magic

Review of Ink Blood Sister Scribe: Magic, Sisters, and Secrets

by Stefani

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs

Published: May 30, 2023 by William Morrow

Buy this book at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Synopsis:

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements–books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . .

Rating:

Review:

I am in love with the idea of this book. It’s a book that’s about books. In this world, blood can be used as ink to create magical tomes that enact specific spells. Seemingly these spells are limitless, or at least we aren’t told much about the limits of the spells. There is even an immortality spell, so at the very least we can say that the limit is far reaching. Later, we find out that some spells even go further than just blood. They have inscribed onto skin, bound with hair and glued together with fat. Some of the darkest spells require a connection to the body of the person who wrote it. And two of our main characters have just recently lost their father to one of these books. He put his hand to it and it took his blood, all of it. That is a terrifying and amazing idea. It was that idea that interested me in this book to begin with.

This book was the very definition of “okay.” The characters weren’t interesting but there were too many of them. We spend a lot of time head hopping to the POV of different characters but there’s so many of them that I couldn’t keep track of who was who. It took me until about 30% of the book to figure out how everyone was related to the story. It would have been better to spend more consistent time with just a few characters so I could get to know them better. There was a few superb relationships in this book. The sister relationship and mother/daughter relationship were excellently written. But I had a hard time empathizing with the characters generally because we didn’t spend enough time with them. I couldn’t get to know them enough to care about them.

The story really picks up about halfway through. I really loved the adventure after that point. It was fast paced and horrifying. I loved it and got swept away in the ride. The ending was a little bit confusing, I actually went back and read the last chapter again because I thought I missed something. It ends on a cliffhanger….sort of. It is a well contained story but there’s definitely a “what happens next” vibe to the ending.

The biggest problem this book had was that the characters didn’t seem to have any agency. No one actually makes any decisions. They are set along a plot path and they just move along that pre-determined path. And they talk about making decisions. A LOT. But they don’t actually make any. At one point it felt like the main characters would be forced into making a decision. They were being left clues but were concerned about whether they could trust the person leaving the clues, or if it was a trap. They needed to decide whether to trust the clues or not. It took about 30 seconds for them to just blindly decide to trust the clue giver without any discussion or dissent. And back on the pre-determined path we went. It was frustrating. I wanted them to actually decide things. I think that might be the result of this being a debut novel. Sometimes it’s difficult to write to a planned plot without making it feel planned. That’s a very specific skill and sometimes it takes time to develop. Overall there was a lot of good things here, and I am glad that I read it. It was a solid debut novel

Progress Updates – September 16, 2024

by Stefani

I had a really busy week and didn’t manage to write a single post. So, I will do an off schedule progress update post, because I have been reading some interesting books lately. Without further ado….

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs

Published: May 30, 2023 by William Morrow

Progress: 50% of 13:53 audiobook

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements–books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . .

Thoughts so far:

So far this book is solidly….okay. I spent the first 20-30% of the audiobook being utterly confused. There’s a lot of characters. There’s a lot of things happening. And there’s not a whole lot of explanation to keep the reader in the loop of what’s going on. The ideas are interesting enough to keep me invested. I believe I may have figured out all of the different threads at this point. I hope. I am excited to get on the downslope of the book and see if things continue to make sense.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Published: January 22, 2013 by Hyperion

Progress: 68 of 327 pages

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost, Da’s death was hard enough, but now that her little brother is gone too, Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself may crumble and fall.

Thoughts so far:

This is such an interesting premise. I have a lot of questions though. Questions that I hope will have answers. But so far it is intriguing and I really like Mac. Unfortunately I looked at this book and it appears to be part of a series. This was published in 2013, the 2nd book was published in 2014…and nothing since. Sigh. So if I really love it, then I might end up frustrated by no further story. But I am too far into this to turn back now. A word of caution to anyone who might want to start this book though.

Mountains Made of Glass…..and something else too

by Stefani

Mountains Made of Glass by Scarlett St. Clair

Published: March 7, 2023 by Sourcebooks Bloom Books

Buy this book at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Synopsis:

“Could you love me?” he whispered. The question stole my breath and burned my lungs in the silence that followed.

I wanted to answer, to whisper yes into the space between us, but I was afraid.

All Gesela’s life, her home village of Elk has been cursed. And it isn’t a single curse—it is one after another, each to be broken by a villager, each with devastating consequences. When Elk’s well goes dry, it is Gesela’s turn to save her town by killing the toad that lives at the bottom. Except… the toad is not a toad at all. He is an Elven prince under a curse of his own, and upon his death, his brothers come for Gesela, seeking retribution.

As punishment, the princes banish Gesela to live with their seventh brother, the one they call the beast. Gesela expects to be the prisoner of a hideous monster, but the beast turns out to be exquisitely beautiful, and rather than lock her in a cell, he offers Gesela a deal. If she can guess his true name in seven days, she can go free.

Gesela agrees, but there is a hidden catch—she must speak his name with love in order to free him, too.

But can either of them learn to love in time?

Rating:

Review:

This littler novella was a lot of fun and a good use of my time overall. There were a lot of things about it that I really loved. The incorporation of several different fairy tales was a nice touch and she weaved them together quite well. The entire thing also has an atmosphere surrounding it that’s creepy, dark, foreboding and very menacing. I felt that was all very true to the fairy tales that she was drawing inspiration from, a lot of them have a similar tone.

The characters were also well done. Gesela is a woman of the village that produced her. She has watched countless of her fellow villages experience horrific consequences of being forced to break a curse. She recounts people who were carried away by monsters, others who were turned into monsters, still others who ended up being enchanted to do things like eat themselves to death. But, the villagers must keep breaking the curses, because otherwise the entire town will be doomed. It’s a sacrifice for the good of the many. Except now it’s her turn.

Fairly soon the book because….well, quite raunchy. I am not opposed to some good smut but I didn’t expect it in such a short novella. We didn’t have much time. In fact, that is one of my biggest complaints about this book. The entire middle is just sex. Lots and lots of sex. Very creative sex. Intense sex. Passionate sex. Angry sex. Under a spell sex. These two characters pretty much screw themselves into falling in love. The rest of the plot fell to the wayside because those two were too busy…well, you get the idea.

The ending felt rushed, probably because we spent so much time on sex. Err, falling in love. That was supposed to be the point after all. In the end I was left slightly disappointed. The world and the plot had so many wonderful things about it. There was so much richness and horror left to be explored. And then it was over and we didn’t get to explore it because it was all about the sex. A disappointing journey overall, but I would definitely read this author again.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: A Compelling Bridge to Darkness

by Stefani

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Published: February 1, 2000 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Buy this book at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Synopsis:

Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can’t wait to get back to school after the summer holidays. (Who wouldn’t if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There’s an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school…

Rating:

Review:

This book is the bridge for the entire rest of the series. While we flirted with darkness and dark magic in Chamber of Secrets, this one plunges us right into the depths of darkness and sets up the tone for the rest of the series. It is often cited as people’s favorite book of the series, and I certainly understand why.

Harry has a real transformation in this book as well. He is forced to reckon with his parents and their death. But he also has to reckon with negative opinions about his parents. This is actually one of my pet peeves with this book series, the idolization of Lily and James Potter. It makes sense why Harry idolizes them. He never knew them, he only ever hears positive things about them, so it’s an easy thing to put them on a pedestal in his head. But everyone else does it too. They speak about them like they were saints. But, let’s face it, when they were in school they were jackasses. James was a bully and a psychopath. The “prank” that James and his friends pull on Snape is cruel, vindictive, and could have gotten him killed. Much more than just schoolyard pranks, they were awful. And Lily rejected Snape because he wasn’t useful to her anymore and to gain James’ favor. Even if they changed A LOT in their adult years, they are certainly not the saints that the series likes to portray them as.

Anyway, off of that rant. Going back to this book I also realized what a raw deal Professor Trelawney got in this series. No one takes her seriously. No one. McGonagall is downright disdainful to her, in front of students, which is unusual for her as a character. The students don’t take her seriously or respect her. Even Dumbledore gets impatient with her, even though he was the one who witnessed the prophecy about Voldemort. The prophecy that this started the entire series! In reality she’s actually a pretty good Seer. From telling Parvati to beware the red haired man, since she and Padma are twins, she merely got them confused but was correct about the prediction itself. When she says that “around Easter one of our number will leave us forever” and sure enough that’s when Hermoine stomps out of class and never returns. Even the warning “when 13 dine together the first to rise is the first to die.” What Trelawney didn’t realize is that there already WERE 13 people at the table, before she got there. Ron had Scabbers, who is not actually a rat. Dumbledore rises to greet her, he was the first to rise and was the first to die of those people. This happens in Order of the Phoenix too, 13 Order members have dinner, Sirius is the first to leave….he dies later on in the book. She deserves more respect, she’s a damn good Seer.

Alright, I went off on another tangent. Although I still wonder how NO ONE put it together that Hermoine was involved in Buckbeak and Sirius escaping. The Ministry had to give permission for her to have the Time Turner, McGonagall knew. Some of the other teachers had to suspect, they aren’t idiots. If they were talking in the staff room and mentioned her being in their classes at the same time…someone must have suspected. But then, nobody really wanted to look into it too much I suppose. The teachers, except for Snape, would have protected Hermoine. The ministry had bigger problems on their hands, like the fallout from Sirius escaping in the first place. Which is the most likely answer, they had other things to worry about.

Last tangent, I promise. I’ll end this simply. I love this book. I find it one of the most compelling of the entire series. It sets up everything for the story to move forward.

Upcoming Releases – August 11, 2024

by Stefani

The Road of Bones by Demi Winters

Expected publication: November 5, 2024 by Delacorte Press

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A woman on the run. A crew of Viking mercenaries. A forbidden romance. And the secret which threatens them all.

Silla Nordvig is running for her life.

The Queen of Íseldur has sent warriors to bring Silla to Sunnavík, where death awaits her. When her father is killed, his last words set Silla on a perilous travel the treacherous Road of Bones–a thousand-mile stretch haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer–and go to Kopa, where a shield-house awaits her.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, a desperate Silla sneaks into a supply wagon belonging to the notorious Bloodaxe Crew. To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. But the queen’s ruthless assassin has other plans and hunts Silla obsessively.

Will Silla make it safely to Kopa? Or will she fall prey to the perils of the Road of Bones?

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang

Expected publication: October 17, 2024 by Michael Joseph

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A rumour surrounds an old house. Send a letter and if it’s chosen a mysterious ticket will be delivered to you.

No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket inviting her to a store that opens once a year when it rains.

Here she’s offered to sell a misfortune for happiness.

The problem? She has one week to find true happiness, or she’ll be trapped inside forever.

Accompanied by Isha the cat, Serin searches through bookstores, hair salons and perfumeries before time runs out.

All while a shadow follows quietly behind them . ..

I Might be in Trouble by Daniel Aleman

Expected publication: December 3, 2024 by Grand Central Publishing

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A few years ago, David Alvarez had it all: a six-figure book deal, a loving boyfriend, and an exciting writing career. His debut novel was a resounding success, which made the publication of his second book—a total flop—all the more devastating. Now, David is single, lonely, and desperately trying to come up with the next great idea for his third manuscript, one that will redeem him in the eyes of readers, reviewers, the entire publishing world…and maybe even his ex-boyfriend.

But good ideas are hard to come by, and the mounting pressure of a near-empty bank account isn’t helping. When David connects with a sexy stranger on a dating app, he figures a wild night out in New York City may be just what he needs to find inspiration. Lucky for him, his date turns out to be handsome, confident, and wealthy, not to mention the perfect distraction from yet another evening staring at a blank screen.

After one of the best nights of his life, David wakes up hungover but giddy—only to find prince charming dead next to him in bed. Horrified, completely confused, and suddenly faced with the implausible-but-somehow-plausible idea that he may have actually killed his date, David calls the only person he can trust in a moment of crisis: his literary agent, Stacey.

Together, David and Stacey must untangle the events of the previous night, cover their tracks, and spin the entire misadventure into David’s career-defining novel—if only they can figure out what to do with the body first.

Progress Updates Friday – August 9, 2024

by Stefani

Our Vengeful Souls by Kristi McManus

Progress: Page 230 of 290

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When magical mermaid Sereia saves her little sister and overshadows brother and rightful heir, Triton, the position of next ruler of the sea is in question. Determined to keep his throne, Triton curses Sereia, transforming her into a human and stripping her of magic. Banishing her from their underwater kingdom, he gives her a final warning: if you should ever return, you will become a monster.

Left for dead, Sereia washes up on the shores of Atlantis, discovered by a kind merchant with a tragic past. Patient and charming, he helps her build a life on land, leaving her realizing that everything she was taught about humans may have been wrong. But legends are powerful forces, and mermaids are burned for their magic by humans who fear their power. Sereia is forced to keep her true identity a secret, even as her feelings for her savior deepen.

Channeling her skill with a blade, she finds a place within the ranks of the Atlantean army, finally giving her the chance to become the respected warrior she always desired. During her training, however, she discovers the legend of a trident of equal power to her father’s exists, and is within her grasp in Atlantis. With a way back to the sea in her grasp, she wavers between the pull of revenge and the possibility of love on land, all under the hateful eye of a vengeful enemy within her ranks. But when the fate of a friend is in the balance, she must make the hardest decision of all: be burned at the stake as a witch, or turn into a monster should she return to the sea.

How it’s going:

Holy crap! I just hit a big swerve in this plot. I thought I had discerned where the story was going, but I was wrong. I am not sure exactly how wrong I was…yet. But I suspect I was very very wrong. I imagine I will read the entire rest of this book in one sitting, I need to know what happens.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Jim Dale

Progress: 20%

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can’t wait to get back to school after the summer holidays. (Who wouldn’t if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There’s an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school…

How it’s going:

This book sets a tone from the first page that is different from the previous two book. From the first word it’s clear that this is going to be a much darker book than the others. Also, Professor Trewlany got a raw deal. The woman is actually a pretty good Seer, but all she receives is ridicule. Even from other Professors.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Audiobook Review: A Delightful and Compelling Journey

by Stefani

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Jim Dale

Published: December 1, 1999 by Listening Library

Buy this book at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Synopsis:

The Dursleys were so mean that hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls’ bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley’s younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone–or something–starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects…Harry Potter himself?

Rating:

Review:

After all my years of reading and listening (and re-reading/re-listening) to the Harry Potter books I have always remembered Chamber of Secrets to be one of my least favorite. Not for any particular reason, but I always remember finding it less compelling than the others. I wonder if my reading habits have changed or my perspective of the book has changed but this was delightful.

A lot of the things that I struggled with in the first book were rectified here. There were less examples of Harry and his friends stepping into situations that they had no logical reason to believe they could solve. But in this book, because it affects Harry so personally it makes a lot more sense that he would see it as a mission to fix it himself. Harry changed a lot in this book. He went from a naive 11 year old who didn’t even know magic existed and was thrown into a situation where people believed that he was hurting people. He even had Hermoine taken away from him for a large portion of the story, who has always been his most sympathetic ear. He was nearly alone and it was a great test for him.

This book also shows us an entirely different kind of Voldemort. We see him as the boy he used to be. We learn that he and Harry shared a lot in common. We see him in the light he wishes to show Harry…the Head Boy, the school hero, the one who stopped the bad guy. It’s not the truth, as we know now, but it’s how he wanted Harry to perceive him. He used this to try and create a kinship with Harry so that he could manipulate him. And it’s just marvelous. Rowling has one of the best talents for adding complexity to her characters. I’ve never encountered an author that is as good at characterization as she is. Everyone is an intricately complex human being. Neither entirely good, nor entirely bad, just like all the rest of us humans. I find it remarkable.

This book also has a lot of little gems that I had forgotten about. This book is really funny. I had forgotten just how humorous it was. Dobby is so earnestly trying to be helpful, and failing so spectacularly, that it’s comical. Lockhart is absolutely hilarious. It is so fun to see some people absolutely hanging on his every word and others rolling their eyes before he even opens his mouth. He is perfectly pompous and it had me rolling out of my chair laughing. Since the rest of the book is so dark and serious it lightened the mood considerably in all the right places.

In the end, I enjoyed this book much more than I ever have before. It feels like sacrilege to say but I think I liked it more than the first book.

Note: You may or may not have noticed that I tried something different with the post title of this one. Let me know what you think. Whether you like it or hate it, I would love the feedback.

New ARCs!!

by Stefani

It’s been a minute since I updated the advanced copies I have received through various sources. Time for an update on what I will be reading in the future.

Witches: A Compendium by Judika Illes

Expected publication: October 7, 2024 by Weiser Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A compendium of witches through the ages, from earliest prehistory to some of the most significant modern practitioners, Witches explores who and what is a witch. Ranging from such famed historical figures as Marie Laveau, Tituba, Sybil Leek, Isobel Gowdie, and Countess Erzsebet Báthory (popularly known as the Blood Countess) to popular literary and cinematic figures such as Endora, the Scarlet Witch, Storm, and the Wicked Witch of the West, Illes offers a complete range of the history of witches.   Also included are the sacred (Baba Yaga, Lilith, Isis, Hekate, Diana, Aradia, Circe) and the profane (the Salem Witch trials and the Burning Times), plus travel tips for witches and a guide to the tools of the trade. Witches is appropriate for readers of all ages and serves as an excellent and entertaining introduction for those fascinated by the topic.   Previously published in 2010 by Weiser Books as A Weiser Field Guide to Witches, this book has been updated for new witches as well as a new era.

Tilt by Emma Pattee

Expected publication: March 4, 2025 by Simon & Schuster

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Set over the course of one day, a heart-racing debut about a woman facing the unimaginable, determined to find safety.

Last night, you and I were safe. Last night, in another universe, your father and I stood fighting in the kitchen.

Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. With no way to reach her husband, no phone or money, and a city left in chaos, there’s nothing to do but walk.

Making her way across the wreckage of Portland, Annie experiences human desperation and strangers offering help, a riot at a grocery store, and an unlikely friendship with a young mother. As she walks, Annie reflects on her struggling marriage, her disappointing career, and her anxiety about having a baby. If she can just make it home, she’s determined to change her life.

A propulsive debut, Tilt is a primal scream of a novel about the disappointments and desires we all carry, and what each of us will do for the people we love.

The University of Arizona: A History in 100 Stories by Gregory McNamee

Expected publication: October 15, 2024 by Sentinel Peak Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The University of Arizona: A History in 100 Stories is a celebration of the people, ideas, inventions, teaching, and structures that have been part of the school’s evolution from a small land-grant institution to an internationally renowned research institution. Drawing on half a century of connection with the University of Arizona as a student, staff member, and faculty member, Gregory McNamee presents a history through the lens of a hundred subjects.

That story begins in 1885, with the establishment of the school, which quickly proved itself to be a powerhouse in its foundational “four pillars”: agriculture and earth sciences, followed by astronomy and anthropology. In the years following World War II, those four pillars became ever more important to the University, even as countless other fields of study gained prominence: optical sciences, women’s studies, the humanities, mathematics, and more. This phenomenal institution has as its setting the Sonoran Desert, and, closer to home, to a built environment that is widely considered among the most scenic in the country, from the Historic District with its buildings that are more than a century old to the latest steel-and-glass constructions on the edges of the ever-expanding campus.

McNamee relates this history in an entertaining manner, peppering discussion of serious intellectual and institutional themes with lighter moments—the origins of the university’s rivalry with Arizona State, the ghosts that are said to lurk about campus, and more. Wildcats everywhere will delight in McNamee’s celebration of the people, places, learning, books, and pastimes that have distinguished our school.

Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole

Expected publication: October 8, 2024 by Atria Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

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.

The Black Hunger by Nicholas Pullen

Expected publication: October 8, 2024 by Orbit

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

John Sackville will soon be dead. Shadows writhe in the corners of his cell as he mourns the death of his secret lover and the gnawing hunger inside him grows impossible to ignore.

He must write his last testament before it is too late.

It is a story steeped in history and myth – a journey from stone circles in Scotland, to the barren wilderness of Ukraine where otherworldly creatures stalk the night, ending in the icy peaks of Tibet and Mongolia, where an ancient evil stirs . .

Progress Updates Friday – August 2, 2024

by Stefani

Our Vengeful Souls by Kristi McManus

Progress: 127 of 290 pages

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When magical mermaid Sereia saves her little sister and overshadows brother and rightful heir, Triton, the position of next ruler of the sea is in question. Determined to keep his throne, Triton curses Sereia, transforming her into a human and stripping her of magic. Banishing her from their underwater kingdom, he gives her a final warning: if you should ever return, you will become a monster.

Left for dead, Sereia washes up on the shores of Atlantis, discovered by a kind merchant with a tragic past. Patient and charming, he helps her build a life on land, leaving her realizing that everything she was taught about humans may have been wrong. But legends are powerful forces, and mermaids are burned for their magic by humans who fear their power. Sereia is forced to keep her true identity a secret, even as her feelings for her savior deepen.

Channeling her skill with a blade, she finds a place within the ranks of the Atlantean army, finally giving her the chance to become the respected warrior she always desired. During her training, however, she discovers the legend of a trident of equal power to her father’s exists, and is within her grasp in Atlantis. With a way back to the sea in her grasp, she wavers between the pull of revenge and the possibility of love on land, all under the hateful eye of a vengeful enemy within her ranks. But when the fate of a friend is in the balance, she must make the hardest decision of all: be burned at the stake as a witch, or turn into a monster should she return to the sea.

How it’s going:

This book is just so prettily written. The writing is beautiful. So is the world building and the character building. Sereia is starting to become accustomed to life on land. However, she still obsesses over wanting to get back to the sea. She is searching high and low for answers about how to break the curse so that she can get revenge on her brother. I find myself wanting to read this a bit at a time, to savor it more.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Progress: 60%

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The Dursleys were so mean that hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls’ bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley’s younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone–or something–starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects…Harry Potter himself.

How it’s going:

Once again, I have to say what a marvel Jim Dale is. I am consistently surprised that people don’t like his narration of the audiobooks. How can you not? I had forgotten how funny all the Lockhart antics are. When he tells Harry that he isn’t quite famous enough yet to be giving out signed pictures. I howled with laughter.

The Bitter Truth by Shanora Williams

Progress: 38 pages of 320

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

An upstanding political candidate. A determined stalker. A shattering lost weekend. Now, when his worst secret comes calling, how far will one man’s elegant, all-too-devoted wife go to uncover the truth . . . or bury it?

For Jolene “Jo” Baker, the least she can do for her adoring husband, Dominic, is give unwavering support for his North Carolina gubernatorial run. He is not only the love of her life, he’s also helping her prove that she’s far more than just a pampered trophy wife. With huge crowds showing up at Dominic’s speeches and the polls consistently in his favor, she’s never been happier to stand proudly by his side . . .

Until she and Dominic start seeing the same, strangely ominous woman turning up all along the campaign trail. Until their tour starts becoming a nightmare of botched events, crucial missed information, and increasingly dangerous “accidents.” Suddenly Jo can’t get any answers from Dominic—or understand why he is acting so paranoid and terrified . . .

What Jo can do is start digging into his past—one she’s never really questioned beyond his perfect image and dazzling accomplishments. What results is an alarming series of events that leave her Good friends turn into enemies, truths are revealed to be lies, and all clues lead back to one secret, shattering weekend that changes Jo’s entire life. With her world splintering into pieces, can Jo risk trying to set things right? Or will hiding the bitter truth by any means necessary destroy her as well?

How it’s going:

So far so good with this one. I am not entirely sure what the Prologue has to do with the rest of the book, but I am hopeful that will come in time. The initial introduction to the characters is interesting and the writing is solid. No complaints from me.

Upcoming Releases – July 28, 2024

by Stefani

The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn

Expected publication: March 18, 2024 by St. Martin’s Griffin

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Practical Magic meets Gone Girl in Ava Morgyn’s next dark, spellbinding novel about a woman who is more than a witch – she’s a hunter.Piers Corbin has always had an affinity for poisonous things – plants and men. From the pokeweed berries she consumed at age five that led to the accidental death of a stranger, to the husband whose dark proclivities have become… concerning, poison has been at the heart of her story. But when she fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her volatile marriage and goes to stay with her estranged great aunt in the mountains, she realizes her predilection is more than a hunger – it’s a birthright. Piers comes from a long line of poison eaters – Bane Witches – women who ingest deadly plants and use their magic to rid the world of evil men. Piers sets out to earn her place in her family’s gritty but distinguished legacy, all while working at her Aunt Myrtle’s cafe and perpetuating a flirtation with the local, well-meaning sheriff to allay his suspicions on the body count she’s been leaving in her wake. But soon she catches the attention of someone else, a serial killer operating in the area. And that only means one thing – it’s time to feed. In Ava Morgyn’s dark, thrilling novel, The Bane Witch, a very little poison can do a world of good.

Why this caught my eye:

Normally I hate writeups that hype a book as “X meets Y!!”. It is almost never accurate and I find it annoying. If I wanted to read thing X, then I would. But, I am here for this one. Practical Magic…yes! Gone Girl…yes! I am bought and sold on this one.

American Sheep by Brett Bannor

Expected publication: October 1, 2024 by University of Georgia Press

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

American Sheep introduces the “remarkable story” of how sheep helped shape American history from the colonial era through the early twentieth century. By introducing the readers to a cast of characters—some forgotten and some famous—whose lives intersected with sheep, the book illuminates the roles the animals played in the “growth and development of the United States.” John Brown’s relationship with sheep, for example, reveals how “sheep culture influenced racial relations.” And John Muir’s fears about sheep grazing in Yosemite were central to the development of the environmental movement his name is most often attached to. American Sheep, in other words, is a book that shears away our misunderstandings of the past and weaves sheep into the fabric of American economic and social history.

Why it caught my eye:

I don’t think I’ve talked about this much on the site, but another one of my hobbies is fiber art. I love wool. I love sheep. I spin my own yarn. I dye my own wool. I knit and crochet with my own spun yarn. I am friends with shepherds, and I own some of their fleeces and know their name, how old they were, who their parents are, and what kind of year they had based on the wool they produced (you can tell if they were sick, or if it was particularly hot, or particularly wet, etc). This book detailing how important sheep have been to the United States’ cultural history, yes please!

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

Expected publication: December 10, 2024 by Wednesday Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Devin Green wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her bedroom. No stranger to a fight, she calls to her foster parents for help, but it soon becomes clear this is a planned abduction—one everyone but Devin signed up for. She’s shoved in a van and driven deep into the Idaho woods, where she’s dropped off with a cohort of equally confused teens. Finally, two camp counselors inform them that they’ve all been enrolled in an experimental therapy program. If the campers can learn to change their self-destructive ways—and survive a fifty-days hike through the wilderness—they’ll come out the other side as better versions of themselves. Or so the counselors say.

Devin is immediately determined to escape. She’s also determined to ignore Sheridan, the cruel-mouthed, lavender-haired bully who mocks every group exercise. But there’s something strange about these woods—inhuman faces appearing between the trees, visions of people who shouldn’t be there flashing in the leaves—and when the campers wake up to find both counselors missing, therapy becomes the least of their problems. Stranded and left to fend for themselves, the teens quickly realize they’ll have to trust each other if they want to survive. But what lies in the woods may not be as dangerous as what the campers are hiding from each other—and if the monsters have their way, no one will leave the woods alive.

Why this caught my eye:

Troubled teen wilderness “therapy” is having a moment in the spotlight, rightly so in my opinion. The idea of taking a circumstance that is already morally and ethically questionable and adding a horror element with monsters is a great idea. Fun fact, I got sent to a church version of one of those type things when I was a teenager. It was not as bad as many others, but sending a bunch of teenagers to go hiking around the woods for miles a day with untrained adults is not therapeutic, and I can’t believe that people would actually do that to their child. But this book still peaks my interest.