Lili Lost in a Book

Review: Five Broken Blades (The Broken Blades #1) by Mai Corland

2026-04-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Five Broken Blades

Series: The Broken Blades #1

Author: Mai Corland

Genre: Adult, high fantasy

Publication date: May 2024

Published by: Entangled: Red Tower Books

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Book Outlet | Thrift Books

Synopsis: It’s the season
for treason…

The king of Yusan must die.

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

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

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

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

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

Let the best liar win.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I really loved the concept of this book! Just a group of characters with different characters coming together to achieve a mutual goal: kill the king. I’m such a sucker for that sort of stuff!

I didn’t super love the characters, though. I mean, I didn’t dislike them, I just had a hard time really connecting with them at first. They did start to kinda grow on me after a fight where they all saved each other... It was like 300 pages into that book at that point, but better late than never, I guess 😅 Tbh, I think the insta-romance vibes I was getting from all of them was what was putting me off. I very much do NOT like instalove.

And there was just something off about the writing that I can’t quite pinpoint. At times, it kinda felt... casual. Almost modern. It was odd. The multiple first-person POV in a high fantasy novel was also weird, but I didn’t hate it. I do prefer first-person POV.

All that being said, I did actually enjoy this. Lol. It had some really good action sequences, which we all know I’m a sucker for. And the end of the book was WILD. Everything was a complete disaster after the insane plot twists we got that I did not see coming, but it was FUN! It was a fun and crazy ride and I am really looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book because DAMN.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

Review: Lost Coastlines (Five Ghosts Vol. 2) by Frank J. Barbiere

2026-04-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Lost Coastlines

Series: Five Ghosts Vol. 2

Previous book in this series: The Haunting of Fabian Gray

Author: Frank J. Barbiere

Illustrator: Chris Mooneyham

Genre: Adult, comic book, fantasy

Publication date: July 2014

Published by: Image Comics

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | Thrift Books

Synopsis: In 'Lost Coastlines', Fabian joins his old flame Jezebel on a trip across the sea to Japan and the mythical Island of Dreams. On their perilous journey they'll encounter pirates and a dark shadow from Fabian's past.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

In this volume, Fabian and Sebastian continue trying to find a way to bring back Silvia. Specifically, they head to an island in search of dreamstone, because that might be the key to bringing her back.

One thing I've noticed about this series that I'm really enjoying is that it has a little bit of everything. At first, this volume was a little pirate-y, then a little Survivor-y... it was just fun! And action-packed! I always love that in a book.

However, I don't know if much got accomplished in this volume, tbh. I still enjoyed the adventure, though.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

Review: We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

2026-04-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: We Used to Live Here

Author: Marcus Kliewer

Genre: Adult, horror

Publication date: June 2024

Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Source: Borrwed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Book Outlet | Thrift Books

Synopsis: As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the strangers enter their home, inexplicable things start happening, including the family’s youngest child going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?

My rating: ★★★★☆

Almost everything about the house, from its origin to its chain of ownership, was a mystery.

This book was weird but in the best way possible. Lol.

So we have Eve and her girlfriend, who recently bought this house to flip, right? Well, one day, ~~these randos show up~~ a family shows up out of the blue, the dad of the family claiming that he used to live there when he was a kid and that he would love to show his family around. Terrible idea right off the bat. But one thing leads to another, and Eve ends up letting them in. Eve doesn't know yet that this will be the worst decision of her life. In Eve's defense, she's a people pleaser, which is a (very unhealthy) habit that is difficult to break. Me, speaking from experience? Nooo...

I was very intrigued by this story right from the start. Not only because of the fact that some randos show up at Eve's recently bought house, but also because of everything that happened after. And everything that happened after was WILD. I don't want to say too much, but this was very Mandela Effect, where you didn't know what was true and what wasn't. It was very intriguing stuff. And not only that, but it was also giving me almost Backroom vibes... it was creepy! And I loved it! There was this one scene in the basement with a shadowy figure, and it reminded me of Diana in Lights Out... horrifying! It was great! 😆

But I really enjoyed this book! Like I said, it was really creepy, and the story was intriguing. Before I started reading this book, I had heard that things aren't really explained at the end, which I typically don't like. However, while the book doesn't explicitly tell you in the end what the heck is going on, it gives you enough breadcrumbs throughout the story so you get a general idea of what is happening. And what was happening was WILD, as I've already said. Lol. I enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Once you let them in, Mo whispered, they'll never leave.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #462: I Did It

2026-04-06T05:40:00.000-07:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

What I read:

I almost didn't finish my TBR last month, but I buckled down and I did it! And The Hacienda was SO GOOD! I loved it! The third volume of Kindergarten Wars was also good. Such a fun series!

Currently reading:

Not too far into this cozy fantasy, so no thoughts yet. But I did enjoy the previous book in this series, so.

Up next:

I think this one? It has to go back to the library. But I am starting to feel almost burnt out from reading? Idk, man 😩

What are you reading this week?

Sunday Post #498: The Hyperfixation Continues

2026-04-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

What I've been doing:

This week went by too fast and now I gotta go back to work tomorrow. I'm not ready 😭 I enjoyed my week of doing nothing but reading and playing video games a little too much 😆

What I've been playing:

I finished Resident Evil Requiem and I am not okay 😭 It was SO GOOD! Even though I feel like I wasn't great at it. Lol. But I'm definitely going to play it again. I just loved it so much! Which is hilarious because if we're serious, I only started playing this game as a joke. Because of Leon Kennedy 😆 But the story was SO good, the voice actors were great, the graphics look amazing, and it was genuinely scary! Here is how I did on my first playthrough (I wish it showed how many times I died 😆):

Because Requiem gave me a video game hangover, which I've never had before, I went back and started playing Resident Evil 2! Another Leon game! 😆

I enjoyed it so much! Up until the end. I chose Leon to play with, obviously 😆, and when I got to the end, it was very abrupt. Well, it turns out that that happens when you pick to play with Leon first. Apparently, to get the cohesive storyline, you do Claire's run first and then Leon's, which I did not know.

So, here is how I did on my first run with Leon. It's actually not that bad, considering I don't usually play these kinds of games 😅 And then yesterday I started my run with Claire, who I actually really like so far. She gets all the cool guns! The gameplay isn't exactly the same, which I appreciate, and I am very curious to see what her ending is going to be like.

On the Blog

Posted this week:

#461: Some Sacrifices...

March 2026

April 2026 TBR

2026 Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag

2026 Reading Challenges

Book Haul

Library Loot:

Some ebooks from the library.

How was your guy's week? Get any bookish things? Let me know in the comments below or leave me a link to your post!

Quarterly Update: 2026 Reading Challenges

2026-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have not done a quarterly update before, at least when it comes to reading challenges. But I feel like I'm doing really well this year and I wanted to take a look. Lol.

The challenge: Read 52 books in 2025.
Progress: 25/52 (48%). Doing really well on this one. Not surprised. Lol. I made a low goal on purpose. Lol.

The challenge: Read 52 books in 52 weeks.
Progress: 13/52 (25%). I haven't missed a week yet!

The challenge: To read one book that has a title starting with every letter of the alphabet.
Progress: 16/26 (62%). Doing really well on this one, but I'm coming down to those harder letters 😬

The challenge: To read one book that has an author whose first name, middle, or last name starts with every letter of the alphabet.
Progress: 17/26 (65%). Same with this one.

The challenge: Read a book to fulfill each letter and its prompt.
Progress: 13/26 (50%). I was struggling at first with this one, but I'm doing pretty good now.

The challenge: To read books with covers every color of the rainbow
Progress: 9/10 (90%). This one is WAY too easy 😅

The challenge: To read books you have owned before January 1, 2026.
Progress: 6/24 (25%). I am shockingly doing really well on this one! I always struggle with this challenge!

The challenge: Read your Netgalley/Edelweiss books.
Progress: 2/10 (20%). I'm not mad about this one. I could be doing better, but 20% is not bad.

The challenge: Finish series.
Progress: 1/5 (20%). Same with this one. I mean, the low goal for this one was on purpose 😅

The challenge: "A not-too-serious reading challenge hosted by Curiosity Killed the Bookworm. (Interpret the prompts however you like, the notes are just for ideas.) It’s mostly orientated towards science fiction, fantasy, and horror, but there’s nothing stopping you from reading about the fishing industry for scaled creatures, or contemporary romance for creepy cover. Sorry, did I say creepy? I meant pretty. Though seriously, why do so many have faceless people on the cover?"
Progress: 16/25 (64%). I love this challenge! Doing good on this one.

The challenge: "There are 40 prompts and 10+ bonus prompts— which, admittedly, is a lot of prompts… but no candy left behind! Set your own goal and pick whatever combination of prompts you’d like to do!"
Progress: 24/25 (96%). This is the one I was worried about because there were so many prompts, so I ended up setting my goal at 25. Well, I'm almost done with it 😅

The challenge: To read 12 different books (1 per month) that fit each of the 12 prompts in order.
Progress: 3/12 (25%). And I'm on track for this one too!

The challenge: Enter and complete reading challenges.
Progress: 0/1-5 (0%). No progress yet on this one, which is fine. I don't start worrying about this one till the end of the year anyway. Lol.

The challenge: Write 41+ discussion posts
Progress: 13/41 (32%). And last, I'm also doing really good on the discussion challenge too!

Out of all of these challenges, there are only TWO that I'm not at 25% on (not including the challenge about completing challenges, of course lol)! I am honestly surprised. I know I said I was going to actually TRY this year to complete challenges, but this is insane for me. Lol. However, I have the feeling things are going to get harder from here 👀😬
Let me know how you're doing in your reading challenges!

2026 Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag

2026-04-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

It's time to check in and see how I'm doing on all things reading. This tag was created by Rosin’s Reading.

1. How many books have you read so far?

This is not bad! If I were to keep this up, I might even read 100 books this year 👀 Haven't done that in quite some time.

2. Have you already found a book you think might be a 2026 favorite?

Brandon Sanderson is such a master worldbuilder! And the characters? 😍 I have really enjoyed everything I've read from him so far!

3. If not, what was your favorite book you read that wasn't quite five stars?

I loved this book. It wasn't quite 5 stars, but it was just a lot of fun!

4. Any 1-star books/least favorite book of the year?

I have not given a book less than 3.5 stars, much less given a 1-star! And this book, I just feel like I liked the premise more than the execution 😢

5. Most read genre so far?

Horror, baby! 11 books! 😆

6. A book that surprised you?

I am shocked at how much I liked both of these. I know I keep saying it, but it's the Fear Street vibes, for sure!

7. A book that's come out in 2026 already that you want to read but haven't yet?

I've only read the first two books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, but I am really enjoying it! I'm excited to see that the author has something new out!

8. One goal you made that you're succeeding at?

I'm doing really well on most challenges, actually 👀 It is SHOCKING 😆

9. One goal you made you need to focus on?

The two challenges I feel like I need to focus more on, though, are reading the Netgalley books and finishing series.

10. New to you bloggers/booktubers/bookstagrammers/booktokers for 2026 you recommend?

I am not tagging anyone in particular, but feel free to do it yourself if you'd like! I'd love to see your answers!

April 2026 TBR

2026-04-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Guys, I almost didn't complete my March TBR because I was so locked into playing Resident Evil Requiem 😅 But I did it! I really focused on reading these last couple of days, and I read everything! (I also just finished RER a couple of minutes ago, and I am not okay 😭 I don't think a video game has ever given me a hangover before 😢 I loved it though!)

I even read the backup book I picked for green cover! While I had 6 books overall on my TBR, I ended up reading a total of 9 books in March

This month, I completed a total of 25 prompts across all of my different reading challenges. It's not as impressive as last month, but as time goes on, these are going to start dwindling down, and I fear it's also going to be more difficult to complete 😅 But fitting 9 books into 25 prompts? I'll take it!

This month, I ended up picking 5 random prompts instead of 4 because the first two ended up being the same. Lol. I'm not gonna lie, I was not in love with these choices. I feel like I use my library a lot, so having to read TWO books I have owned prior to the start of 2026 this month was... yikes. Which is exactly why I'm doing this challenge! I am so bad at reading books I own! So this challenge helps keep me accountable. Lol.

I was also kinda dreading picking memoir because it's just not a genre I read much of, but I ended up going with something I'm excited about. The one I should've been worried about was the last one I wrote in 👀 That one was not picked randomly. It's from the Go With The Flow challenge, where I do one prompt each month, and this prompt in particular really kicked my ass trying to find something that fit 😅

Owned book + Character name is a color

I had a really hard time coming up with a list because I wanted to group prompts together to make it easier for myself. It did the opposite. Lol. So I scrapped the list and started again. I kept this one, though! This is a book I own, and the protagonist's name is Iris Gray. Not only is her last name a color, but I thought her first name was perfect, too! In Greek mythology, Iris is the goddess of rainbows, and this name prompt comes from the Candy Reading Challenge, the SKITTLE prompt in particular... goddess of rainbows, taste the rainbow... You see where I'm going 😆

Owned book

This is another book I own, and it's basically about... well, it's Dracula in space 😆 And honestly, that's all I need to know. Lol.

Finish series

I had such a hard time picking a series to finish. I went through my list SO many times. But ultimately, I landed on this one! More sci-fi! And they are two very short novellas! I'm excited!

A memoir

Joe Trohman is the guitarist of Fall Out Boy, and as we know, I am in love with Fall Out Boy 😍 Very excited to read his memoir!

Same number of chapters as March's book

This freaking prompt was the one that was giving me a hard time. So, for March, I read The Hacienda, which had 35 chapters, so this month I have to read a book that ALSO has 35 chapters. I cannot tell you how HARD it was to find a book that had specifically 35 chapters. These don't, actually! They both have 34 chapters PLUS an epilogue. And at this point, I am counting it. Lol. Tbh I don't even think I'm too convinced on these two as my choices. They are books I want to read, but idk if they're books I want to read now, you know? But I'm going to keep these, and if I happen to come across something else, well, this list is flexible, just like my mood. Lol.

Audiobook (Goodreads challenge)

This is an extra I'm including here because I just want to read Murderbot. Lol. But I do have a prompt on a challenge on Goodreads that this will work really well for!

I'm not feeling as confident about this list as my previous ones 😅 My mood is doing that weird thing where it doesn't know what it wants to read, and honestly, the prompts I randomly picked are not helping 😂 I'm not too torn up about it though becaue I'm actually doing great on my reading challenges. So if there are any I don't complete this month, I think I'm just going to roll them over to next month and maybe pick new books for them. Idk. We'll see how things go.
Let me know if you've read any of these books or what is on your TBR list for the month! 😊

Monthly Wrap-Up: March 2026

2026-03-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

This month I read 9 books and a total of 2683 pages, that about 400 pages less than the previous month. But it's fine because last month was the odd month where I read incessantly 😅 I was also very distracted by the new Resident Evil game this month 🤭

6 were full-length novels, 2 manga, and 1 anthology
4 were part of a series, and 5 were standalones
I started 1 series, caught up on 1, and abandoned 1
8 were finished copies and 1 ARC
7 were physical books, and 2 were ebooks
1 was 5 stars, 4 were 4.5 stars, 3 were 4 stars, and 1was 3.5 stars
All 9 were traditionally published
5 were by authors I've previously read, and 4 were new to me
6 were adult books, and 3 were YA books
All 9 were fiction
2 were action, 6 horror, and 1 paranormal romance

Books read this month:

Loteria was a collection of short horror stories all inspired by the cards in the Mexican board game of the same name, and I enjoyed it a lot! It was creepy and some of the stories were quite horrific. Volume 2 of Kindergarten Wars was a lot of fun! Lots of action and fun bickering. Lol. The Caretaker was another horror book, and this one was very eerie and weird, but in the best way possible! Tastes Like Candy ended up being predictable and I didn't really like any of the characters, but I loved the setting and the kills were fun! How to Fake a Haunting was another great horror book with some family drama mixed in! I loved the whole concept of the fake haunting potentially turning real 👀

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow was ANOTHER good horror book! This one by the one and only Kelley Armstrong, and the story was about the headless horseman! So fun! Go Luck Yourself was a really fun romance between the prince of Christmas and the prince of St. Patrick's Day and I loved it 😍 It had a lot of depth with really good character arcs that almost definitely made me cry 😢 And The Hacienda was my favorite of all the horror novels I read this month! It was historical, horror, had a forbidden romance, a haunted house, and witchcraft! I loved everything about it! And then I ended the month (literally read it this morning lol) with another volume of Kindergarten Wars. Also a fun one. Lol.

Favorite book of the month:

It might be recency bias since I finished it last, though this is the only book I gave a solid 5 stars to, but I loved this book so much! 😭

Least favorite book of the month:

None! I liked them all!

Books reviewed this month:

Other posts:

Library Springtime Reading Challenge

The ‘I Should Have Read That Book’ Tag

Let me know what your favorite read this month was and what you are looking forward to reading next month!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #461: Some Sacrifices...

2026-03-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

What I read:

I had to make some sacrifices because I needed to catch up on my reading 😩 Meaning, I haven't played Resident Evil Requiem in like 3 days because I told myself I couldn't until I caught up with my tbr for the month 😭 I have one more book to read, so no Leon for me yet 😢 I'm obviously being dramatic lol, especially because I loved both of these books! The first is a horror book about the headless horseman, and the second is a queer romance between the prince of Christmas and the prince of St. Patrick's Day! The sacrifice was worth it! (Though I do have Leon withdrawals at the moment 😆)

Currently reading:

The last book on my tbr for the month! I'm starting this one today, so no thoughts yet.

Up next:

I don't have my April tbr ready yet, so I might just go with some manga for now.

What are you reading this week?

Sunday Post #497: He Has Taken Over My Life... And I'm Okay With That

2026-03-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

What I've been doing:

Guess who's on Spring Break? I am! I mean, I had to fight for the days off, but I got them off! Lol. I'm excited to do nothing but play games and read books! Work is too stressful 😪

What I've been watching:

I watched two movies this weekend!

Undertone was fine, but I really enjoyed Ready or Not 2! Poor girl can't catch a break. Lol. I loved the ending though! It was just a really fun movie!

What I've been playing:

Leon S. Kennedy has a chokehold on me, and I'm okay with that 😍

My obsession with him and Resident Evil Requiem in general is unhealthy, but it's just SO good! I don't really stop to take any screenshots or pictures because I'm basically stressed all the time and paranoid a zombie is going to pop up around the corner, but I did grab two this week of Leon looking super cool 😆

I think I'm almost 90% done with the game, and I'm honestly not okay with that 😫 I don't want it to end! Tbh though, I am definitely going to play this game again. And I may also buy the DLC 😆 (I was so hooked on this game I don't think I played any Sims this week... shocking. Lol.)

Nail art:

I don't think I ever showed off my St. Patrick's day nails... which I just took off yesterday 😆 It is neons seasons, baby! I think I'm gonna do a whole neon rainbow this week.

On the Blog

Books reviewed this week:

★★★⯪☆

★★★★☆

★★★★⯪

Other posts from this week:

#460: So, That Didn't Go According to Plan...

The ‘I Should Have Read That Book’ Tag

Book Haul

Library Loot:

Grabbed the ebook and audiobook from the library! Excited to continue this series!

How was your guy's week? Get any bookish things? Let me know in the comments below or leave me a link to your post!

The ‘I Should Have Read That Book’ Tag

2026-03-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

For some reason, my picks for this tag ended up being mostly throwbacks 😅 Which is appropriate because this tag is also quite old. Lol. Anyway, it was fun! I found this tag at a GREAT read, and it was created by Beth at BooksNest.

A book that a certain friend is always telling you to read

She knows who she is! She actually doesn't read this blog, but she knows who she is! Lol. And she actually hasn't mentioned it in quite some time. But I own it now because of her, so I will eventually read it. The only thing holding me back is the damned loved triangle 😪

A book that’s been on your TBR forever and yet you still haven’t picked it up

This is the oldest book on my tbr! It's been on there for almost 16 years! I also own this one. I used to love reading these sorts of books. I'll get to this one... eventually, too 😅

A book in a series you’ve started, but haven’t gotten round to finishing yet

Ah! This was one of the first adult series I read! Back in my peak urban fantasy era! I loved this series SO much! But I never finished it because I accidentally spoiled myself and found out that the protagonist doesn't end up with my preferred side of the (again) damned love triangle 😭 But I will read this whenever I'm back in the mood for urban fantasy. This is also another series I own.

A classic you’ve always liked the sound of, but never actually read

This one, for sure!! I love horror AND sci-fi, so I HAVE to read this!! One day, one day...

A popular book that it seems everyone but you has read

This is the third most popular book on my tbr (the other two were classics, so I went with this one instead lol). And it's funny because I actually have this book from the library RIGHT NOW! I watched the Project Hail Mary movie last weekend and I literally cannot stop thinking about it because I loved it SO much! 😭 I haven't read/seen The Martian, but I think it's going to happen next month!

A book that inspired a film/TV adaptation that you really love, but you just haven’t read it yet

This is the first one that came to mind! I LOVE the tv show Bones! And while the show is nothing like the books, from what I've heard, I still really want to read it because I just love a good mystery and interesting science.

A book you see all over Instagram but haven’t picked up yet

I'm actually not on IG too much because I put a timer on the app so I'm not doomscrolling there for the rest of my life, so this was kinda hard 😅 It was even harder because I don't tend to read popular books. Bombarding me every 10 seconds with the same thing over and over again actually doesn't work on me and instead has the opposite effect, so 🤷‍♀️😂 But what I did was I removed the timer momentarily and I picked the first book I saw that I wanted to read that I thought was popular, and my algorithm came up with this one! I love Marissa Meyer! I will read this eventually! I will read ALL of these eventually, I swear! 😆

I am not tagging anyone in particular, but feel free to do it yourself if you'd like! I'd love to see your answers! 😁

Review: Dead Fake (Bleak Haven #1) by Vincent Ralph

2026-03-27T00:00:00.001-07:00

Title: Dead Fake

Series: Bleak Haven #1

Author: Vincent Ralph

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: January 2026

Published by: Wednesday Books

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: Would you Swipe to Die?

When the new craze takes over Bleak Haven High, Ava Wilson refuses to join in. As the niece of an infamous murderer, it’s the last thing she needs.

The mysterious website allows people to view their own ‘death’ – an AI generated version of their final slasher-movie-moments. But, when some of her classmates’ deepfakes are replicated in real life, Ava can either catch the killer... or be the next victim.

My rating: ★★★★⯪

I freaking loved this book! And the main reason why is because it gave me modern Fear Street vibes! You guys know I LOVE Fear Street!

The reason why this gave me Fear Street vibes is because the book takes place in Bleak Haven, a small town that is rumored to be cursed. Which is a fair statement to make about the town because tragedies happen all the time!

I mean, our main character, Ava, years and years ago, when she was a child, her uncle went on a killing spree and murdered a family. Ava, now a teenager, is in the middle of a tragedy herself when an AI app that predicts deaths suddenly pops up... and then people around her start dying in the same way the AI predicted.

I loved this premise so much! And it was so well done! The twists, the killer, their motive... all those reveals caught me by surprise! I didn't expect any of it, but it made so much sense! It was wild! I also appreciated the bit of commentary that was thrown in regarding the rise of AI use 👀

But I had so much fun reading! I'm glad I found this book and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series and unraveling the mystery behind the curse of Bleak Haven.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 5) by Yuto Suzuki

2026-03-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 5

Series: Sakamoto Days #5

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: January 2022

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

The situation is fraught during the casino battle between Sakamoto’s staff and the Chinese triad. Can they protect Lu and get info on the bounty?! To make matters worse, the very worst assassins from overseas are gunning for Sakamoto!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In the last volume, we saw the arrival of Wutang, who worked for the Triad and came to take Lu back. Thus ensued some fun shenanigans that would determine Lu's fate. Spoiler alert:

Aside from the resolution of that part of the story, we also learned more about where the bounty on Sakamoto's head came from, and we got even MORE bad guys after Sakamoto and his new friends.

As per usual, I really enjoyed this volume. We got a lot of story progression, and my favorite: there were a lot of really good fights throughout this volume.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

Review: The Haunting of Fabian Gray (Five Ghosts Vol. 1) by Frank J. Barbiere

2026-03-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: The Haunting of Fabian Gray

Series: Five Ghosts Vol. 1

Author: Frank J. Barbiere

Illustrator: Chris Mooneyham

Genre: Adult, comic book, fantasy

Publication date: September 2013

Published by: Image Comics

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon

Synopsis: After a tragic encounter with an artifact known as "The Dreamstone," infamous treasure hunter Fabian Gray was possessed by five literary ghosts and has been granted access to their unique abilities.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I have had this comic book on my TBR for YEARS, but I'm glad that I finally got around to it because I really enjoyed it!

The thing that caught my attention about this was the concept of 5 ghosts inhabiting the protagonist's body, and each one giving him a different ability. The Wizard, the Archer, the Detective, the Samurai, and the Vampire. And even better: they're literary ghosts! As in Robin Hood, Sherlock, etc. I mean, they're not mentioned explicitly, but there are clues throughout to point you in that direction. It's so cool!

I'm not a big comic book reader, but I really enjoyed this overall. It was funny and sad, and even horrifying at times. I really liked the premise, I like that it was action-packed, and I thought the art style was really cool! And the literary nature of it all was definitely a plus.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

Review: All Shall Mourn (None Shall Sleep #3) by Ellie Marney

2026-03-24T00:00:00.001-07:00

Title: All Shall Mourn

Series: None Shall Sleep #3

Previous books in this series: None Shall Sleep (#1) | Some Shall Break (#2)

Author: Ellie Marney

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: February 2025

Published by: Black Hand Press

Source: Purchased with gift card

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: The third and final book in the None Shall Sleep Sequence.

Simon Gutmunsson is on the loose... Since the disastrous events of the College Killer case, the FBI is coming to terms with the fact that while catching one sociopath, they've released another. Chillingly manipulative, frighteningly intelligent, and wholly insane, Simon Gutmunsson is the worst of the worst. Now he's free, and on the run with his twin sister Kristin, and nobody in the FBI is smart enough to keep up...

Travis Bell's last investigation for FBI Behavioral Science nearly killed him. Supported by family and his partner Emma Lewis, now Travis just needs to get back on his feet. But Emma has been recruited to help the FBI hunt the ultimate sociopath, Simon Gutmunsson, and there's no way Travis is letting her go into this battle alone...

Emma Lewis has gained some perspective on life, and as her emotional walls come down, she realizes that only by working as a perfect team will she and Travis have any chance of beating the Gutmunsson twins at their own terrifying game. So in a journey that will take them from Moroccan souks to Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations, the stage is set for Simon and Kristin and Emma and Travis to meet up in an epic final showdown.

My rating: ★★★⯪☆

What in the Flowers in the Attic was this book?

I honestly could've lived without that, especially because we experienced it from THEIR POV.

However, I did accept the explanation for this because it makes sense for these characters and how they grew up. Doesn't mean I have to like this trope, though, especially because I felt like this came out of the blue. Maybe it's because they weren't together in the last two books, but if my memory serves, we got no hint of this previously!

Anyway, this wasn't even the only reason why I didn't love this book. The beginning, after the whole Flowers in the Attic situation, was kinda boring. I wasn't very invested, not even in the Emma/Travis reunion. Which is crazy because I was shipping them like crazy in the last book! But in this book, I found the romance kinda awkward and lackluster, and I just didn't care. I didn't care about a lot of things in this book, which made me sad because I gave the last book FIVE stars!

I'll say this: I was a lot more engaged in the second half of the book, but overall, this was just... fine 🤷‍♀️ This was predictable and slow, kinda boring, and it just made some really weird decisions. I really don't know what happened with this series. I really enjoyed the first two books, so it makes me so sad that the ending was so lackluster 😢

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #460: So, That Didn't Go According to Plan...

2026-03-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

What I read:

I really enjoyed this book! It was kinda crazy with the whole fake haunting, but I was living for the drama 😆 Even better, the fake haunting may or may not have turned into a real haunting 👀 There was also some really good character arcs. This was a good one.

Currently reading:

Okay, so this week didn't go according to plan because I planned on finishing these two books this weekend since they're both on the shorter side, but then a migraine decided to overstay its welcome and I didn't end up reading as much as I wanted 😭 (Okay, and when I wasn't in pain, I was playing the new Resident Evil game 😅) I'm only about 30 pages into both of these, so not much to say, but I'm getting good vibes from them both.

Up next:

The last book on my March TBR! But we'll see how this week goes and how much Leon Kennedy is going to distract me 😆

What are you reading this week?

Sunday Post #496: Project Hail Mary Weekend

2026-03-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

What I've been doing:

What a week. Work was stressful, like always, I was on my period, and I've had a migraine for THREE days! 🥴 This morning I woke up feeling a lot better, but I'm honestly scared it's going to come back. The migraine really ruined my plans for the weekend. When it came to reading at least. I pushed through in other areas because I was just so over it. Lol.

What I've been watching:

For example, I went to watch Project Hail Mary on Friday and it was SO good! I went in the evening, so I was very well medicated and the migraine wasn't too bad, so I was able to thoroughly enjoy the movie. And omg the way it was so faithful to the book 😍 And I absolutely adored Ryan Gosling as the lead! He is SO funny and such a good actor! I loved this movie SO much! 😭

What I've been playing:

Before this migraine took over my life, I played some Sims 4. Last time, my formerly immortal grandmother died, and I missed her, so I added her ghost to the family...

And I had her finish her bucket list items (not including the seeing a body one because WTF 🤣)...

And I had her be reborn!

She was born as her granddaughter's daughter. Lol. I know, it's confusing.

This is Daisy holding her new reborn baby. Oh yes, and she is also pregnant. And already has a toddler. I don't know why I do this to myself 😂

Daisy's little ranch is going well, but with so many kids, taking care of everyone has become difficult, so I hired this ranch hand with the wild makeup to help. Lol.

I love this screenshot below of Daisy going into labor because she looks exactly how I feel about her choices... or is it MY choices 🤣

But it's been fun. And busy! So busy that I forgot it was the husband's birthday 😅

The poor guy. Lol.

The game I played the most this week, though, was the new Resident Evil game! I'm familiar with the franchise in that I have seen all of the movies. But I AM aware that they have nothing to do with the video games. But honestly, I've really been enjoying it!

I don't usually play these kinds of games that require a lot of fighting and shooting because I'm honestly not good at it lol. And tbh there's only one reason I decided to play this game, and his name is Leon Kennedy 😍

😂 Dumb reason to play a game, but come on. Have you seen the screenshots some people have been posting online? Yeah, that's why 😆 But like I said, I have been enjoying it. There are a lot of puzzles to solve, which I enjoy, and it is also genuinely creepy. Playing with Grace honestly stresses me out! She does this nervous breathing all the time that honestly puts me on edge, which I guess is appropriate in a horror game. Lol. I'm about 33% through with the game, and my only complaint so far is that there hasn't been nearly enough gameplay with Leon 😭 I want more Leon!! Lol. Anyway, I'm clearly obsessed, even though I'm not very good at these games and die constantly 😂 I played this all day yesterday, and I might play again today 👀 Although, I'm back with the Grace POV and she is currently in the basement, and omg I hate it (I mean, not actually lol) 😭 It's SO creepy and it made me extra stressed! But I'm gonna push through so I can get to another Leon POV 😆

On the Blog

Books reviewed this week:

★★★★☆

Other posts from this week:

#459: Rites, Killers, and Possible Hauntings

Book Haul

Library:

A romance and manga from the library.

Purchased:

And I ended up buying these two just because I really enjoyed them and I love the covers. And they were on sale. Lol. I also pre-ordered the next two books that come out later this year.

How was your guy's week? Get any bookish things? Let me know in the comments below or leave me a link to your post!

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 4) by Yuto Suzuki

2026-03-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 4

Series: Sakamoto Days #4

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: November 2010

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

The race to rescue Lu takes Sakamoto and Shin deep into an underground lab. However, they’re not the only ones there on a mission—the legendary members of the ORDER are there as well to investigate the mysterious X!

My rating: ★★★★☆

This volume wraps up the story from the last one, where Sakamoto and Shin go rescue Lu after she was mistakenly thought to be Shin.. Somehow? Lol. That entire story and the fight sequences in that lab were so good! I really enjoyed it! There was this one guy with the stitches and the weapons... absolutely horrific! 😰 I loved it!

I also really enjoyed Shin and the new guy, Heisuke, working together to take down the invisible guy. It was very cool! know I mentioned it in the last volume, but I love the way Sakamoto collects all these people who initially try to kill him (Heisuke being the latest one lol), who then become his friends/employees. Lol. I'm a sucker for the found family trope.

But anyway, back to the lab... I loved the wholesome interactions between Shin and the workers of this lab where he grew up. I especially loved his interactions with the scientist who was basically his father figure. When we were learning about Shin's past and how he got his mind-reading ability, I was really worried it was going to be this devastating past filled with torture. I'm glad that that wasn't the case and that the scientist turned out to be a pretty decent guy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this mission in the lab. The volume ends in a little bit of a cliffhanger in regards to Lu, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how that situation pans out.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

Review- Camp Half-Blood Confidential: Your Real Guide to the Demigod Training Camp by Rick Riordan

2026-03-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Camp Half-Blood Confidential: Your Real Guide to the Demigod Training Camp

Series: Camp Half-Blood Chronicles | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Heroes of Olympus

Author: Rick Riordan

Genre: Middle Grade, Greek mythology

Publication date: May 2017

Published by: Disney Hyperion

Source: Purchased hardcover

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Thrift Books

Synopsis: In response to an awful camp orientation video created by the god Apollo, Percy Jackson and other residents of Camp Half-Blood answer such questions as “What is this place?” and “Do I get to keep the T-shirt?” Newbies can check out the section on the Divine Cabins, read up on Magical Landmarks, and consult the chapter of Training Arenas. But Camp Half-Blood Confidential explores much more than just the buildings and grounds. It includes info that can only be learned from those who live there.

For instance, campers do not always co-exist in peace and harmony. The camp is not run with superior efficiency. Prophecies do not flow forth with great regularity. Sprinkled throughout are stories from heroes who have called Camp Half-Blood home or just passed through on their way to places unknown. Chiron himself introduces the book with a brief history of training based on his millennia of experience. And, of course, there are divine words of wisdom from the god Apollo himself, because . . . well, because the demigod authors would prefer not to be struck down, thank you very much.

My rating: ★★★★☆

You hold in your hands the definitive guide to life here at our beloved Greek demigod training facility. It's written for demigods by demigods, which means you get the inside, behind-the-scenes scoop on just about everything.

This was a fun book! And it was funny because before this book, Apollo had done an orientation video for new campers to watch, and apparently, it was quite... something 😂

So that atrocious video (don’t tell Apollo I said that 😅) is what inspired this book. Lol. Luckily for us, we got some excerpts of that video throughout this book! 😆 And it was truly as ridiculous as the campers said 😂

Speaking of campers, I like that we got to see a lot of familiar faces, but we also saw some newer characters. We also learned about some famous demigods, which was quite interesting. But this was really fun! It is literally what it said it is: orientation to camp. Lol. And there were a lot of short stories to go along with the orientation. I ended up finishing this faster than I thought I would because I was just having such a fun time with it! But also, it’s a quick read, so that was nice too. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves the Percy Jackson world! It was a nice supplement!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #459: Rites, Killers, and Possible Hauntings

2026-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

What I read:

I really enjoyed The Caretaker! Like this author's last book, this one was really weird, but in the best, creepiest way possible! Tastes Like Candy was your average YA slasher. I found it predictable, but the kills were fun and creative.

Currently reading:

I'm about 100 pages into this book and I am freaking loving it! It is insane! The premise is insane, but I am enjoying the gaslighting SO much 😆 I do wonder if the fake haunting will turn into a real haunting though 👀

Up next:

I think this one has to do with the Headless Horseman, AND it's by Kelley Armstrong, who is an author I've enjoyed before but haven't read anything by in YEARS. Excited to get back into her book though! With horror, no less!

What are you reading this week?

Sunday Post #495: Stressing and Destressing

2026-03-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

What I've been doing:

Just another stressful week of work 🥴 Aside from that, I read a bunch, played Sims 4, and yesterday I was very social and went out to breakfast and a library sale with my cousin, and in the evening I went out to dinner with my brothers and one of my brother's girlfriend. It was so fun!

What I've been watching:

The live trial I was watching unexpectedly ended on Thursday! The defense didn't even present a case! I know this is strategic, but I always find it wild when this happens. Lol. Closing arguments are on Monday and then the jury will deliberate, but otherwise, my afternoons are now free! Lol. I enjoy watching live trials though.

What I've been playing:

And the craziness continues in this save. This week, the surprise-ish baby was born! I then moved the baby into my household, and it somehow spawned into the storage room in the basement. Wth 😭😂

I also gave my main Sim, Daisy, a mini farm, since she's a rancher. And here she is with her daughter. So cute!

She then went out on a date with this guy she met a little bit ago, and they hit it off! So much so that they had their first woohoo in a bush 😆

And unfortunately, the immortal grandma died! 😭 I was not expecting this. Even worse, she died feeling stressed from work 😭 I feel SO bad.

And to make things worse, my Sim Daisy was abducted by aliens AGAIN right at that time 😭

This game is insane 😂 I was SO sad that Evelyn passed away, I was actually on this screen below for quite some time contemplating if I wanted her to be reborn. I ended up not doing it, but now I'm second-guessing myself and I think I do want to do it. Wouldn't it be cool if the daughter of the Grim Reaper just kept getting reborn? Lol. Anyway, I might do this later today when I play.

Also, Daisy aged up into an adult, her boyfriend met her daughter, and her daughter aged up too!

She then got eloped in the freaking storage room in the basement (I didn't do this, I swear! Lol), he moved in, and now she is pregnant!

I gave the new Sims a makeover and I really like how they turned out!

I am still having a lot of fun in this save even though the Rewards Event ended weeks ago. Lol.

Nail art of the week:

Some glow-in-the-dark polish this week. It's so strong that it glows for a while after I come in from outside! It's insane!

On the Blog

Books reviewed this week:

★★★⯪☆

★★★★☆

★★★★⯪

Other posts from this week:

#458: Mexican Bingo But Make It Spooky

Library Springtime Reading Challenge

Book Haul

Purchased:

I'm so excited to read this book! I have not yet read any of Kelley Armstrong's horror books!

For Review:

And then I got an ARC of this cozy fantasy! I'm excited for this too! The only problem is that I am deep in the mood for horror at the moment 😅

Library Loot:

And a bunch of books from the library! Tbh I don't even know if I'll get to The Martian, but I saw it at the library and I grabbed it 😆

How was your guy's week? Get any bookish things? Let me know in the comments below or leave me a link to your post!

Library Springtime Reading Challenge

2026-03-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

I went to my library last week, as I do most weeks 😆 and I saw that they had a Spring reading challenge! I was so excited! They always have reading challenges in the Summer, but I believe this is the first time they have one in the springtime. So I obviously had to join because I don't have nearly enough challenges going on right now (lie lol).

It's pretty easy, though. I have 3 months to read 6 books, each of a different genre, and if I complete the challenge, I get a cute pin and stickers!

I always participate in these challenges from my library, but I have yet to actually complete one 😅 But since this is the year of TRYING to complete challenges, I'm actually going to try on this one! And I've already got the Horror plot 'grown!' Lol.

I think this is going to be fairly easy... I hope 😅 The only one I'm nervous about is autobiography, though I do have something in mind for it. Let's just hope my mood cooperates. Lol. I'll be back in May (or whenever I finish this!) so we can see how I did on this challenge.

Review: Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

2026-03-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Warbreaker

Series: Cosmere #5 (can be read as a standalone)

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Adult, high fantasy

Publication date: June 2009

Published by: Tor

Source: Freebie from author's website

Add it on Goodreads

Get it FREE on Brandon Sanderson's website

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Thrift Books

Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago.

Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.

By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.

My rating: ★★★★⯪

Brandon Sanderson has done it again with the amazing world-building and cool magic system.

One thing I immediately loved about the Mistborn series was the unique magic system and how metals played a big role. Well, the magic system in this book revolves around color! I loved it! Just as I'd never read a book that used metals the way Mistborn did, I have never read a book that uses color the way the magic system did in this book!

I also really enjoyed following the characters we did. I think Siri was my favorite, what with her being the youngest, rebellious daughter of a king. Lol. She was put in a very difficult situation, a situation she never prepared for. But honestly, she handled things pretty well regardless of it. She was fun and a troublemaker, but she ended up learning a lot throughout this book. Her older Sister, Vivenna, grew a lot in this book as well. I think, even though I loved her sister as a character, the character arc Vivenna went through was probably my favorite. It was tough character development because the things she went through and experienced challenged her beliefs and views on things like the Lifeless, the use of Breaths, and just magic in general and politics in the world. Poor girl got the wake-up call of her life. But she persevered and trained and ended up actually reminding me quite a bit of Vin from Mistborn!

As for the fearsome God King, who one of the sisters was supposed to marry... Omg I was not expecting the feelings toward him that I felt 😲

This book was just so good with so many unexpected twists! I really enjoyed learning about the mythos in this world, with its gods (loved the god Lightsong, too!) and magic. Vasher's involvement in all this was another thing that surprised me and expanded on the mythos, which, again, I loved. I enjoyed all the political intrigue, the action stressed me out (as it should lol), and I just had an overall great time reading this! And it's rare you have a standalone fantasy novel, which this is... for now. Lol. I recently discovered that Brandon Sanderson plans to write a sequel, and I am SO excited! I loved this world!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊

Review: The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan

2026-03-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Title: The Demigod Diaries

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians | The Heroes of Olympus

Author: Rick Riordan

Genre: Middle grade, Greek mythology

Publication date: August 2012

Published by: Disney Hyperion

Source: Purchased hardcover

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Thrift Books

Synopsis: What dangers do runaway demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn't take kindly to intruders? How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of party-loving Maenads (who just might be a little psychotic), and stave off a massive explosion...all in one hour or less?

With his trademark wit and creativity, Rick Riordan answers these questions and more in three never-before-seen short stories that provide vital back-story to the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson books. Original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles, and a quiz add to the fun in this action-packed collection.

My rating: ★★★★☆

This book was a collection of short stories and other fun things, and I had a blast reading it! But then you know how much I love Percy Jackson. Lol.

One of the first things we see in this book is The Diary of Luke Castellan, and it honestly made me so sad. We actually get to see how he met Thalia and Annabeth, which I enjoyed. But more than that, we get a first-hand look into his internal thoughts, so you understand why he made the decisions he did in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I'm not saying what he did was right, but I really felt for him because he had some really valid opinions when it came to the gods.

Another story we get is actually about Luke's godly parent! In Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes, the god of thieves is stolen from...

This was SO fun! At the end, we got an interview with George and Martha, the snakes on Hermes's staff, and it was just delightful! I love them!

Leo Valdez and the Quest for Buford is the origin story of how Leo came into possession of Buford the table... as the title suggests. Lol. Leo is one of my favorite characters, so I, of course, loved this story! It was so fun and Leo just cracks me up!

The last story we got, Son of Magic, was actually written by Rick Riordan's son, who actually inspired the entire Percy Jackson story in the first place! This basically told the story of what happened to the demigods who sided and served Kronos. It was very interesting and it was actually really well written!

Overall, I really enjoyed this! For the most part, this take place after the main Percy Jackson series, with the Leo story taking place just after The Lost Hero. But I liked all the short stories, plus it also had some maps and fun games sprinkled throughout the book. Definitely a must-read for anyone who loves this world as much as I do.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊