a GREAT read

Can't Wait Wednesday #274

2026-11-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The sweeping and romantic follow up to USA Today bestselling Until the World Falls Down, in which Nell and Enver must find a valuable artefact and vanquish a threat to the kingdom, without losing each other – or themselves.

****

The labyrinth has been destroyed and Enver’s curse broken. But despite the love between them and the searing attraction that binds them, Enver is still keeping secrets. And Nell doesn't know if she can fully trust him.

When she discovers that Enver is searching for his lost relic, she insists upon helping him with his quest, a journey that will take them across the realms – and bring them face-to-face with those once trapped in the labyrinth.

These encounters test their bond, allowing for moments of devastating intimacy, even as they tear at their insecurities. And when Nell happens upon the man responsible for Enver’s century of confinement and learns of his intent to rise to power, she must make a choice.

With the aid of the friends she helped break free, she comes up with a plan to avenge the wrongs done to her beloved and keep them all safe.

But should it fail, it might cost her Enver's heart – this time for eternity.

I STILL need to read the first book. I've literally tried to pick it up all year but event books got in the way, then review books came up...so I still haven't gotten back around to it yet, but hopefully...soon! Lol.

TITLE: Until the Stars Burn Out
AUTHOR: Jordan Lynde
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: December 29, 2026

Worlds collide, secrets are laid bare, and nothing is sacred in this highly anticipated finale to the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Immortal Dark!

Beware the monster, beware the girl. They feed on wild devotion.

Kidan Adane stands at the edge of a world on the brink—where ancient rules no longer hold, forbidden power is stirring, and the consequences of past choices are beginning to surface.

With love turned to hatred and humanity hanging in the balance, Kidan must decide how much more she is willing to break to save the world she’s already doomed.

I still need to read book 2...I always start out so well with some series with every intention to keep up, but alas, I've failed. Again. Lol. Luckily it's a trilogy from what I recall, so if book 2 has another killer cliffhanger (which I think she said it did!) then my suffering won't be long! Lol.

TITLE: Infernal Vow
AUTHOR: Tigest Girma
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
GENRE: YA Paranormal
RELEASE DATE: January 5, 2027

Top Ten Tuesday #703

2026-11-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Book Characters I Wish Were Real People (and My BFFs!) (submitted by Lydia Schoch)

*in no particular order

10. FINLAY DONOVAN--Finlay is a very cool person! I love that she's a divorcee mom and a writer trying to wrangle kids and her job and a household. She's a very real person, but I dig here character!
9. ZORA--Zora was wicked awesome! I would love to be BFFs with her! Plus she has Squire and I love that little owl! He's a real...hoot! LOL!
8. JENKS--that smart-mouthed pixy has been a favorite of mine for many, many years!

7. IAN--He took a book or two to grow on me, but it really wasn't long before I was loving this dude despite some of his a$$hatness. Lol.
6. VANESSA--I need to get going on book 2 soon, but I remember enjoying her character and feeling like I could relate to her!
5. KATE--she was one of the first heroines I remember loving! The quite girl type but who was wicked powerful in her own right!

4. JESSICA--yup, a character that shares my own name! Jessica was my first favorite heroine so I obviously need to be besties with her in real life!
3. KATY--it was always something magical about finding a reader in another book! I loved that Katy was a reader and a blogger too!
2. EVANGELINE--honestly, I was half tempted to just choose 10 Stephanie Garber characters but felt like I ought to branch out a bit here! Lol. Evangeline was such a nice and sweet character! I loved her belief in magic and the power of love so much!

1. TELLA--so instead of 10 Stephanie Garber characters, you get two! Lol. Tella is definitely my favorite of the Dragna sisters, but honestly I feel like I am a combo of Scarlett and Tella when you compare and contrast their personality traits! But Tella always made me laugh and I agreed with her pretty much the entire time! So yeah, gotta go with Tella!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2026-11-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I FINALLY Finished:

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry (4 stars)

Currently Reading:

Harbinger by Geneva Lee

What I Plan to Read Next (For Real):

Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Other Posts of Interest:

Top Ten Tuesday #702
Can't Wait Wednesday #273
Books from the Backlog #210
Book Blogger Hop #436
Stacking the Shelves--Pretty, Purpled, and Signed Edition

Stacking the Shelves--Pretty, Purple, and Signed Edition

2026-11-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! The meme is now hosted by Reading Reality.

I write this post early as I'll be busy with volunteer work I do with my parents once a month and yesterday was our day to do it! Lol. So not sure what may or may not have come in the mail or I impulse shopped any books or what have you on Saturday, but they'll be in next week's post for sure! This week was a wild ride. Sunday I went to see Astrid Scholte and got my copy of Fallen Beauty TWO days early! Of course, I was in the midst of reading a book so I couldn't stop that one for this one. Then Monday night I went to the Heartless ball to see Marissa Meyer again because I can't resist seeing an author I love! Plus it was a fun excuse to dress up. Of course, it was probably going outside two days in a row in beautiful fall temps that my body hadn't acclimated to yet that led me catch a bit of a cold. It was mostly a head cold, so you know, a reader's death as it made reading a whole lot harder. I took different medicine each day I feel like plus some Zicam and by Friday I was mostly better! Work is steadily slowing down, but there's still issues here and there and I feel like our team dynamic has been shot down. I am still struggling to figure out why we can't work together nicely like we used to, but it is what it is.

This week I have another two signings to go to that I am excited about! Devney Perry on Tuesday. I am not so sure about this new book of hers, as I feel like it might be too contemporary for me, but we'll see I guess. Then Friday, the cast of Boy Meets Pod will be here touring for their book! I loved the show Boy Meets World, so I was ecstatic to see that three of the cast will be here! Plus I have been listening to the Podcast! Largely, I focus on the BMW and GMW episodes but I listened to a few different random interviews here and there. But it's been fun and I can't wait to see/hear/meet them in person!

Now onto the goodies of this week!

Fallen Beauty by Astrid Scholte--SIGNED

Heartless by Marissa Meyer--TRIPLE SIGNED Deluxe edition! Yes, it was tripled signed as first we tried using the silver sharpie, but it was dying, so she wrote over it in blue. But then she didn't like how that looked so we went to the first title page and signed it there in blue. So I have a TRIPLE signed edition!
With Hearts of Flame by Briar Boleyn--SIGNED! I sadly had to miss this out of town signing, but I at least was able to get my signed copy sent to me!
Twelve Dark Hours by Amber Hamilton
Captive Traitor King by Brigid Kemmerer
Sharpest Court by Kiera Azar
East of Envy by Nikki St. Crowe--keeper copy!
Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard--her first YA book rewritten/edited to be an adult book and I CANNOT wait to read it again anew!

Then here is some of the pretty swag I got from the signings this week:

character cards from Fallen Beauty that Astrid drew herself!

character print from With Hearts of Flame

And just because this stacked looked so pretty with all their sprayed edges I had to share it here! And yes, Strange and Deadly at the top doesn't have any, but I didn't want to leave it out of the "haul" pic. Lol. One day it will have a pretty copy, I just know it!

And that was my haul for this week! What did you get?

Book Blogger Hop #436

2026-11-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

This week's question is: Imagine you owned a bookstore—what would it feel like?

MY ANSWER: I imagine I might feel a bit like Belle when the Beast gifted her the library! Granted, there's another part of me that would also be stressing about running a business on my own and be like AHH! WHAT DO I DO?! I mean besides putting all my profits back in the register to buy the books off my own shelves! Lol. Because, you know, I still want the authors to make their money and to show the publishers YES YOU NEED TO CONTINUE THIS SERIES!!

Books from the Backlog #210

2026-11-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks. This is a fun meme hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books!

Once, a witch made a pact with a devil. The legend says they loved each other, but can the story be trusted at all? Find out in this lush, atmospheric fantasy novel that entwines love, lies, and sacrifice.

Long ago, a village made a bargain with the devil: to ensure their prosperity, when the Slaughter Moon rises, the village must sacrifice a young man into the depths of the Devil’s Forest.

Only this year, the Slaughter Moon has risen early.

Bound by duty, secrets, and the love they share for one another, Mairwen, a spirited witch; Rhun, the expected saint; and Arthur, a restless outcast, will each have a role to play as the devil demands a body to fill the bargain. But the devil these friends find is not the one they expect, and the lies they uncover will turn their town—and their hearts—inside out.

I added Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton to my TBR pile in November of 2018 or thereabouts! It released in September of that year, but as I've said, I am so bad about remembering to add my books to Goodreads. I STILL forget sometimes! Lol. I do remember going to a multi-author signing to see Tessa and get my copy signed! It still sounds like one I'd enjoy so hopefully one day I will get to read it!

Review--Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

2026-11-04T10:35:35.990-06:00

Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart.

I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It’s my turn to become the Guardian.

Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength.

Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm?

What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love?

For too long, I’ve feared the monsters we make.

It’s time to discover the monster within.

Well, I finally finished Deveny Perry's Rites of the Starling! I did enjoy it, but perhaps it was a touch slow. It did not help that work was super busy and that my weekends were jammed packed with to-dos, I essentially had no time to myself to just read, hence why it took an exceedingly long time to read. But as always, I just powered through little by little, although the head cold that popped into existence during the home stretch was most aggravating indeed!

We enter into this story picking up on the trails that were left behind. Ransom is MIA and separated from Odessa and Evie who went off with Brother Dime who is supposed to be leading them to safety, but Odessa begins to have her doubts. And then in a whirlwind of a surprise we are greeted with a new chapter point of view and let me tell you this threw me. I already have a sketchy memory when it comes to remembering details about all these fantasy novels and nowhere in my notes did I mention this character, so I was assuming she was brand new, and she was!

Caspia and her cousin, Xandra are off on a quest of sorts. They are from a line known as Starlings and will one day go through a ritus and be able to take on the form of an animal. But what Caspia wants more than that, or almost more, is to know what happened to her sister who ran off a long time ago. She's hoping this quest will provide answers or even her sister herself.

This is definitely a book with a lot of travel. Odessa and Evie are traveling clear across the continent to return to Odessa's home land and on her own journey, Caspia is also traveling wide and far and meets a "handsome stranger" along the way as well. It almost feels like the making of two separate stories, but I figured Perry would eventually show us the connection and it does come, my friends, so hang in there (if you haven't read this yet, you've probably already read this, I am super slow to get to new releases and then actually read them when I am reading them!).

I'll admit that this book does run the "middle" vibe as I believe this series is meant to be a trilogy. The last handful of pages where the "action" was all at. And by action, I mean answers and connections. These last few pages are what we were aiming towards all along and it's tough to say if it was worth it or not. Again, sketchy memory of the first book and I must have skipped over things that I thought weren't "key" that still got mentioned in this one, but there was enough context that I was able to get a vague idea.

There was only scattered bits of romance in this one. Odessa and Ransom are largely separated for most of the novel, but they do eventually reunite. Then of course, we have romantic tension with Caspia and her new beau but that runs with treacherous secrets as well on both party's part.

Our ending was mild to say the least, but it's the kind of mild I call the calm before the storm. We learned a lot in these last few pages and the ending is the characters dealing with what they now know. There's a lot to come on the horizon with this grand finale on the way, and I cannot wait to see what happens next for sure!

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Can't Wait Wednesday #273

2026-11-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

The sexy and deeply satisfying conclusion to Jessie Mihalik’s captivating romantasy duology, following Silver & Blood.

Riela’s life changes forever when she breaks an enchanted seal, unleashing magic that irrevocably binds her to the lethal politics of the Blood Court. Forced to confront her heritage and the court’s deadly, manipulative Blood King, Riela must outmaneuver rivals and survive assassination attempts—all while learning to wield the power she never wanted.

Garrick, the Silver King and her temporary betrothed, is her only ally in a court where trust is a dangerous gamble. Together, they face forbidden love, ancient magic, and a tyrant’s vicious schemes. But as secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, Riela learns that power always comes with a price.

As Riela slowly unearths her ancestry and fights to control her newfound magic, she must decide: will she rise to claim her place in the Blood Court, even if it means sacrificing everything she loves, or will she fall to the plots of those who seek to destroy her?

Because in a world where roses conceal thorns and secrets lurk beneath stone, Riela’s choice will shape the fate of kingdoms.

I STILL need to read the first book to this one but I am glad I waited as I now see that this is a duology! I enjoyed one of Mihalik's SciFi series and still have another to read so I wanted to read her fantasy debut as the first one sounded amazing!

TITLE: Roses & Stone
AUTHOR: Jessie Mihalik
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2026

Return to a world sparkling with dark magic and desire with this highly anticipated sequel to the enemies-to-lovers romantasy sensation Rose in Chains…

Briony Rosewood escaped the worst of it – or so she tells herself. Though forced to serve the woman who gutted her kingdom, she has the protection of the powerful Hearst family. But even they have their limits. Now Briony must do the unthinkable: share her magic – and her heart – with Toven Hearst. Once her enemy…now her tentative ally.

Forced to travel to distant kingdoms to play the part of Toven’s adoring heartspring, their survival depends on Briony pretending to love the man whose family helped destroy her own. But the cruellest part is that her treacherous heart has always been his.

While she smiles for the enemy, behind closed doors Briony feeds the rebellion with whispered information and dangerous new alliances. And the Hearsts harbour secrets of their own – but none is darker than Toven’s shadowy, devastating gift.

When the lost daughter of Evermore finally chooses where her heart belongs, everyone will come to know the full force of their combined power – and her wrath.

I STILL need to read the first book but I LOOOOOVE a good enemies to lovers story! I remember hearing mixed opinions about this one, but more so from word of mouth of said mixed opinions. I never sought out any reviews because I was intrigued by the story and wanted to give it a try without any outside influence.

TITLE: Vine of Hearts
AUTHOR: Julie Soto
PUBLISHER: Forever
GENRE: Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday #702

2026-11-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

This week's topic is: One-Word Reviews for the Last Ten Books I Read

*starting with the most recent

10. THE WINGS THAT BIND by Briar Boleyn--Twisted
9. THE EMPEROR'S ENEMY by Jasmine Mas--Deceitful
8. THE VELVET KNIFE by Maureen Johnson--Time-warp (hyphenated counts as one word, lol)

7. CHILDREN OF ASH by Jaye Wells--Gritty
6. THE MIRROR OF INFINITE ENDINGS by Stephanie Garber--Magical
5. REBEL (THE GRAPHIC NOVEL) by Marie Lu--Vibrant

4. MERIDIAN SIX by Jaye Wells--Dark
3. THE CHAMPIONS by Kara Thomas--Chilling
2. DEATH AT MORNING HOUSE by Maureen Johnson--Surprising

1. THE HAUNTING OF PAYNES HOLLOW by Kelley Armstrong--Creepy

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2026-11-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I was Reading:

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry--sadly I am still reading it as I did not have much time for reading last week.

Review That Was Posted:

East of Envy by Nikki St. Crowe (ARC) (4 stars)

Currently Reading:

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

What I Plan to Read Next:

Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Other Posts of Interest:

Creatures of the Night Book Tag
Top Ten Tuesday #701
Can't Wait Wednesday #272
Books from the Backlog #209
Book Blogger Hop #435
Stacking the Shelves--Purple & Pink Edition
October Wrap-up

October Wrap-up

2026-11-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

Well, this month felt horrible for reading! I feel like life has been SOOO busy these past two months that I didn't have much free time it felt like. My parents and I are still working on my house, little by little every weekend we're free. So pretty much every iota of free time I have has been devoted to that area of life. Then work has been crazy these last two months that I haven't had much free time there either and have worked through a break or two a few times each week just trying to stay caught up on everything. So yeah. It's been busy! Then when I finally sit down and have some time to myself, I am just super tired that I just watch TV for an hour before I fall asleep! Also, I don't know if we want to count this but for two of these books, the font size was really small as were the line spacing, so though the page count was just over 400 or so, it felt much longer! I was still enjoying the books of course, I just couldn't devote as much time to reading it! Hence the reason why I am still reading a book I started last and still have a ways to go.

ARC Reads

None

New Release Reads

The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson (9/29/26)
The Emperor's Enemy by Jasmine Mas (9/15/26)
The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn (3/10/26)

TBR Reads

None

Stacking the Shelves--Purple & Pink Edition

2026-11-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

This wasn't the best of weeks to be honest. Work is still kind of busy. I think we're finally on the downward slope though. I was supposed to go to a signing Wednesday as a road trip but I was almost halfway there when I realized I forgot something important at home and had to turn around and cancel. So that really put a damper on the rest of my week. Today I originally planned to drive to Nashville to see Marie Lu and Mary E. Pearson, but then I learned of local signing with Astrid Scholte and for whatever reason, I did not know she was an international author so I decided to stay "home" and attend that signing instead! I had prepared for both in a sense, so at least I'll get to sleep in a little tomorrow! Lol.

Here's what I got this week:

Mortal Things by Marie Lu
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber--Deluxe Edition SIGNED!

A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas
The Poison Daughter by Shelia Masterson--Waterstones edition, a total impulse purchase as it was just gorgeous and I still need to read it too!
Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout--SIGNED! I had to get this one signed from Jennifer's new bookshop which I sooo want to visit! ALL of my Lux series books have been signed and since I will likely never get to Apollycon to see Jennifer again, this is the only way to keep my sanity! Lol.

Then my ACOSH copy was ordered from Target and I got the below "gift with purchase" for anyone who was curious, I knew it would be something of this vein but I'm kind of meh over it. Not necessarily by the product itself or even the art. I don't know. Maybe I just lost my enjoyment for this series. Maybe once I read the book it'll make more sense? I still need to read CC 3 so it's going to be awhile before any of that happens! Lol

And then finally, I got my first Funko Pop preorder! When they released a slew of new Beauty and the Beast ones, I preordered quite a bit and since I ordered from the Zon, of course they are all overpriced, but they were the only ones who had them up for sale at the time and then later when I was checking prices, they were gone entirely, so I had to keep my order. But I do LOVE this one! I only wish Belle was wearing her green dress or her pink one or even her blue one. I just feel like her "traditional" ballgown is a bit much for the library and reading. Of course, Belle would read no matter what she's wearing, but I just think one of her "everyday" dresses would've been better.

And that was it for me this week! What did you get?

Book Blogger Hop #435

2026-10-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

This week's question is: If you could retell a Halloween story or trope from a fresh angle, what would you choose and why?

MY ANSWER: I guess maybe a haunted house story? Don't ask me how I would do it or what it would be about. I've got no clue! Lol. Even though I am a huge chicken and cannot do the haunted houses at Halloween where people jump out and scare the bejeezus out of you, I do like the historical haunted houses...the ones that have actual ghost stories to them. So I would probably want to do something around a haunted house story. I dabbled with them as a preteen but they always lost momentum somewhere because I couldn't figure out the ending, like why I had these ghosts sticking around and causing chaos. So needless to say, I had a few "ghosty" ideas rattling around in my head, but just could never get them to go somewhere.

Books from the Backlog #209

2026-10-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

When the Bat's away, the Cat will play. It's time to see how many lives this cat really has. . . .

Two years after escaping Gotham City's slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Batwing is left to hold back the tide of notorious criminals. Gotham City is ripe for the taking.

Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove he has what it takes to help people in his role as Batwing. He targets a new thief on the prowl who seems cleverer than most. She has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and together they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman may be Batwing's undoing.

I added Catwoman: Soulstealer to my TBR pile in August of 2018, so when it came out! This was the DC Icons series where an array of NY Times Bestselling authors wrote about one of the DC heroes but in a teen's perspective. I remember I read Wonder Woman...because it was Leigh Bardugo and Marie Lu's Batman because it was Marie Lu and Batman! So naturally, I HAD to read Catwoman! But alas, it remains unread...still. I'm hoping since it's early Maas it won't be so hefty. Plus it was DC comics so she had to follow a set of rules and such, as I remember Marie and Leigh mentioning this when they were on tour for said books. I always loooooooved the Tim Burton Batman films, so Batman Returns was a HUGE win for me! So I definitely still want to read this one, just need to work it in somehow!

Can't Wait Wednesday #272

2026-10-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Love, magic, gods, and monsters collide in the thrilling conclusion to the Soul of Shadow trilogy!

When Charlie Hudson awakens after her Trial, it’s to find that nothing will ever be the same. The king of the gods is plotting to destroy Asgard. Charlie and her brother are trapped a world away from the people they love most. And worst of all, she’s become the very thing she hates a night mare.

Charlie’s transition is anything but smooth. Stuck in Helheim Palace, she must train her new shadow magic alongside dozens of soulless mares who would gladly turn her over to the enemy if they discovered she’s Loki’s true heir.

Her only hope is Elias Everhart, her once-sworn enemy who has somehow become one of her closest allies. He’s promised to help train her mare abilities—an easy idea in theory, if her magic weren’t malfunctioning… and if being near Elias didn’t make the darkness within Charlie grow bigger and more all consuming by the day. Charlie is in a race against time to reconcile the powers warring within her. Because if the threat on Asgard isn’t enough to kill her… love certainly will be.

In Dreams of Ruin, the only thing worse than becoming a night mare, is loving one.

I still need to start this series but I like the vibes it gives off! So I'm adding this one to the list! Lol.

TITLE: Dreams of Ruin
AUTHOR: Emma Noyes
PUBLISHER: Wednesday Books
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: November 17, 2026

A teen investigates the history of disappearances on her island home and uncovers a dark, magical secret in this swoony romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga, Becca Fitzpatrick.

A teen beauty queen has vanished from idyllic Tea Kettle Island, and all evidence points to the girl's ex-boyfriend, Sascha Sinner. When a local vigilante group posts a hefty reward for his capture, seventeen-year-old Bunny decides to go after it-and him-hoping the prize money will help her save her grandmother's failing farm.

Sascha, however, insists he didn't do it. And he wants Bunny to help him prove his innocence. Bunny's less sure, but when yet another disappearance reveals a hidden history of missing girls-a history that includes her own mother-she has to admit something is at play.

Her search for the truth takes her to the very edges of town, into its darkly magical past, and dredges up secrets the other townsfolk would rather not surface. All the while, there are devilish creatures stalking the woods, devilishly handsome young men with more than their fair share of darkness, and the very devil to pay if Bunny can't figure out what, exactly, is taking the girls of Tea Kettle Island...

I am SOOOOOO excited Becca has a new book coming out this year! I LOVED The Hush, Hush series and I LOVED her two standalone thrillers she wrote after that! So I am TOTALLY NEEDING this book in my life!

TITLE: Vanishing Beauties
AUTHOR: Becca Fitzpatrick
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
GENRE: YA Dark Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday #701

2026-10-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

This week's topic is: HALLOWEEN FREEBIE: Top Ten Books That Gave Me Chills

*in no particular order

10. TEN by Gretchen McNeil--naturally I placed it here, because how can I resist? Lol. This was a really good thriller though from my hazy memory. I totally remembered calling the whodunit or part of it anyway! Lol.
9. SURVIVE THE NIGHT by Danielle Vega--this was a really freaky one that was a little unhinged, but I loved it anyway!
8. THE DEVOURING LIGHT by Kat Ellis--speaking of unhinged! I remember this one was pretty weird too but when you had seriously spooky to the weird it works!

7. DIARY OF A HAUNTING by M. Verano--I mean if the cover isn't spooky enough for you...
6. THERE'S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE by Stephanie Perkins--loved this one! Another twisted thriller. I can't remember my thoughts on the movie, I think I liked it...I don't remember hating it. But there was also likely a huge gap between my reading it and seeing it!
5. SWERVE by Vicki Pettersson--you'll forever fear roadside rest stops...never stop there!

4. RULES FOR VANISHING by Kate Alice Marshall--been so long since I've read this one but I remember it being CREEPY! Creepy good, but also creepy!!!
3. THE DEAD HOUSE by Dawn Kurtagich--I love a book that does mixed media woven into the story! This was another super creepy one!
2. NEAR THE BONE by Christina Henry--this is one that will chill you on the fictional horror and realistic horror as well! SO good!

1. DOOMED by Tracy Deebs--and speaking of realistic horror...this is one that will forever terrify me of happening, but I think AI might be trumping this fear. So this particular fear is in a very close second place now.

ARC Review--East of Envy by Nikki St. Crowe

2026-10-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

Booktok sensation and USA Today bestselling author Nikki St. Crowe continues the dark and spicy reimagining of the Oz saga!

Betrayed by the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy Gale is now forced to team up with the heartless mercenary, the Tin Woodman. Tin has a grudge of his own against the Wizard – not only is he the man who stole Tin’s heart, but now he’s taken Tin’s little brother, Gabriel, for his own ends.

But defeating the Wizard won’t be easy – he has all of Oz under his spell and more power than anyone. Or does he?

Because Dorothy is more than she seems, and Tin can't help but be drawn to her. And the longer Dorothy’s in Oz, the more she uncovers about her murky past, and her own potential magic.

And when all is said and done, Dorothy might have to reckon with an earth-shattering maybe Kansas isn’t home after all.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of Nikki St. Crowe's East of Envy almost immediately after I finished reading West of Wicked! This book picks up right where we left off in the chaos of the first book and it was smooth transition to get back into the thick of things.

Dorothy's world has been upended, again. The man she thought she was falling hard for, turned out to be nothing but a liar and a deceiver and he just stabbed her, leaving her for dead. But Dorothy is resilient despite everything that she has been through. She just discovered that her birth mother was the West Witch and she has some sort of water magic that she used to kill her mother by accident...or so she thinks. Dorothy teams up with the Tinman in order to take down Rook for everything that he has done and caused and hopefully, she will learn about her magic along the way.

Rook, as he has decided to keep going by this name, is in a bid for power. Much like the other retellings of Oz, the Wizard is not a kind dude. He's out for power and to do that, he plans to find the gods who previously left Oz and kill them. But Dorothy is a problem he did not expect and he can't decide if he wants to kill her or...you know! Lol.

There are a lot of power play dynamics going on in Oz. This is not Baum's Oz or even Maguire's, that's for sure. This is a new land and the rules we all grew up on are no longer of consequence. It seems like everyone is fighting each other to climb to the top. Glinda, Rook, Tinman, and Gabriel's mother, is a force to be reckoned with. While she was mostly in and out throughout this book, I see her playing a larger role likely in the next book (pending that this is a trilogy, I haven't confirmed this anywhere yet).

There is a greater sense of danger in this one I feel like, Rook basically has everyone out to get Dorothy and the Tinman and kill them as they are a "threat to Oz." So the running for their lives is very real! And then the greatest bafflement of all in this one is Toto! Toto is definitely not your ordinary pooch in this one and while nothing has been confirmed, I feel like we're building into something about this little dog!

There was of course still some steamy romance going on in this one. True, while things were hot heavy with Dorothy and Rook, that love affair pretty much fizzled out when he stabbed her, so now things are heating up with the Tinman! I'm still not really attuned to Dorothy's romances so far. I guess I am missing any emotional attachment going on as it feels just physical, but then it feels like feelings are happening when they aren't fornicating. Guess we'll just have to wait and see where things go with that front.

The story ends with things in dire straits. A lot has happened, a lot is going to happen still and this definitely gives off trilogy vibes, but based on the titles so far, I wouldn't rule out a quartet just yet either! Lol. Whether that remains to be seen as of now, there's still plenty more things to come of this series and I am aching to find out, but it will likely have to wait until next year since I just binged these two books long before they release officially into the world!

If you're looking for that steamy and edgy retelling of a childhood classic, then be sure to check out The Great and Terrible Land series, starting with West of Wicked! This is one Oz retelling you will not see coming and it is unbelievable!

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

East of Envy releases November 3, 2026

Creatures of the Night Book Tag

2026-10-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

So I saw this post over at Lisa Loves Literature and thought it looked like fun and I had to do it since I haven't done a "fun" post in ages. Life has gotten crazy these past few months at work and with life in general. My reading time has slipped, my bookstagram picture taking has slipped. It's been a mess, but it's 50% good things at least, the other half is crazy work life stuff, but hopefully that will start trickling down soon. But anyway...onto the fun stuff!

I am borrowing the image headers from Lisa as they're cool and festive and are better than just my font text! Lol.

A million titles starting running through my head on this one! It became overwhelming! Do I choose a recent fave? A classic fave? A villainous vampire or heroic? So naturally, I just defaulted to my first introduction to vampires that spawned the love I still hold dear: Demon in My View by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes!

This was another hard one! I had lots of titles running through my head, almost went with my first werewolf book again but then thought let's go newer old school and go back to a different obsession! 13 to Life all started with me just seeing a cover but I was obsessed! I am an equal supernatural creature lover of course!

Okay this one I am doing with a twist! Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard releases this week but it's a sort of revamp/redo of her YA debut Something Strange and Deadly! She's made a few tweaks and changes, largely that it is now with adult characters! I will definitely be picking up a copy eventually. I think it's starting as ebook only, so once the paperback version becomes available I will get that as I can't stand reading on my kindle. I think my kindle knows this as it kind of died. It stopped updating at least and new books no longer download. So yeah. We're not on speaking terms anymore. Lol. But the YA version had zombies and that is one of the things that stayed the same for this one!

Yes, I am going all over the place with these picks! Another old school choice because I believe once again this was my first "ghost" book and I loved it! Shadowland was the first book series I remember reading with the ghosts more as characters versus entity to run away from as I think I did read one of those before this one. Lol.

So many great possibilities with this choice but I went with Rachel Morgan from The Hollows series! She's a witch, friends with a pixie and a vampire, dates an elf. This series truly has it all!

Another challenging one to choose! I decided to go off the beaten path and choose a recent read, in The Other Side of the Mirror, Eva learns she has fae in her family background and that she is one and is engage to a fae prince! This was a fun series and I enjoyed the twists and secrets!

I can't believe it's been 4 years since I've read this book! Amy Christine Parker's Flight 171 is about a plane that gets taken over by a demon! So here we have a demon who's in its true element versus being more of a character you grow to love--because yes, I've read many a book where that happens! Lol. This demon needs a new host and is demanding a group of teens pick one among them to be the new host or else the plane and everyone on it is going down! Truly creepy read and will make flying a whole lot scarier too!

And honestly, once I saw this topic, I couldn't NOT choose Obsidian! No, it wasn't my first "teen alien" book as I read the Roswell High series years before this and initially thought this series was trying to be a new Roswell, but that wasn't the case! So glad I took that long ago kindle deal (back when my kindle worked! lol).

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2026-10-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn (5 stars)

Currently Reading:

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

What I Plan to Read Next:

Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Other Posts of Interest:

Top Ten Tuesday #700

Can't Wait Wednesday #271
Books from the Backlog #208
Book Blogger Hop #434
Stacking the Shelves--Chaos and Calm Edition

Stacking the Shelves--Chaos & Calm Edition

2026-10-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Another insane week, largely because of work. I've got to stop thinking things will slow down because every time I do, I open my email to a new day filled with a TON of requests that came in overnight. It is insane. Since we're now a smaller group this means more requests per person and I somehow get the ones that are BIG! We have a rotating order and it ends up being my luck to be assigned one with a large agent number and it always ends up being the one where we need to request multiple things and then have to check each user individually to see if their "items" have been completed. I peeked last Friday night and saw we received another two big requests and I am just betting one of them will end up on me. Our team dynamic has been a little wavery since we lost two members so I don't get the idea that anyone would be willing to "trade" request items either. The last time I had two big ones I believe they were both Mondays and everyone is busy on Monday so no one was really able to assist as we sometimes would split some of the work among each other, but by the time anyone started asking if anyone needed help, I had already gotten the request done on my own. (Granted the ask didn't come until the next day in the afternoon. That's how busy we all get!) Friday night I trekked out to my favorite indie bookstore, Main Street Books to meet Hazel Beck! They were at the library the night before, but I was too worn out from work that day, that I didn't feel like making the drive, I figured I'd just do the meet & greet on Friday instead. I had a nice day out too and shopped around Main Street. Mostly browsed while I had shopped earlier at other stores on the way to Main Street! Lol. This week I am making a midweek road trip to go see Briar Boleyn! Ironically, I made a road trip to see her and another author last year around this time, I think. She ended up coming to St. Louis a week or two after that adventure, but now with this road trip I will have this latest series of hers all signed so I deemed it worth it! Taking two half days at work so we're not totally left in a lurch, so hopefully I won't come back to utter craziness, but we'll see what happens I guess.

Here's what I got this week:

Daughter of the Tempest by Braidee Otto

Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray--UK edition!
The Dark in Her Veins by M.K. Lobb--found this one at TJ Maxx yesterday and I had debated about the book not too long ago and impulsively bought it since I was shopping solo and no one talked me out of it! Lol. Plus it was a good deal, better than the Zon, so there you go.
Some Kind of Haunted by Hazel Beck--SIGNED!

Then I got two preorder incentives yesterday as well:

First up is The Sixth Faction lenticular postcard and leather bookmark!

THANK YOU HarperTeen!

Then I got my bag charm for The Velvet Knife!

THANK YOU HarperTeen!

And that was it for me this week! What did you get?

Book Blogger Hop #434

2026-10-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

This week's topic is: What’s the creepiest book you’ve read that isn’t officially horror, but gave you chills?

MY ANSWER: Ooh that's a tough one. I mean compared to horror aficionados my picks probably are not really "horror" like. I mean, they might be in the horror section near Stephen King but content wise they might not be as scary as his stuff.

But yes, ignoring the label of horror, I am going to go TOTALLY old school and pick Tracy Deebs' (aka Tracy Wolff) Doomed!

This book, though already over 10 years old, gosh, I feel really old now, was super scary without even being close to a "horror" novel! This plot of this book was a teenaged girl accidentally unleashed a computer virus that basically shut down ALL technology across the country and I mean ALL! 13 years ago you're probably thinking like what did we even have? Really nothing that we still don't have now. But think...nothing will work. No computers, no internet, no cell phones, no credit cards to buy things, all the machines at hospitals and such stopped working...it was freaking scary because it turned apocalypse now style because NOTHING was working. So the girl along with two (hot) brothers must work to fix it and basically undo the virus before the country just dies because we can't do anything! It was scary because I could totally see this happening and I STILL can see this happening.

Needless to say that 13 years ago, THIS was my book pick for what was once my annual Halloween giveaway.

Review--The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn

2026-10-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

The third installment of the viral Bloodwing Academy series is here! This dark academia romantasy delivers seductive vampires, high-stakes adventure, and dangerous romance.

The deluxe limited edition of The Wings That Bind features stenciled edges, custom endpapers, and a jacket with metallic effects! This breathtaking hardcover edition is available only on the first printing and is a must-have for any book lover while supplies last in the US and Canada.

The night's chaos left us breathless. Now the real nightmare begins.

In the wake of last winter's tragedies, through loss and heartbreak, we somehow made it to a new year. But our fight is far from over.

A second dragon has awoken--her heart tainted, and her power commandeered by two ruthless highbloods who will stop at nothing to uncover the dangerous, bloody secrets at the borders of Sangratha. Their cruelty knows no bounds.

Florence, my dearest friend, teetered on the brink of death. A dragon saved her, but now she's tied to him in a way I can scarcely understand. What will this new bond do to the woman I've come to love as a sister?

And then there's Blake. Once my relentless tormentor, then the keeper of my heart... he betrayed me again, nearly condemning Nyxaris to a cursed, stone-cold fate. But something has shifted in him. His gray eyes hide a secret he's desperate to protect. I saved Blake's life, despite everything. Yet with every heartbeat, I have to question where we go from here.

With Bloodwing Academy in turmoil and a new headmaster no one saw coming, only one thing is certain: This is going to be one hell of a year.

This dark fantasy series tackles mature themes. Readers are advised to consult the trigger warnings before embarking on this intense, morally gray/black journey through the realm of Sangratha!

I've been all over the place with my reading these days! Since I'm planning a road trip to see Briar Boleyn next week so I can have a fully signed set of these books, I thought I better get on reading The Wings That Bind as it's the third book in the series and the one before the grand finale! Luckily diving back into this one wasn't too hard with my notes and hopefully I'll be able to pick up the final book not too long from now, but knowing my luck, it will be awhile still! Lol.

We pick up where we left off which was once again, utter chaos! We open to what I believe was a new point of view, I read the first two books in their original format before moving to the big publishing house, so I don't know all of the changes that might or might not have been made. But anyway, this time we get also get Regan's point of view, Blake's wicked ex who was a capital B with an itch. But naturally, Briar decides to show us this character in a new light. While I can't call her a good person who was misunderstood, we do get a better insight to her person.

Then we also get Florence's point of view and I loved having her perspective! I've always been the quite bookish one, but with fictional books, I am not book smart! Lol. I still always feel a kinship to the bookworm whatever their choice in reading is. Florence is now bonded with a dragon, Nyxaris and it has definitely made life different for her.

That's not the only thing changing either. Big changes have come to Bloodwing Academy and it, naturally, won't be good changes. The classmates soon find themselves divided and pit against one another. Most are not for these changes, but some are embracing the change with relish.

Things continue to develop between Medra and Blake of course. They have definitely been one of those hot and cold relationships, hating one another, liking each other, then Blake messes things up and then there's more strife. They have the most up and down relationship I've ever encountered in a book before and it's mind-boggling! Lol. It's a supernatural version of Ross and Rachel practically but since we're nearing the end, hopefully things will turn out for these sometimes star-crossed lovers. They are definitely cross with one another that's for sure! But there are still plenty of heated moments between them.

Suffice to say, I cannot rank on the spicy scale! I feel like everyone has their own ranks to what's spicy and tame that putting a number on something tells me nothing unless I know how spicy your previous reads are. So I will just say that there are a few romantic interludes in the beginning portion of the novel, but when the chaos ensues, the romance takes a back seat! And Medra and Blake are not the only relationship to keep your eyes on. We get teases of another relationship and one that kind of had me theorizing things that are likely way off course, but when it's fantasy and/or paranormal, anything is fair game! Lol.

The ending to this one was pure chaos and I loved it! Of course chaos means cliffhangers galore since the cast of characters we dealt with all 400+ pages long were separated, so that's a lot of cliffies to deal with. But luckily the book is out and I get my copy next week! If you love a good paranormal fantasy romp with the classic school setting then this is a series you might just enjoy! It's set with college age students, so I guess we can call it new adult. Is that still a genre/level? But needless to say Briar Boleyn is a fantasy author to keep your eyes on if you love a good dragon and/or vampire read!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Books from the Backlog #208

2026-10-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

Mila Flores and her best friend Riley have always been inseparable. There's not much excitement in their small town of Cross Creek, so Mila and Riley make their own fun, devoting most of their time to Riley's favorite activity: amateur witchcraft.

So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone's explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.

Unfortunately, Riley, June, and Dayton have no recollection of their murders, but they do have unfinished business to attend to. Now, with only seven days until the spell wears off and the girls return to their graves, Mila must wrangle the distracted group of undead teens and work fast to discover their murderer...before the killer strikes again.

I added Lily Anderson's Undead Girl Gang to my TBR pile in July of 2018...or I remembered to add it to my Goodreads then since it was a May 2018 release. You never know with me, lol. I remembered thinking this one sounded like fun! It was paranormally, it had some mystery going on and it seemed like a light-hearted read too. I mean, yes, there's murder mystery, but with the various paranormal books I've read, some have definitely had darker themes with murder, but with this fun looking cover, I was definitely getting more lighter vibes with this one. Naturally, I still want to give it a read!

Can't Wait Wednesday #271

2026-10-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

The gods took everything from Hades. Now he's coming to collect.

For once, I'm not the mortal condemned to face a series of deadly trials. Hades is.

To reclaim the powers that are rightfully his, the King of the Underworld must compete against the gods of Olympus-and survive a contest designed to bring even immortals to their knees.

I've lost count of how many impossible choices I've survived. I should be relieved to watch from the sidelines. Except the god I love is risking his life with every trial, and someone known only as the Deceiver is determined to destroy Team Underworld.

As ancient deception spreads across Olympus, the foundations begin to fracture from within. Hades and I must expose our hidden enemy before the gods turn against one another-and the world pays the price.

But while Hades battles the gods, I'm fighting to control the power awakening inside me. It's growing stronger. Wilder. And I'm no closer to understanding what it wants from me.

The gods think this is another game.

They're wrong.

This is war-and if anyone tries to take Hades from me, I'll show them what divine wrath really looks like.

I have enjoyed this series thus far--yes, I AM actually caught up! It's unbelievable! I plan to road trip to see Abigail and two other authors in November! It was kind of perfectly placed for a road trip signing and since there will be two other authors there, I deemed it worth the drive! Lol.

TITLE: The Wrath Gods Reap
AUTHOR: Abigail Owen
PUBLISHER: Red Tower Books
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: November 17, 2026

A tense, gripping novel about a mother whose child begins to change in ways she can’t explain, from the national bestselling author of The Place Where They Buried Your Heart.

Nora Pacetti is a new stay-at-home mother, tired but coping while caring for her happy, healthy baby Olivia. But then one morning, something that looks like a feather starts growing out of Olivia's arm. Or at least, that’s what Nora’s mother, Giulia, thinks. Nora thinks her mother has probably spent too much time watching conspiracy videos on YouTube.

Nora’s husband thinks Olivia needs tests, specialists, hospitals. But Nora senses that whatever is happening to her daughter needs to be concealed—and a mother’s intuition is never wrong. Soon sinister people begin asking questions about Olivia, and Nora starts to wonder if there really is something wrong with her baby. But she’s determined discover the truth about her daughter…no matter the cost.

Looooove Christina's books! The past few years she has written more standalones with horror/thriller vibes and they are just awesome! So I am definitely looking forward to this one AND I am contemplating another road trip to see her in November. Haven't quite landed on it yet if I will or won't as I did just see her last year, but it's on the backburner! We'll see what that week looks like weather-wise because you never know what you're gonna get in the Midwest...it's like a box of chocolates! Lol.

TITLE: Pinfeathers
AUTHOR: Christina Henry
PUBLISHER: Berkley
GENRE: Horror
RELEASE DATE: November 17, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday #700

2026-10-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

This week's topic is: Top Ten Things That Make Up My Perfect Day

*in no particular order

10. FAMILY
9. WEATHER UNDER 80 DEGREES
8. THE FIRST DAY HALLOWEEN DECOR COMES OUT IN STORES
7. FRESHLY BAKED COOKIES--right after some cookie dough! Lol.
6. REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
5. AN AUTHOR SIGNING
4. A SHINY NEW BOOK THAT ARRIVES ON TIME!
3. GOING TO THE BOOKSTORE
2. READING--of course!
1. DISNEY WORLD--the only thing I willingly give up a week of reading for! Lol.