t believe it took me this long to read this and I’m so glad it did. Truly recommend this to all fantasy lovers. Can’t wait to see what the next book has in store]]> 4.28 2015
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/03
date added: 2024/11/18
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️

11/18/24- changed rating to 5 ⭐️ because it deserves it.

I like how the story immediately thrusts you right into the action in the beginning. It kept me engaged pretty much throughout the book. I found myself struggling to finish towards the end but I feel as though I was heading into a book slump and not necessarily the books fault.

I loved Laia. A lot of her personality I could resonate with and I was proud of her towards the end as she began to be more brave and believed in herself more.

Loved Elias even more! I love characters who battle with their moral compass, and his internal struggle with himself as well as conflict with his family and surroundings were really interesting to read about.

The antagonists were antagonizing. My god, my blood literally boiled at certain scenes and I was getting so pissed off lol.

I would have liked to know more about the side characters of the Rebels and a few more. I didn’t really feel attached to them, they could have used a little more depth.

Other than that, I can’t believe it took me this long to read this and I’m so glad it did. Truly recommend this to all fantasy lovers. Can’t wait to see what the next book has in store
]]> 213075405 Elias and Laia are running for their lives.

After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape...and kill them both.]]> 460 Sabaa Tahir 110199889X Tasha 5
”It only takes a split second for life to go horribly wrong. To fix the mess, I need a thousand things to go right. The distance from one bit of luck to the next feels as great as the distance across oceans. But, I decide in this moment, I will bridge that distance, again and again, until I win. I will not fail.

The way this world and these characters have me in a chokehold. I feel so immersed while reading and it really feels like a movie in your head. I’m so attached it’s not even funny.

It’s ruthless, brutal but beautiful all at the same time. Was it perfect? No, I still had a couple of issues with certain parts but it wasn’t enough to ruin my experience.

I’m just loving this series and I can’t wait to read the next book.]]> 4.18 2016
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/18
date added: 2024/11/18
shelves:
review:
5 ⭐️

”It only takes a split second for life to go horribly wrong. To fix the mess, I need a thousand things to go right. The distance from one bit of luck to the next feels as great as the distance across oceans. But, I decide in this moment, I will bridge that distance, again and again, until I win. I will not fail.

The way this world and these characters have me in a chokehold. I feel so immersed while reading and it really feels like a movie in your head. I’m so attached it’s not even funny.

It’s ruthless, brutal but beautiful all at the same time. Was it perfect? No, I still had a couple of issues with certain parts but it wasn’t enough to ruin my experience.

I’m just loving this series and I can’t wait to read the next book.
]]> 57693184 Titanic meets The Shining in S.A. Barnes�� Dead Silence, a SF horror novel in which a woman and her crew board a decades-lost luxury cruiser and find the wreckage of a nightmare that hasn't yet ended.

A GHOST SHIP.
A SALVAGE CREW.
UNSPEAKABLE HORRORS.

Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate.

What they find at the other end of the signal is a shock: the Aurora, a famous luxury space-liner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick trip through the Aurora reveals something isn’t right.

Whispers in the dark. Flickers of movement. Words scrawled in blood. Claire must fight to hold onto her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora, before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate.]]> 343 S.A. Barnes 1250819997 Tasha 0 to-read 3.76 2022
author: S.A. Barnes
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 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 Tasha 3 4.16 2024
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves:
review:
I’ll give a rating on this book later! I need to process all this chaos for a minute
]]> 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 Tasha 0 to-read 3.53 2024
author: Saara El-Arifi
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 207611551 A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for readers of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna.

Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells "small" fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences��

Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and—of course—a slightly magical cat.

Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have.]]> 336 Julie Leong 0593815912 Tasha 0 to-read 3.82 2024
author: Julie Leong
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 1857440 STOP. You should not have touched this flyer with your bare hands. NO, don't put it down. It's too late. They're watching you. My name is David Wong. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. You might want to change yours. You may not want to know about the things you'll read on these pages, about the sauce, about Korrok, about the invasion, and the future. But it's too late. You touched the book. You're in the game. You're under the eye. The only defense is knowledge. You need to read this book, to the end. Even the part with the bratwurst. Why? You just have to trust me.

The important thing is this: The drug is called Soy Sauce and it gives users a window into another dimension. John and I never had the chance to say no. You still do. I'm sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events and the very dark epoch the world is about to enter as a result, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind: None of this was my fault. ]]> 362 David Wong 0978970764 Tasha 0 to-read 3.89 2007
author: David Wong
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 200982373 Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.

Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality―Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork―whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster―Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator...]]> 336 C.G. Drews 1250895669 Tasha 0 to-read 4.12 2024
author: C.G. Drews
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25499718
WHO WILL INHERIT THIS NEW EARTH?

The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age—a world terraformed and prepared for human life.

But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare.

Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?]]> 608 Adrian Tchaikovsky 1447273281 Tasha 0 to-read 4.29 2015
author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/14
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 Tasha 0 to-read 4.11 2018
author: Mary E. Pearson
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 63017297 In this suspenseful and darkly funny debut novel, a sophisticated French woman spends her life obsessing over her perfect husband--but can their marriage survive her passionate love?

At forty years old, she has an enviable life: a successful career, stunning looks, a beautiful house in the suburbs, two healthy children, and most importantly, an ideal husband. After fifteen years together, she is still besotted with him. But she's never quite sure that her passion is reciprocated. After all, would a truly infatuated man ever let go of his wife's hand when they're sitting on the couch together?

Determined to keep their relationship perfect, she meticulously prepares for every encounter they have, always taking care to make her actions seem effortless. She watches him attentively, charting every mistake and punishing him accordingly to help him improve. And she tests him--setting traps to make sure that he still loves her just as much as he did when they first met.

Until one day she realizes she may have gone too far . . .

The winner of France's First Novel Prize in 2021, My Husband builds on the premise of hits like Gone Girl and Fates and Furies--how well can you really know your spouse?--and adds the tension and creepy obsession of You. The result is an irresistible read--compelling, tense, and engaging, infused with sly subversive humor, and told in an utterly original voice that makes it unforgettable.

Translated from the French by Emma Ramadan]]> 272 Maud Ventura 0063274825 Tasha 0 to-read 3.67 2021
author: Maud Ventura
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 202468441 When cracks start forming in an influencer’s curated life, she finds out that jealousy is just as viral as a video in this riveting suspense novel by bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Influencer Meredith Lee��didn't teach��Aspen��Palmer how to blossom on social media just to be ditched as soon as��Aspen��became big. So can anyone really blame Mer for doing a little stalking? Nothing serious, more like Stalking Lite.

Then Mer gets lucky; she finds one of��Aspen's kids' iPads and swipes it. Now she has access to the family calendar and Aspen's social media accounts. Would anyone else be able to resist tweaking things a little here and there, showing up in��Aspen's place for meetings with potential sponsors? Mer's only taking back what she deserves—what should have been hers.��

Meanwhile,��Aspen��doesn't understand why her perfectly filtered life is falling apart. Sponsors are dropping her, fellow influencers are ghosting her, and even her own husband seems to find her repulsive. If she doesn't find out who's behind everything, she might just lose it all. But what everyone seems to forget is that��Aspen��didn't become one of TikTok's��biggest momfluencers��by being naive.

When��Meredith suddenly��goes missing,��Aspen's world is upended and mysterious threats begin to arrive—but she won’t let anything get in the way of her perfect life again.]]> 336 Jesse Q. Sutanto 0593546946 Tasha 0 to-read 3.61 2024
author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 56269064 Think you know the person you married? Think again��

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts �� paper, cotton, pottery, tin �� and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

Rock Paper Scissors is the latest exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney.]]> 294 Alice Feeney 1250266106 Tasha 4
I listened to this on audio and I felt like the narrator really captured the essence of this book. Creepy, mysterious but addictive. Definitely recommend if you are looking for a good thriller to binge.]]> 3.88 2021
author: Alice Feeney
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/09
date added: 2024/11/09
shelves:
review:
I was surprised by how much I liked this! Lots of good quotes. Premise was interesting and I was pretty much engaged throughout the whole story. Loved the writing style of the author. It just didn’t give me that 5 star feeling, but I still really enjoyed it.

I listened to this on audio and I felt like the narrator really captured the essence of this book. Creepy, mysterious but addictive. Definitely recommend if you are looking for a good thriller to binge.
]]> 203578770 Author of sales sensation If We Were Villains returns with a story about a ragtag group of night shift workers who meet in the local cemetery to unearth the secrets lurking in an open grave.

Every night, in the college’s ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story.

One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn’t there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom?

Before they go their separate ways, the gravedigger returns. As they trail him through the night, they realize he may be the key to a string of strange happenings around town that have made headlines for the last few weeks—and that they may be closer to the mystery than they thought.

Atmospheric and eerie, with the ensemble cast her fans love and a delightfully familiar academic backdrop, Graveyard Shift is a modern Gothic tale in If We Were Villains author M. L. Rio’s inimitable style.]]> 144 M.L. Rio 1250356792 Tasha 0 to-read 3.19 2024
author: M.L. Rio
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.19
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 195820807
Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?]]> 432 Abby Jimenez 1538704439 Tasha 4 4.5 stars! 4.35 2024
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/07
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves:
review:
4.5 stars!
]]> 61884832 A Black sheriff. A serial killer. A small town ready to combust.

Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff in the history of Charon County, Virginia. In recent decades, Charon has had only two murders. After years of working as an FBI agent, Titus knows better than anyone that while his hometown might seem like a land of moonshine, cornbread, and honeysuckle, secrets always fester under the surface.

Then a year to the day after Titus’s election, a school teacher is killed by a former student and the student is fatally shot by Titus’s deputies. Those festering secrets are now out in the open and ready to tear the town apart.

As Titus investigates the shootings, he unearths terrible crimes and a serial killer who has been hiding in plain sight, haunting the dirt lanes and woodland clearings of Charon. With the killer’s possible connections to a local church and the town’s harrowing history weighing on him, Titus projects confidence about closing the case while concealing a painful secret from his own past. At the same time, he also has to contend with a far-right group that wants to hold a parade in celebration of the town’s Confederate history.

Powerful and unforgettable, All the Sinners Bleed confirms S. A. Cosby as “one of the most muscular, distinctive, grab-you-by-both-ears voices in American crime fiction�� (The Washington Post).]]> 338 S.A. Cosby 1250831911 Tasha 4 best-of-2024
One line that stuck with me was when he described blood spatter as ‘crimson calligraphy��, that imagery really sold it for me. I enjoyed the characters introduced though it was a little hard to follow via audiobook.

I also enjoyed the narrators voice. I just liked everything about this book honestly. An enlightening read that I would definitely recommend to others]]> 4.19 2023
author: S.A. Cosby
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/23
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves: best-of-2024
review:
I had to take a moment to reflect on this book before writing a review. This was a wonderful read. The way the author crafts his words is *chef’s kiss* you can’t help but cheer for Titus from start to finish.

One line that stuck with me was when he described blood spatter as ‘crimson calligraphy��, that imagery really sold it for me. I enjoyed the characters introduced though it was a little hard to follow via audiobook.

I also enjoyed the narrators voice. I just liked everything about this book honestly. An enlightening read that I would definitely recommend to others
]]> 61796738 This smoldering enemies-to-lovers novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu puts a superstar global phenomenon and a hotshot young spy on a collision course with danger �� and Cupid’s arrow �� in an electric new series perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Ally Carter.

Meet Winter Young �� International pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. His rabid fans would move heaven and earth for even a glimpse of him �� just imagine what they’d do to become his latest fling.

Meet Sydney Cossette �� Part of an elite covert ops group, Sydney joined their ranks as their youngest spy with plans to become the best agent they’ve ever had. An ice queen with moves as dangerous as her comebacks, Sydney picks up languages just as quickly as she breaks hearts. She's fiery, no-nonsense, and has zero time for romance �� especially with a shameless flirt more used to serving sass than taking orders.

When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a private concert with Winter for her birthday, Sydney and Winter's lives suddenly collide. Tasked with infiltrating the crime organization’s inner circle, Sydney is assigned as Winter's bodyguard with Winter tapped to join her on the mission of a lifetime as a new spy recruit. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as their mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit that there's more to Winter Young than just a handsome face . . .

Romance and danger abound in this “brilliant, breathtaking ride that will leave you clamoring for the sequel.�� —Tahereh Mafi, #1 internationally bestselling author of Shatter Me .]]> 336 Marie Lu 1250852811 Tasha 5 3.67 2023
author: Marie Lu
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/09
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves:
review:
first 5 star of the year. i don’t have any complaints about this book tbh. enjoyed it from start to end. and i can’t wait for the 2nd part.
]]> 62039217
Saoirse Sorkova survives on lies. As a soldier-in-training at the most prestigious barracks in the kingdom, she lies about being a siren to avoid execution. At night, working as an assassin for a dangerous group of mercenaries, Saoirse lies about her true identity. And to her family, Saoirse tells the biggest lie of all: that she can control her siren powers and doesn't struggle constantly against an impulse to kill.

As the top trainee in her class, Saoirse would be headed for a bright future if it weren't for the need to keep her secrets out of the spotlight. But when a mysterious blackmailer threatens her sister, Saoirse takes a dangerous job that will help her investigate: she becomes personal bodyguard to the crown prince.

Saoirse should hate Prince Hayes. After all, his father is the one who enforces the kingdom's brutal creature segregation laws. But when Hayes turns out to be kind, thoughtful, and charming, Saoirse finds herself increasingly drawn to him-especially when they're forced to work together to stop a deadly killer who's plaguing the city. There's only one problem: Saoirse is that deadly killer.

Featuring an all Black and Brown cast, a forbidden romance, and a compulsively dark plot full of twists, this thrilling YA fantasy is perfect for fans of A Song Below Water and To Kill a Kingdom.]]> 432 Gabi Burton 1547610379 Tasha 4 best-of-2024
I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to get into it but once I did I was glued to the pages. I love the idea of a siren main character, even more so that she was a woman of color.

Also the representation in this book is phenomenal.

I love the romance in this book. Saoirse hates Hayes, meanwhile Hayes is intrigued by the mystery girl and we see that develop over time. Slow burn is an understatement, this is the slowest of burns from beginning to end. I felt tortured the whole time, secretly enjoying the tension. It made sense in this book considering all that was going on. Still I love that kind of thing.

The side characters are interesting with just enough to know about them without info dumping all at once.

I really love how morally gray Saoirse is and seeing her development throughout the book, and I love Hayes’s character growth as well.

Some things confused me and let me a little annoyed, but it wasn’t enough to run the story. It could have been me also misunderstanding something, I would need to reread this…WHICH WILL HAPPEN TRUST.

And of course the ending left me scrambling for book two which just came out this month. This is probably one of my best reads so far this year!]]> 3.84 2023
author: Gabi Burton
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/29
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves: best-of-2024
review:
4.5 stars ⭐️

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to get into it but once I did I was glued to the pages. I love the idea of a siren main character, even more so that she was a woman of color.

Also the representation in this book is phenomenal.

I love the romance in this book. Saoirse hates Hayes, meanwhile Hayes is intrigued by the mystery girl and we see that develop over time. Slow burn is an understatement, this is the slowest of burns from beginning to end. I felt tortured the whole time, secretly enjoying the tension. It made sense in this book considering all that was going on. Still I love that kind of thing.

The side characters are interesting with just enough to know about them without info dumping all at once.

I really love how morally gray Saoirse is and seeing her development throughout the book, and I love Hayes’s character growth as well.

Some things confused me and let me a little annoyed, but it wasn’t enough to run the story. It could have been me also misunderstanding something, I would need to reread this…WHICH WILL HAPPEN TRUST.

And of course the ending left me scrambling for book two which just came out this month. This is probably one of my best reads so far this year!
]]> 34912895 Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents�� passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights�� lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.]]> 435 Kristin Hannah Tasha 5 4.44 2018
author: Kristin Hannah
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2024/04/01
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves:
review:
Very compelling and emotional read. I love the way the author writes, her characters are well fleshed out and you can find someone relatable in them. Plot is good and consistent and I love the dynamics of the characters and their relationship with each other. This is a heavy read that dives into deep topics and themes. Overall a good experience reading this and I hope to check out another Kristin Hannah book in the future.
]]> 56470336
Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother. When an old servant tells him of his destiny to fight beside the Stewards, Will is ushered into a world of magic, where he must train to play a vital role in the oncoming battle against the Dark.

As London is threatened by the Dark King’s return, the reborn heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war begin to draw battle lines. But as the young descendants of Light and Dark step into their destined roles, old allegiances, old enmities, and old flames are awakened. Will must stand with the last heroes of the Light to prevent the dark fate that destroyed their world from returning to destroy his own.]]> 455 C.S. Pacat 0062946145 Tasha 0 to-read 4.11 2021
author: C.S. Pacat
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 203382690
After twelve years of tenuous coexistence, a change in one family’s interests causes a rift in the existing stalemate. When bad blood brings both families to the precipice of disaster, fate intervenes with a chance encounter, and in the aftershocks of a resurrected conflict, everyone must choose a side. As each of the siblings struggles to stake their claim, fraying loyalties threaten to rot each side from the inside out.

If, that is, the enmity between empires doesn’t destroy them first.]]> 432 Olivie Blake 103501159X Tasha 0 to-read 3.74 2019
author: Olivie Blake
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 70917058 Debut author Lisa Springer delivers a spine-tingling contemporary horror that follows a scary-movie buff as she hosts an elaborate Halloween bash on her family's estate but soon finds the festivities upended when she and her guests are forced to test their survival skills in a deadly party game.

Noelle Layne knows horror. Every trope, every warning sign, every survival tactic. She even leads a successful movie club dedicated to the genre. Thus, who better to throw the ultimate, most exclusive Halloween party on all of Long Island? And with the guest list including the coolest kids in her senior class, her popularity is bound to spike. Hopefully, enough to warrant an expansion into podcasting. Plus, the fact that attractive, singer-songwriter Archer Mitchell is coming is honestly the candy corn on top. Nothing is going to kill her party vibes.

Except...maybe the low-budget It clown she hires to lead a classic round of tag. He's supposed to be terrifying, though in a comforting, nostalgic way. Instead, the guy is giving major creeps. But maybe Noelle's just that good at hosting? Her confidence is immediately rocked when the night's entertainment axes one of her guests. And he's not done yet. If an evil, murderous clown thinks life is a game, then Noelle is ready to play. She's been waiting a long time to prove that she's a Final Girl.]]> 304 Lisa Springer 0593643178 Tasha 0 to-read 3.11 2023
author: Lisa Springer
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.11
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60227292 "Magical, witty, deliciously seductive...River of Shadows is a uniquely immersive & tantalizing journey of love and sacrifice that has you rooting for Death and his little bird." - Bestselling author Sav R. Miller
��
Take Hades & Persephone, transport them into twisted Nordic mythology, add in Beauty & the Beast and some Alice in Wonderland, and you get the high steam dark fantasy, River of Shadows.
When 24-year old Hanna Heikkinen's estranged father dies, she reluctantly makes the trip to Northern Finland for his funeral. Being in the enchanting land of ice and snow feels miles away from Hanna's busy life back in Los Angeles, especially under the complicated circumstances.
But when Hanna discovers that her father's body is missing, that's when things really get weird. A mysterious man, Rasmus, tells Hanna the her father was a powerful shaman who went into Tuonela, the Realm of the Dead, in order to barter for more life, and has been held captive by Tuoni, the God of Death. The only way her father can be freed is if she travels with Rasmus into the mythical underworld to rescue him.
Willing to do anything to have a second-chance with her father, Hanna accompanies Rasmus into the dark and bloody realm, traveling via the River of Shadows, stalked by dangerous creatures, monsters, and the living dead, until they finally come into the haunted kingdom ruled by Death and his family.
Only for her to be captured and held prisoner by the God of Death himself.
Turns out Death is intrigued by Hanna's beauty and fierceness and makes a bargain with her. If she marries him, and spends an eternity in the Realm of the Dead as his wife, he'll set her father free.
But even the most noble sacrifices come with hidden costs, and Hanna's might involve the most unexpected of all her heart.

River of Shadows is the first book of the Underworld Gods series and is not related to any other previous books. While it fits in the sub-genre "dark fantasy" it is NOT dark enough to be considered a "dark romance." That said, it does contain dub con, captive situations, graphic sex scenes, filthy language, and scary situations, so sensitive readers (especially those sensitive to dubious consent) please take heed of this warning. It also ends on a cliffhanger.]]> 350 Karina Halle Tasha 0 to-read 4.02 2022
author: Karina Halle
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 150352486 A high-stakes, propulsive YA thriller with a body-swap twist thoughtfully exploring themes of friendship and identity, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson.

Seventeen-year-old Megan Allen has been jumping from friend group to friend group in her high school, trying on identities like outfits. Nothing ever seems to fit—until she meets LC, the adventurous, charismatic girl who appears at her favorite coffee shop one day like magic. Finally, Megan feels like she’s becoming the person she’s meant to be: someone like LC.

On the night of their friendiversary, what was supposed to be a bonding experience ends in a waking nightmare. Suddenly, Megan is no longer herself. Too late, she realizes that LC has secrets—dangerous ones. Betrayed by her best friend, thrust into another girl’s life, and targeted by LC’s enemies, she must claim what makes Megan Megan to get her life back . . . or die trying.]]> 272 Nia Davenport 0063255715 Tasha 0 to-read 3.98 2024
author: Nia Davenport
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61273084 The Haunting of Hill House meets Sadie in this evocative and mind-bending psychological thriller following two teen girls navigating the treacherous past of a mysterious mansion ten years apart.

Daisy sees dead people—something impossible to forget in bustling, ghost-packed Toronto. She usually manages to deal with her unwanted ability, but she’s completely unprepared to be dumped by her boyfriend. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario where she spent her childhood summers, Daisy jumps at the chance to escape. But the house is nothing like Daisy expects, and she begins to realize that her experience with the supernatural might be no match for her mother’s secrets, nor what lurks within these walls��

A decade later, Brittney is desperate to get out from under the thumb of her abusive mother, a bestselling author who claims her stay at “Miracle Mansion�� allowed her to see the error of her ways. But Brittney knows that’s nothing but a sham. She decides the new season of her popular Haunted web series will uncover what happened to a young Black girl in the mansion ten years prior and finally expose her mother’s lies. But as she gets more wrapped up in the investigation, she’ll have to decide: if she can only bring one story to light, which one matters most—Daisy’s or her own?

As Brittney investigates the mansion in the present, Daisy’s story runs parallel in the past, both timelines propelling the girls to face the most dangerous monsters of all: those that hide in plain sight.]]> 512 Liselle Sambury 166590349X Tasha 0 to-read 4.04 2023
author: Liselle Sambury
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60521937
This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . .

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.

Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.]]> 292 S.T. Gibson 0316501077 Tasha 0 to-read 3.91 2021
author: S.T. Gibson
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 218496078 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easy-going even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warm-hearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, with complex protagonists, telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love, this time among the stars.]]> 352 Taylor Jenkins Reid 0385695837 Tasha 0 to-read 4.58 2025
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 123471760 When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn.

In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.

Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.

With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind.

Spark of the Everflame is the first book in The Kindred's Curse Saga, a four-book fantasy romance series. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers epic is perfect for lovers of magic, dragons, angst, and banter and will appeal to fans of books like A Court of Thorns and Roses, From Blood and Ash, Gild, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night.]]> 438 Penn Cole Tasha 0 to-read 4.20 2023
author: Penn Cole
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58416952 At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.

AUDI. VIDE. TACE.

The Catenan Republic �� the Hierarchy �� may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.

I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus �� what they call Will �� to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.

I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.

But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.

And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.

To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.

And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.]]> 639 James Islington 1982141190 Tasha 0 to-read 4.61 2023
author: James Islington
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61767163 No Exit and Hairpin Bridge.

Emma Carpenter lives in isolation with her golden retriever Laika, house-sitting an old beachfront home on the rainy Washington coast. Her only human contact is her enigmatic old neighbor, Deek, and (via text) the house’s owner, Jules.

One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night. To Emma, this can’t just be a coincidence. It was strange enough for this author to bicker with her online about a lousy review; could he be stalking her, too?

As Emma digs into Kane’s life and work, she learns he has published sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. But who is he? How did he find her? And what else is he capable of?]]> 337 Taylor Adams 0063222892 Tasha 0 to-read 3.67 2023
author: Taylor Adams
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199798179 A time travel romance, a spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingenious exploration of the nature of power and the potential for love to change it all:

In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats�� from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.

She is tasked with working as a “bridge��: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as ��1847�� or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machines,�� “Spotify,�� and “the collapse of the British Empire.�� But with an appetite for discovery, a seven-a-day cigarette habit, and the support of a charming and chaotic cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts.

Over the next year, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a horrifically uncomfortable roommate dynamic, evolves into something much deeper. By the time the true shape of the Ministry’s project comes to light, the bridge has fallen haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences she never could have imagined. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future.]]> 339 Kaliane Bradley 1668045141 Tasha 0 to-read 3.54 2024
author: Kaliane Bradley
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 89717 182 Shirley Jackson 0143039989 Tasha 0 to-read 3.85 1959
author: Shirley Jackson
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1959
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 156480764
In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer. It's a book - an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door .

What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want.

But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in the world. There are other books that can do wondrous and dreadful things when wielded by dangerous and ruthless individuals - individuals who crave what Cassie now possesses.

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is, it seems, Drummond Fox. He is a man fleeing his own demons - a man with his own secret library of magical books that he has hidden away in the shadows for safekeeping. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .

Because some doors should never be opened.]]> 408 Gareth Brown 1787637247 Tasha 0 to-read 4.04 2024
author: Gareth Brown
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36679274
Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher—the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but Kel knows that his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls within the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces.

As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?]]> 624 Cassandra Clare 0525619992 Tasha 0 to-read 3.79 2023
author: Cassandra Clare
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves: to-read
review:
Had to return to Libby before I could finish
]]> 200174131 The first book in a decadent fantasy duology set in Jazz Age Harlem, where at night the dance halls come to life—and death waits in the dark.

It's 1926 and reapers, the once-human vampires with a terrifying affliction, are on the rise in New York. But the Saint family's thriving reaper-hunting enterprise holds reign over the city, giving them more power than even the organized criminals who run the nightclubs. Eighteen year-old Elise Saint, home after five years in Paris, is the reluctant heir to the empire. Only one thing weighs heavier on Elise's mind than her family obligations: the knowledge that the Harlem reapers want her dead.

Layla Quinn is a young reaper haunted by her past. Though reapers have existed in America for three centuries, created by New World atrocities and cruel experiments, Layla became one just five years ago. The night she was turned, she lost her parents, the protection of the Saints, and her humanity, and she'll never forget how Elise Saint betrayed her.

But some reapers are inexplicably turning part human again, leaving a wake of mysterious and brutal killings. When Layla is framed for one of these attacks, the Saint patriarch offers her a deal she can't refuse: to work with Elise to investigate how these murders might be linked to shocking rumors of a reaper cure. Once close friends, now bitter enemies, Elise and Layla explore the city's underworld, confronting their intense feelings for one another and uncovering the sinister truths about a growing threat to reapers and humans alike.]]> 457 Hayley Dennings 1728297869 Tasha 0 to-read 3.43 2024
author: Hayley Dennings
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 181350367 For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate.... Now it's up to her great-niece to catch the killer.

It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?

As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.]]> 358 Kristen Perrin 0593474015 Tasha 0 to-read 3.76 2024
author: Kristen Perrin
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60217777 The stakes are even higher in this epic, romantic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Crimson Moth duology.

A WITCH...
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER...
Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE...
When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli's Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.]]> 464 Kristen Ciccarelli Tasha 0 to-read 4.25 2025
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 8667848
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.]]> 592 Deborah Harkness 0670022411 Tasha 0 to-read 4.01 2011
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 56791389 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B08BKGYQXW


The apocalypse will be televised!

A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.

In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.

The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.

Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style.

You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big.

You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game—with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy.

They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game.]]> 446 Matt Dinniman Tasha 0 to-read 4.49 2020
author: Matt Dinniman
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60041932 True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.]]> 341 Jenna Levine 0593548914 Tasha 2
I wasn’t really a fan of the writing��.it felt clunky, underwhelming and wordy. The main incident that happened toward the end felt very lazy, and I really stared at the book in disbelief as to how abruptly it happened. To me it added no purpose or value to the book.

Not gonna lie, I kind of wish I had DNFed this, but oh well.

I didn’t really care for the romance. It was like I couldn’t take Cassie seriously because she kept daydreaming about Fredrick even in the most inappropriate situations.

The side characters seemed like objects of interests to make the story not feel flat and one dimensional. I did like Reginald though, he was hilarious. And Fredrick wasn’t too bad either. Cassie at least had a life outside of her feelings for Fredrick so I can appreciate that. Still I could have used more depth in there.

There were some funny moments sprinkled in, but meh, this wasn’t anything special.

just to let y’all know, THERE IS SPICE in this book, heads up for those who don’t care for it.]]> 3.46 2023
author: Jenna Levine
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/10
date added: 2024/10/10
shelves:
review:
2.5 stars.

I wasn’t really a fan of the writing��.it felt clunky, underwhelming and wordy. The main incident that happened toward the end felt very lazy, and I really stared at the book in disbelief as to how abruptly it happened. To me it added no purpose or value to the book.

Not gonna lie, I kind of wish I had DNFed this, but oh well.

I didn’t really care for the romance. It was like I couldn’t take Cassie seriously because she kept daydreaming about Fredrick even in the most inappropriate situations.

The side characters seemed like objects of interests to make the story not feel flat and one dimensional. I did like Reginald though, he was hilarious. And Fredrick wasn’t too bad either. Cassie at least had a life outside of her feelings for Fredrick so I can appreciate that. Still I could have used more depth in there.

There were some funny moments sprinkled in, but meh, this wasn’t anything special.

just to let y’all know, THERE IS SPICE in this book, heads up for those who don’t care for it.
]]> 61392437 David and Cheryl Burroughs are living the dream - married, a beautiful house in the suburbs, a three year old son named Matthew - when tragedy strikes one night in the worst possible way.

David awakes to find himself covered in blood, but not his own - his son's. And while he knows he did not murder his son, the overwhelming evidence against him puts him behind bars indefinitely.

Five years into his imprisonment, Cheryl's sister arrives - and drops a bombshell.

She's come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park. The boy in the background seems familiar - and even though David realizes it can't be, he knows it is. It's Matthew, and he's still alive.

David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible - save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night.]]> 329 Harlan Coben 1538748363 Tasha 0 to-read 4.02 2023
author: Harlan Coben
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 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 Tasha 0 to-read 4.49 2021
author: Andy Weir
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 202204691 Ask Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be: He had it coming.

Cordelia Black loves exactly three things: Her chosen family, her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip), and killing bad men.

By day she's an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Louisiana of unscrupulous men—monsters who think they've evaded justice, until they meet her. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around phrases like "serial killer," but Cordelia knows that's absurd. She's not a killer, she is simply karma. And being karma requires complete and utter control.

But when Cordelia discovers a flaw in her perfectly designed system for eliminating monsters, pressure heightens. And it only intensifies when her best friend starts dating a man Cordelia isn't sure is a good person. Someone who might just unravel everything she has worked for.

Soon enough Cordelia has to come face to face with the choices she's made. The good, the bad, and the murderous. Both her family, and her freedom, depend on it.]]> 432 Emma C. Wells 1464218625 Tasha 0 to-read 3.65 2024
author: Emma C. Wells
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 48908401
When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.�� Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

From bestselling author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, and Sabaa Tahir.]]> 409 Lynette Noni 0358436346 Tasha 3
This wasn’t a bad book at all. I was invested in a lot of the story. Kiva the FMC was okay, and I absolutely LOVE Jaren. There were a lot of high stakes and moments that had had me glued to the story, but there were also moments that I struggled to finish reading and it felt a little slow. The antagonists were absolutely atrocious but in the best way possible.

Also, I really loved the romance in this book. Very slow burn, and I don’t think they kissed at all? This is starting to become a pattern in the books that I’ve read, but I don’t mind it.

The ending is what lowered the rating of this book. I just didn’t care for it. It felt a little underwhelming to leave it off that way, somewhat abrupt. I pondered on it after I finished and I’m still confused about certain events and interactions.

I know this is a trilogy and perhaps the next book will expand more on what I am missing. I honestly don’t know if I will continue the series, we will see. ]]> 4.26 2021
author: Lynette Noni
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/09
date added: 2024/10/09
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars.

This wasn’t a bad book at all. I was invested in a lot of the story. Kiva the FMC was okay, and I absolutely LOVE Jaren. There were a lot of high stakes and moments that had had me glued to the story, but there were also moments that I struggled to finish reading and it felt a little slow. The antagonists were absolutely atrocious but in the best way possible.

Also, I really loved the romance in this book. Very slow burn, and I don’t think they kissed at all? This is starting to become a pattern in the books that I’ve read, but I don’t mind it.

The ending is what lowered the rating of this book. I just didn’t care for it. It felt a little underwhelming to leave it off that way, somewhat abrupt. I pondered on it after I finished and I’m still confused about certain events and interactions.

I know this is a trilogy and perhaps the next book will expand more on what I am missing. I honestly don’t know if I will continue the series, we will see.
]]> 61745561 Rich is the blood of the chosen

17 year-old Quell has lived her entire life on the run. She and her mother have fled from city to city, in order to hide the deadly magic that flows through Quell’s veins.

Until someone discovers her dark secret.

To hide from the assassin hunting her, and keep her mother out of harm’s way, Quell reluctantly inducts into a debutante society of magical social elites called the Order that she never knew existed. If she can pass their three rites of membership, mastering their proper form of magic, she’ll be able to secretly bury her forbidden magic forever.

If caught, she will be killed.

But becoming the perfect debutante is a lot harder than Quell imagined, especially when there’s more than tutoring happening with Jordan, her brooding mentor and�� assassin in training.

When Quell uncovers the deadly lengths the Order will go to defend its wealth and power, she’s forced to choose: embrace the dark magic she’s been running from her entire life or risk losing everything, and everyone, she’s grown to love.

Still, she fears the most formidable monster she’ll have to face is the one inside.]]> 400 J. Elle 0593527704 Tasha 0 to-read 3.64 2023
author: J. Elle
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 173754979 A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim's point of view

When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

Brimming with nuanced humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first-century American literature.

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780385550369.]]> 303 Percival Everett Tasha 0 to-read 4.47 2024
author: Percival Everett
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199343573 A woman journeys into a submerged world of gods and myth to save her home in this powerful historical fantasy that shines a light on the drowned Black towns of the American South.

“Our home began, as all things do, with a wish.��

Jane Edwards hasn’t spoken since she was eleven years old, when armed riders expelled her family from their hometown along with every other Black resident. Now, twelve years later, she’s found a haven in the all-Black town of Awenasa. But the construction of a dam promises to wash her home under the waters of the new lake.

Jane will do anything to save the community that sheltered her. So, when a man with uncanny abilities arrives in town asking strange questions, she wonders if he might be the key. But as the stranger hints at gods and ancestral magic, Jane is captivated by a bigger mystery. She knows this man. Only the last time she saw him, he was dead. His body laid to rest in a rushing river.

Who is the stranger and what is he really doing in Awenasa? To find those answers, Jane will journey into a sunken world, a land of capricious gods and unsung myths, of salvation and dreams made real. But the flood waters are rising. To gain the miracle she desires, Jane will have to find her voice again and finally face the trauma of the past.

For more from Leslye Penelope, check out The Monsters We Defy.]]> 398 Leslye Penelope 0316378224 Tasha 0 to-read 3.99 2024
author: Leslye Penelope
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 54860573 From the author of the beloved national bestseller Migrations, a pulse-pounding new novel set in the wild Scottish Highlands.

Inti Flynn arrives in Scotland with her twin sister, Aggie, to lead a team of biologists tasked with reintroducing fourteen gray wolves into the remote Highlands. She hopes to heal not only the dying landscape, but Aggie, too, unmade by the terrible secrets that drove the sisters out of Alaska.

Inti is not the woman she once was, either, changed by the harm she’s witnessed—inflicted by humans on both the wild and each other. Yet as the wolves surprise everyone by thriving, Inti begins to let her guard down, even opening herself up to the possibility of love. But when a farmer is found dead, Inti knows where the town will lay blame. Unable to accept her wolves could be responsible, Inti makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn’t make the kill, then who did? And what will Inti do when the man she is falling for seems to be the prime suspect?

Propulsive and spell-binding, Charlotte McConaghy's Once There Were Wolves is the unforgettable story of a woman desperate to save the creatures she loves—if she isn’t consumed by a wild that was once her refuge.]]> 258 Charlotte McConaghy 1250244145 Tasha 0 to-read 4.07 2021
author: Charlotte McConaghy
name: Tasha
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 195703882 Crying in H-Mart meets My Sister, the Serial Killer in this feminist psychological horror about the making of a female serial killer from a Korean-American perspective.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying�� yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won’s hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.

A brilliantly inventive, subversive novel about a young woman unraveling, Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are the Best Part is a story of a family falling apart and trying to find their way back to each other, marking a bold new voice in horror that will leave readers mesmerized and craving more.]]> 278 Monika Kim 1645661237 Tasha 0 to-read 3.82 2024
author: Monika Kim
name: Tasha
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves: to-read
review:

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