Status Update

Q1 2019: Best Books

~ megs14malloy

The first quarter of 2019 has come and gone. Thus far this year, I have completed 55 books. This is amazing to me. I cannot even believe it! I am 26 books ahead of schedule to meet my Goodreads 2019 Reading Goal.

In addition to the sheer number, I have also been amazed by the quality of books I have been reading. I have given a lot of 5-star reviews so far this year. I am not sure if this is luck or if perhaps I know better what I like since I am reading so much and am just selecting better for myself. Who knows? Regardless, I have been very pleased with the outcome.

Some standouts for me during the first quarter (completed between January 1st and March 31st) are the following:

  1. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen – This was actually the first book I completed this year and I was so impressed. What a great way to kick off a reading year. This is a fast-pace and suspenseful Adult Thriller examining what happens when the line between doctor and patient blurs. Highly recommend for Thriller Readers!
  2. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King  – This short-story collection by the King was published in 2010 and is comprised of four stories, three of which have been adapted into Netflix movies. I was blown away by how much I loved this set as a whole. All four of these were 4.5-to-5 stars which is a rarity, in my opinion, among short-story collections. King knocks another one out of the park!
  3. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage – This Adult Horror/Thriller novel uses the old ‘evil child’ trope to tell a wickedly delightful and horrifying tale. Man, I loved this. Hooked from the very first chapter, I absolutely flew through this one! For fans of The Omen and The Orphan horror movies but really, any horror fan should give this one a try!
  4. They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera – Set in a future world where you are told when you have 24-hours left to live, this story follows two boys who make a friendship on that last day and teach each other how to live. I laughed, I cried, I loved. This book. My heart. That is all.
  5. One Day in December by Josie Silver – This Adult Romance novel is the shock of the year for me. As you may know if you follow me, I’m not really a romance reader or a romantic person in general. I picked this book from my TBR jar and am infinitely glad that I did! This was funny and well-paced. It was messy and real and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminded me a lot of Bridget Jones Diary (the movies, I haven’t read the books) and I am so down for that ‘type’ of romance. I would definitely recommend this to any Adult reader; particularly if you cherish good humor in your books.
  6. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley – This Adult Mystery/Thriller had all the plot points of a classic Christie work but wrapped with a nice, big modern bow. The characters were unlikable, the setting was brilliant, the whodunit was compelling and I was guessing right up to the very end. This book played on one of my favorite tropes, the ‘locked room’ mystery trope and I am here for that all day and all night. Definitely recommend for Mystery fans who do not need to ‘like’ their characters.

That’s it, guys. Those are my favorites for Q1. What are some of your favorites from the first part of the year? Tell me about them in the comments below or you can contact me through any of my social media.

For more information on any of the books I talk about in this post, just click the book covers pictured above!

Cheers & Happy Reading!

xo

NOW AVAILABLE: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

~ megs14malloy

Hey bookworms! Welcome to my own personal gush fest, hosted by yours truly, party of 1, honoring the recent release of WICKED SAINTS by Emily A. Duncan. This is the first book in an all new YA Fantasy trilogy called, Something Dark and Holy. This is a debut novel for this author and guys, WOW. If this is Duncan’s debut, she is definitely an author to watch.

I picked this up on Monday, the day before release as I was generously provided a copy by the publisher, Wednesday Books, in exchange for an honest review, and I am hella obsessed with this story.

The tone of this is very grimdark and we all know, I live for that. Basically, in this world, there is a holy war that has been raging for centuries between two kingdoms: Kalyazin and Tranavia. We follow three main characters: Nadya, Serefin and Malachiasz.

The world is vast and complex, yet feels like nothing to learn. Last week I reviewed another YA Fantasy book, I won’t name here, but I mentioned how I felt like I needed to be taking notes as the town the characters lived in was being explained.

That shook me out of the story and made it hard for me to connect. With this book, even though this is a vastly more complex world, I have never felt that. When reading Wicked Saints, I feel like I am living these events along with the characters and have never felt like I didn’t understand what was going on or how the world worked.

This, to me, is a sign of a great fantasy construct; well thought out and balanced. Even though this story takes place in a world that is being created from scratch, although clearly based on Russian/Eastern European lore, culture, etc., it never feels overwhelming and in my opinion, does not suffer at all from the dreaded ‘first book in a series’ syndrome.

Nadya, the main female protagonist, is the most fascinating to me. She was raised in a monastery in the mountains of Kalyazin where the clerics and others can commune with their pantheon of gods. Nadya is very special as she is able to commune with all the gods and she can gain magical powers from them.

Even more interesting is the fact that the gods talk back! She wears a necklace around her neck with a different bead representing each of the different gods. Depending on the situation, and what powers she may need, she holds that bead and asks that god for help. The gods are all developed with their own personality and they can offer up guidance, a friendly chat or just be silent.

I love this aspect! It makes me think of the Disney animated movie, Hercules, all the different gods you meet in that and their personalities; so much fun. It is a very unique element. I have never read anything quite like this in a YA Fantasy before.

So, due to circumstances I won’t get into here, Nadya is forced to flee the monastery, fearing for her life, and once on the road bumps into a traveling trio that includes another of our main characters, Malachiasz.

Now, Malachiasz is a complex character and one that would be a little difficult to explain without going into too much of the story. Let’s just say he was once part of a very dangerous and secretive order of powerful blood mages in the kingdom of Tranavia called the Vultures.

Yep. The Vultures are hella creepy masked guys and gals with the most murderous of intentions. They are so scary in fact, they are referred to as ‘monsters’ by people outside the sect. Malachiasz didn’t like what they had going on so he defected. The only person known to have done so. Needless to say, he now finds himself on the wrong side of the law in Tranavia.

Our final main character is Serefin, the crown Prince of Tranavia. He has been leading armies for the past few years in the never-ending war with Kalyazin but has recently been summoned home by his father, the King. Serefin is convinced his father has one goal in mind, to take him out. Is he just paranoid or does his father really want to kill him? It is clear the King isn’t playing with a full deck and he is quite volatile and secretive; whispering around with the Vultures.

When Nadya, Malachiasz and their traveling companions arrive in the capital city, set on stopping the war, whatever the cost, they come into contact with Serefin and begin to wonder, exactly whose side is he on?

The writing in this is so delicious. Dark and gothic from the very start! If you love that kind of story, set in a harsh and unforgiving world, you need to pick this book up.

I have about 1/4 left to go and there is no way that I am not giving this 5-stars. I am already planning a reread — no joke. Most of all I am looking forward to discussing this with other readers. This is so compelling, I just know there is going to be a huge fandom for this story, this world, these characters and this author!

Click the link below for more info from the publisher:

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

I will have my full review up once I finish this book, most likely tonight! I am so excited to see how Duncan is going to wrap this up. I just can’t even imagine what ultimately is going to happen. There are so many ways it could go, all of them bloody. So, stay tuned for that, guys, and make sure you go get a copy of this for yourself!

Cheers & Happy Reading~

March Wrap-Up 2019

~ megs14malloy

Hey bookworms! Another month come and gone…

I had quite a successful reading month in March. I completed 16-books which seems extraordinary. My record is 17 in a month, which I actually set this past January. Although I didn’t beat that record, I am still proud of being able to get to that many things.

The books I completed, along with their star ratings, are as follows:

  1. For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt   |   2.5-stars
  2. A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue by Mackenzie Lee (audiobook)   |   4.5-stars
  3. Pet Sematary (re-read) by Stephen King   |   5-stars
  4. The Everlasting Rose (Belles #2) by Dhonielle Clayton   |   3.5-stars
  5. The Daughter of Moloka’i by Alan Brennert   |   5-stars
  6. The Anomaly  by Michael Rutger |   4-stars
  7. Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez   |   5-stars
  8. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder & Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe   |   5-stars
  9. Too Much is Not Enough by Andrew Rannells   |   5-stars
  10. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (audiobook)   |   5-stars
  11. The Nightmare Girl by Jonanthan Janz   |   4-stars
  12. Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale by Jen Calonita   |   3.5-stars
  13. Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward   |   3.5-stars
  14. The Child Finder (Naomi Cottles #1) (audiobook)   |   5-stars
  15. One Day in December by Josie Silver   |   5-stars
  16. The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman   |   3.5-stars

As far as my monthly TBR-challenge is concerned, I completed all 5 tasks this month as follows:

  • New Release from 2018: For Better and Worse released on December 11, 2018.
  • New Release from current month: Sal & Gabi Break the Universe – ARC received from Rick Riordan Presents, thank you!
  • New Release from next month: Mirror, Mirror – ARC received from Disney Book Group, thank you!
  • A Sequel: The Everlasting Rose (The Belles #2) – ARC received from Disney book Group, again, thank you!!!
  • TBR Jar Picks: The Cruel Prince & One Day in December which were both 5-star reads. My TBR Jar was very kind to me this month.

I have big plans for April. After not participating in any reading events in March, I am actually going to be participating in three reading events this month: The Dragons & Tea Book Club read of When The Moon Was Ours by Anna Marie-McLemore, Fantasy-A-Thon and the month-long OWLS Magical Readathon!

I actually haven’t set my TBR for Fantasy-A-Thon or the OWLS, I will be working on that today. Luckily, I can overlap with all of these so I am really looking forward to it. We’ll see how it goes. Goal is to read at least 15-books this month.

How did you March go? What was your favorite book of the month? What was your least favorite? I want to know! Leave me a comment here or contact me through any of my social media links.

Cheers & Happy April!

 

Series I Need To Finish

~ megs14malloy

Good day bookworms! Today I wanted to write about some series that I really need to finish. Series can be a major commitment, particularly epic fantasy series, and I often struggle to get through them. I have a few that have been looming over me for a while now that I just need to finish! It is almost April, the first quarter of the year almost complete, and I have made zero progress thus far. Not good.

Without further ado, let’s get into the series I need to freaking finish already:

  1. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King – This seven book series, plus one companion novel, is a huge undertaking. Literally 1,000s of pages long it personifies what it means to be committed to a series. I have read the first five books of this series, pretty much back-to-back, and took a wee break from it at the beginning of the year, giving up on book six just 82-pages in. I need to finish this. It really is great, it’s not that I’m not enjoying it, I’m loving it. It’s just a lot. It’s very complicated, a multi-universe story that spans time and space and cultures, but seriously, two books left! I CAN DO IT!!
  2. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin – As with The Dark Tower series, this is an EPIC fantasy series that I absolutely love. The difference with this one, it’s not completed yet. Martin is still working on book 6, The Winds of Winter, which has been pushed back a few times as far as release date goes. The first five books of this series come to over 5,000-pages, so, again, it’s A LOT. Thus far I have read the first three books of this series, enjoying each one a little more than the previous, and really need to move on. I wouldn’t plan to finish this one this year but I would at least like to complete the fourth book, A Feast for Crows. With the final season of the smash-hit, HBO series beginning in April, I feel like I will be on a Game of Thrones high after that and it may be a good time to pick this one up. There is also the companion novel, Fire & Blood, which released at the end of last year, that I also own and want to read. Ultimately, I will include that as part of the series.
  3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – Again, another epic fantasy series, but this one in the YA category which makes it a little more manageable. This seven book series wrapped up last year and I wouldn’t mind finishing it this year. I am hoping to complete this series before I begin her other popular series, A Court of Thorns & Roses. I have read the first four books of this series and loved them so much. The characters, the scope of the world-building, the action, it’s all really well done. There’s angst and drama and I’m here for that. I have all of the books just sitting on my shelves, waiting to  be picked up, not sure why I am putting it off at this point. Even if I don’t complete this during this calendar year, I would like to get at least two more books in the series completed.

Those are the main three series I am into right now. I do have other trilogies, duologies, etc., that I need to complete as well but as far as longer series go, these are them. I feel like once I am able to complete these (George R.R. Martin, I’m looking at you…) it will be a giant weight off my shoulders. Problems of a bookworm, am I right?

What are some series that you need to complete? Are any of these ones looming over you as well? I want to know! Comment here or contact me through any of my social media links!

Cheers & happy reading~

Whoops: February TBR Challenge

~ megs14malloy

Hey bookworms! Today I thought of something. When I wrote up by February Wrap-Up, I forgot to mention my monthly TBR-challenge. At the beginning of the year I decided to complete a monthly TBR-challenge as opposed to setting specific TBRs per month. If you are new here, a TBR is a ‘to be read’ list generally designed for each month of your reading year but can also be used during challenges, readathons, etc.

My monthly TBR-challenge consists of 5 different challenges. In the month of February, I successfully completed 4 of the 5 challenges. The ones I completed and the books that helped me do so are as follows:

  1. Read a New Release from 2018: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
  2. Read a New Release from the Current Month: What We Buried by Kate A. Boorman
  3. Read a New Release from Next Month (ARC): Fat Angie: Rebel Girl by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo
  4. Read a Sequel: The Last Life of Prince Alastor (Prosper Redding 2) by Alexandra Bracken

The challenge I didn’t complete was to read one of my TBR-jar picks. My randomly selected picks for the month were The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. Since I didn’t complete that challenge, I rolled those two over to this month, as long as my remaining pick from January, A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston, and a new Book of the Month Club pick, One Day in December. My goal is to read two of those selections this month.

As far as March goes, so far is looking pretty good. I have completed two of the challenges so far and am currently working of two of the others. What challenge haven’t I started working on? The TBR-jar picks, of course!

Wish me luck! How are you doing on your goals for the month so far? I want to know. Leave a comment below or contact me through any of my social media links!

 

February 2019 Wrap-Up

~ megs14malloy

Greetings bookworms! Since we are now a solid week into March, I figured it was about time that I bring to you my February wrap-up. Things have been a wee bit hectic lately, so I apologize for the delay. I have also been feeling sort of buried alive under all of the ARCs that I am scheduled to read this month and next. I have literally spent every spare second that I have trying to read them all!

So, without further ado, let’s get into the books I completed in February:

  1. What We Buried by Kate A. Boorman (ARC received from Henry Holt and Co.):   4-stars
  2. The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton:   3.5-stars
  3. Between the Lies by Michelle Adams (ARC received from Headline Press):   4-stars
  4. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (audiobook):   4-stars
  5. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (ARC received from William-Morrow Books):   5-stars
  6. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage:   5-stars (and added to my ‘Favorites’ shelf on Goodreads!!!)
  7. Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch (audiobook):   3.5-stars
  8. They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera (audiobook):   5-stars (another new ‘Favorite’!!!)
  9. Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo (ARC received from Candlewick Press):   unrated
  10. Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann:   3-stars
  11. Sadie by Courtney Summers (audiobook and hard copy):   4-stars
  12. The Last Life of Prince Alastor by Alexandra Bracken (ARC received from Disney-Hyperion):   4.5-stars
  13. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson (audiobook): 4-stars
  14. The Invited by Jennifer McMahon (ARC received from Doubleday Books):   4.5-stars

There you have it! The 14-books that I managed to completed in February, the shortest month of the year. I am feeling pretty happy with that outcome. Participating in Contemporary-A-Thon definitely helped as I crammed a lot of things into that week. As always, having the opportunity to listen to audiobooks while I am walking my dog and while commuting is also super helpful towards getting a high page count per day.

I think I did a fairly good job over the course of the month reviewing all of these books on here so you should be able to find my specific thoughts on each one if you scroll through my February posts.

If I had to choose, I would say my favorite book of the month was Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage. I was just blown away by how creepy that was. A really solid thriller and a debut, I believe, which is impressive.

My most disappointing read of the month would have to be, Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann. The hype killed that one I think. I had been anticipating it for so long and then it just didn’t live up to the standards I had created for it in my head.

What were your favorite books or most disappointing books from last month? I want to know! Leave a comment here or contact me through my social media links. I wish you the best of luck with you reading for March. May the pages always be in your favor!

Ahh, nothing makes me happier than a good Hunger Games reference. Cheers & Happy Reading~

 

RIP Visitor Counter

~ megs14malloy

Good morning bookworms!

Some of you may have noticed that my site has been off for a couple of days. I apologize for that. Apparently after some WordPress updates my old ‘Visitor Counter’ was creating an error that took my blog down.

Unfortunately, I had to deactivate and ultimately delete the data from my old ‘Visitor Counter’. I am now going to hunt for a newer version that I may be able to implement instead.

This is a sad day as I have loved watching the numbers rise over the past year, both in total number, as well as the number of visitors per day, per week and per month.

RIP Visitor Counter. You were a good while you lasted.

Contemporary-A-Thon Wrap-Up!!!

~ megs14malloy

As some of you may know, if you have been following me, last week I participated in my second Contemporary-A-Thon. Essentially this is a week long readathon dedicated to reading Contemporary books. There were 7-challenges this round but, as always, you can double up on challenges, so you do no necessarily need to read 7-books over the course of the week.

For the first time ever, I has a successful readathon. I completed all 7-challenges and even stuck to my original 4-book TBR. 

Without further ado, let’s get into the books that I read and what challenges they met:

1. The first book I finished was Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch. This is a YA book that involves a strained sibling relationship, a couple of broken hearts and road-trip through Ireland. This book was 303-pages and I ended up giving it 3.5-stars. This helped me complete two challenges: read a book in a non-traditional format (I listened to this on audiobook) and read a book with a picture on the spine.

2. The second book I finished was They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. Again, this was a YA book that followed two boys on their ‘death’ days as they learn how to live. This was such a moving story. Silvera’s writing is top-notch and definitely known to break hearts. This book was 373-pages, I read it in under 24-hours by reading both the audiobook and hard copy versions, and I gave it a full 5-stars. Additionally, I added this book to my all-time ‘favorites’ shelf on Goodreads. This completed two challenges: read a dark or taboo contemporary (story about death) and book you planned to read in 2018 and never got around to.

3. The next book I finished was Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo. This was an ARC-copy as the book actually doesn’t release until March 5, 2019. Basically a story about a girl really struggling to find her place in the world after the loss of her sister and suffering severe bullying at school. This was a very tough story to read. I didn’t end up giving it a star rating as I was so all over the place on how I felt about it. This was 352-pages long and I used it to complete two challenges: read your most recently acquired contemporary (I received this from the publisher a couple of days before the readathon started) and read a book with blurple (blue or purple) on the cover (this book had a lot of purple on it).

4. Finally, the last book I completed was Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann. This is a YA book about a girl coming to terms with her sexuality and trying to navigate relations with her family as she doesn’t want to do with her life what they want her to do with it. There’s a lot of drama in this one. This book is 304-pages long, one of the shortest of my week, but it took me the longest to read. This was the first book I began for the readathon and the last book I finished. I found it to be a tad boring and really had to force myself to complete it. Something about the writing style just didn’t mesh with me. I ended up giving this one 3-stars and frankly, the last star was mainly for the diversity which I really liked and appreciated. I am looking forward to Kann’s next book releasing later this year. I am just hoping her writing has evolved a bit since this one. I used this book to complete one challenge: read a diverse contemporary.

So that sums it up! My first ever successful readathon. I completed all 4-books on my designated TBR, which is a minor miracle if I am being honest as I rarely stick to a TBR, and read 1,332-pages for the week. This put me a little behind with some of my other reading but I am trying not to get stressed about the amount of ARCs I have to read over the coming weeks! Also me:

Did you participate in Contemporary-A-Thon? How did it go for you? If you didn’t, what did you read last week? I want to know! Comment below or reach out to me through any of my social media outlets.

Cheers & Happy Reading~

 

Contemporary-A-Thon TBR

~ megs14malloy ~ 2 Comments

Hi all! It is time for another round of Contemporary-A-Thon hosted by a great group of gals over on BookTube. I will link all of their announcement videos at the end of this post, if you would like to check them out and hopefully join us in the fun!

There are 7 challenges in this round and you can double up on challenges so you don’t necessarily have to complete 7 books. Although, honestly, that would be great and I do have B-plan books in addition to the ones listed below. I am going to put the books I am currently reading on hold for the duration of the Readathon and read exclusively the books on this TBR.

The dates of the Readathon are from Monday, February 11th, running through Sunday, February 17th. Without further ado, let’s get into the challenges and thus my TBR for next week:

  1. Read your most recently acquired Contemporary – For this challenge I am going to be reading Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Candlewick Press, so a big thank you to them. This sounds like a hard-hitting story following Angie as she struggles to live beyond the negativity of her surroundings. This book also involves an RV road trip. I am definitely down for that!
  2. Read a book with blurple (blue or purple) on the cover – For this, see above, because I am counting Fat Angie for this challenge as well!
  3. Read a diverse Contemporary – For this I am planning to read Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann. This story follows, Alice, a black asexual girl, as she works her way through a surprising summer friendship. This book also features one of my favorite book covers of 2018. It’s gorgeous. I had this on my TBR last year for Pride Month but never ended up getting to it. I am really looking forward to this one!
  4. Read a dark or taboo Contemporary – Someone grab the tissues because for this challenge I am planning to read Adam Silvera’s, They Both Die At The End. This futuristic YA-Contemporary imagines a world where a company, Death-Cast, lets people know the day they are going to die. When Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio get their Death-Cast calls they both decide to seek a new friend for their ‘death day’. Using the app, Last Friend, they find each other and set out on one last adventure. I know this book is going to crush me but it has been sitting on my shelves for way to long and I need to get it read. My eyes fill up with tears just thinking about it.
  5. Read a Contemporary you meant to read in 2018 but didn’t get to – For this challenge I am going to double-up and count either Let’s Talk About Love or They Both Die at the End. Both of those books made it onto monthly TBRs last year but never ended up being read. Let me tell you, they are excited for the opportunity!
  6. Read a Contemporary in a non-traditional format – For this I am going to listen to the audiobook of Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch. I just read Love & Gelato by Welch last month and absolutely adored the humor and the topics of family and love that it touched upon. I am really looking forward to this one as it is set in Ireland, which if you know me, you know I am pretty much obsessed with.
  7. Read a Contemporary with a picture on the spine – Again for this one, I get to double up. The hardcover edition of Love & Luck, which I do own, has a completely adorable little shamrock on the side with leaves configured of heart images. It’s pretty much the cutest thing ever and I thought of it right away when they announced this challenge!

Alright you guys, that is it! That wraps up my Contemporary-A-Thon February 2019 TBR. Are you participating in Contemporary-A-Thon? If so, are any of these books on your TBR? What books are you including to go with what challenges? I really want to know. Leave a comment below or contact me through any of my social media links.

Also, guys, don’t forget to watch the BookTube Announcement videos linked below! Give the videos a like and be sure to subscribe. These four are seriously some of my favorite BookTubers ever. They are constantly uploading new, fun content and I don’t think you will be disappointed!

Julie @ Pages and Pens

Chelsea @ chelseadolling reads

Natasha @ myreadingisodd

Melanie @ meltotheany

Cheers y’all & Happy Reading~

January 2019: Wrap-Up

~ megs14malloy

Just like that, the first month of 2019 has come and gone. I am so happy with my reading for this month. I actually set a new personal record and completed 17 books! This is just insane to me. I was one book short of completing my TBR Challenge for the month, as well, but I will write more about that in a separate post.

Without further ado, let’s get into the books I read this month:

  1. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen – This Adult Thiller received a full 5-stars from me for keeping me at the edge of my seat!
  2. The Witch of Willow Hall  by Hester Fox – This Adult Historical Fiction brought me all I wanted in creepy, gothic atmosphere, 4.5-stars!
  3. The Wicker King by K. Ancrum – I read this YA Contemporary with the Dragons & Tea Book Club on Goodreads. We completed it in 5-days. I found it original and hard-hitting and ended up giving it a full 5-stars.
  4. Blood of Wonderland (Queen of Hearts Saga #2) by Colleen Oakes – I read this book to complete my ‘read a sequel’ challenge for the month. I thought this was a great continuation to this YA Fantasy series which tells the origin story of the Queen of Hearts; full 5-stars.
  5. White Stag (Permafrost #1) by Kara Barbieri – I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher, Wednesday Books, and took part in the ‘Blog Tour’ to help celebrate its publication. This is the start to an all-new YA Fantasy series involving goblins and a goblin king. Overall, I found it interesting and ended up giving it 3.5-stars.
  6. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch – This YA Contemporary set in Italy follows 16-y.o. Lina as she tries to navigate the world after the devastating death of her mother. Even though that sounds very sad, this was actually a funny and heart-warming story about found friendships and love. I gave this a full 5-stars as well.
  7. She Lies in Wait (DCI Jonah Sheens #1) by Gytha Lodge – I received this Adult Crime Thriller as an ARC from the publisher, Random House Books, and really enjoyed reading it. I would definitely continue on with this series. I gave this book 4-stars.
  8. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King – My favorite author. A short-story collection I am kicking myself for not picking up earlier. This is now my all-time favorite short-story collection full of tales of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Absolutely horrific! 5-full DARK stars.
  9. Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee – I received this Middle Grade Space adventure as an ARC from the publisher, Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint of Disney Books. I had so much fun reading this story. One of my favorites of the month! 5-out-of-this-world stars.
  10. Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand – This YA Horror took me the longest to read. Not really because of the story. The story was really unique and I was surprised, pleasantly, by how dark it was. This book is a chuncker though – 450 pages in the hardcover format. I gave this one 4.5-stars.
  11. The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon – I listened to the audiobook for this Adult Horror novel. It was such a great experience. Walking my dog at night, listening to this, with no light but from my headlamp, in the cold of winter on a desolate island. It doesn’t get more atmospheric that that. I loved the mysterious horror elements of this. Just the whole vibe was really cool and well-done. I look forward to reading other books from this author; 4-stars.
  12. The Lonely Dead by April Henry – I received this book as an ARC from the publisher, Henry Holt and Co. Unfortunately, this book and I did not get along. We were scratching and biting and pulling each others hair. Nope. Just did not work for me; 2-stars.
  13. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer Trilogy #1) by Michelle Hodkin – This was one of my TBR jar picks for the month of January. This is a YA Paranormal Romance. There was mystery in this. There was a lot of witty dialogue and a male lead to totally swoon over. I hella enjoyed this one and was so happy that I finally read it; 4.5-stars!
  14. Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) by Maureen Johnson – I am so happy that I finally picked up this YA Mystery. Set at a boarding school in rural Vermont, this book literally checked all of my boxes. I loved this so much and actually just received the long-awaited sequel, The Vanishing Stair, in the mail today! This one received a full 5-star review from me.
  15. Hell: The Possession and Exorcism of Cassie Stevens by Tom Lewis – I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This book was hella creepy and actually had an interesting take on possession. Unlike any other possession stories I have ever read, this one is told mainly from the perspective of the person who is possessed. I thought it was really a fun little read overall; 3.5-stars. Thank you, Tom!
  16. The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding (The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding #1) by Alexander Bracken – This Middle Grade adventure was steeped with creepy, Halloweenie vibes and I adored it. The sequel is being released next Tuesday, February 5th, and I have an ARC from the publisher, Disney Book Group. Starting that one tonight and really looking forward to continuing on with this story; 4-stars.
  17. The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff – I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Park Row Books, and am so glad that I got the opportunity to read this early. What a book! This Adult Historical Fiction novel tells the tale of a group of female spies during WWII. Told in 3-perspectives this book drew me in from the very beginning and never let go. Vivid, poignant and heartbreaking, I would recommend this book to all; full 5-stars!

That is it, folks! That wraps up my month. Have you read any of these books? What was your favorite book of the month or least favorite? I want to know. Leave a comment below or you may contact me through any of my social media links.

Cheers & Happy Reading~