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Reviews

Review: The Silvered Serpents

I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed The Silver Serpents by Roshani Chokshi.

I really liked The Gilded Wolves when I read it last year. I loved the characters. I thought the magic system was interesting (even if I didn’t fully understand it) and enjoyed the plot. So I had high hopes for The Silvered Serpents and it did not disappoint.

The Silvered Serpents is a wonderful sequel. It is a bit darker then The Gilded Wolves and the characters are haunted by the aftermath of the previous installment. The mystery they are trying to uncover is at its core quite dark, but despite the darker themes and elements there is humor throughout to balance it.

I just adore Roshani Chokshi’s writing style. The descriptions were so vivid. I appreciated there weren’t any major info dumps from the previous book, just what you needed to jog your memory. I usually reread previous books, but was unable to do so and didn’t feel lost. Even without reading the recap on the author’s website I would have been fine.

The only complaint I have was some of the content was repetitive. I’m not sure if it was because it was a lot of information to remember, or an attempt to convey a character’s thought process, but there were a couple instances where I found myself skimming. Note: This may have been changed in the final version. This didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the book though.

I loved revisiting these characters and this world and can’t wait for the third book!

If you enjoy books with found families and cool magic systems you should check out this series.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

The Silvered Serpents: 4 stars

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Reviews

Review: Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers

I received an eARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers by Jessica Roux is absolutely stunning. Every illustration is gorgeous.

For some reason I expected this book to be a bit different, perhaps a bit more detailed, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

 The descriptions are interesting, especially the pairing suggestions to help convey something more specific. I really liked the bouquet section and found that the index being organized by meaning extremely useful.

If you’re interested in the language of flowers this would be a great place to start. 

Thank you so much Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!

Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers: 4 stars

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Reviews

Review: Fable

I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Fable by Adrienne Young. This was the first book I read by this author and was pleasantly surprised. Fable lived up to and dare I say surpassed the hype.

The characters were extremely likeable and well written. The descriptions were lush and vivid. It was almost impossible to put down.

I can’t wait for Namesake’s release (March 2021) and will definitely be reading more of Adrienne Young’s books.

Fable is a great choice for those who enjoy books with strong heroines, found families, and/or are fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

Fable: 4.5 stars

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Beat the Backlist 2020 Reviews

Review: The Girl with the Whispering Shadow

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series. I received a review copy of the first book and enjoyed it. (My review can be found here.) This review does NOT contain spoilers, however the synopsis does contain spoilers for book one, so I will not be posting it, but you can check it out here on GoodReads.

I received a copy of The Girl with the Whispering Shadow from Stories Untold Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

D.E. Night created something fun and magical in The Crowns of Croswald. The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is a fantastic sequel that adds to that magic.

While this book does feel a bit different, it is still just as enchanting as the first.


The world building is expanded and readers get a deeper peek into the world of scrivenists. And as with the first book, I never quite knew what to expect and was excited to see what new creature, spell, or potion was waiting to be discovered on the next page. (There are times when I suspect D.E. Night’s imagination is in fact limitless.)

It is an absolute delight to follow Ivy’s story and uncover more of the secrets of her past and Croswald.

D.E. Night’s writing is still just as vivid and it’s hard not to imagine yourself alongside Ivy and her friends. Another aspect that made me enjoy this sequel even more was that D.E. Night gives you the information you need when you need it without completely retelling you what happened in the first book. This is something people who don’t reread, marathon read series, and/or read series as they are released can truly appreciate. (I know I did.)

I did have some issues with the pacing and occasionally got lost in the world building, but I was still able to enjoy the story. I actually think I enjoyed this one more than the first and am excited to see what happens next in Ivy’s story.

So, if you’re looking for a magical escape I recommend checking out this series! The third installment, The Words of the Wandering is available now too.

Thank you so much Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for the review copy!

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow: 4 stars

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Reviews

Review: Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows

I received a copy of Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows by J.M. Bergman from Book Publicity services in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that magic is real.

Seven years have passed, and Thomas hasn’t forgotten. He hasn’t forgotten the blue of his dad’s eyes either, or the tickle of beard on his cheek as they hugged goodbye. Last moments with a parent are memorable, even if you don’t know that’s what you’re having at the time.

Now, with his 13th birthday rapidly approaching, Thomas’s search for magic is about to take a radical and unexpected turn. At an out-of-the-way shop filled with dusty leather books, a strange little man with gold-flecked eyes offers him an ancient text called The Book of Sorrows. The price is high and the rules are strict, but there’s no way Thomas can resist the chance to look inside.

With the mysterious book guiding the way, a strange new world is revealed – a world in which Thomas has a name and destiny far more extraordinary than he ever imagined. But time is short. As Thomas uncovers his secret family history, enemies emerge, threatening to end his rise to power and destroy everything he holds dear.

I was very grateful to receive a review copy of this book as I really liked the premise. Magic, a mysterious book, and the promise of adventure are things I absolutely love in the books I read. Not to mention I’ve been trying to read more middle grade books. Unfortunately I don’t think I was the right reader for this book.

One of the risks of reading Middle Grade as an adult is sometimes you are just “too old” to enjoy and immerse yourself in the story. That being said I am not sure that younger me wouldn’t have had some of the same issues I did with the story.

There were lots of slice of life moments that just didn’t feel necessary.  The book starts off so slow and there were places that just dragged causing me to want to put the book down and not pick it up multiple times.   It took me months to read this. This book had everything and I’m not sure it helped the story as some characters and situations felt predictable and stereotypical. And the final confrontation was a bit too “comic book villain” for my taste.

That being said. Thomas is a good kid. He has a good relationship with his mom as well as several other adults. The story of The Book of Sorrows and its history was really interesting and I would have loved to read more, though switching between what was written in the book to summaries was a bit jarring for me. I wish it had been one or the other.

While I’m interested to see how the story resolves I don’t plan on continuing the series.

I had a really hard time rating this one, but ultimately went with two stars.

This middle grade fantasy may be a good fit for younger readers (8-12), especially those who have an interest in science, and it is recommended for fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

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Reviews

Review: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

So, earlier this year Dutton granted every wish for a copy of Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door on Net Galley and I was able to receive an e-ARC of the book.

I enjoyed Sager’s Final Girls so I jumped at the chance to read Lock Every Door.

I am embarrassed to say that I somehow managed not to publish my review anywhere other than Net Galley and only realized this error today. So, we’re doing a #flashbackfridaybookreview while I try to figure out where my mind went.

If you’re looking for a spooky thriller for October Lock Every Door may be the book for you!

If you enjoy thrillers then you NEED to pick up this book.

I really enjoyed Lock Every Door by Riley Sager. After a few chapters I didn’t want to put it down. About a quarter of the way through it wasn’t an option.

Jules is a likable protagonist who you want to root for. The cast of characters is intriguing. The fact Jules isn’t really supposed to interact with them led me to want to know more about them. And the Bartholomew’s creepy history was interesting and I was always hoping to hear more.

There are little clues through out the book, but even if you see them for what they are there’s enough going on that keeps you guessing. You won’t feel cheated if you solve the mystery before it reaches its conclusion.

This is one of those novels where you can’t help but wonder who you can trust and won’t be able to put down.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lock Every Door: 4 stars

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mini reviews Reviews Wrap Up

October Wrap Up

So wow…it’s been over two months since I last posted.

October my friends was quite the month.

If you watched the news at all in October you probably heard at least a mention of Hurricane Michael. We’re still dealing with the aftermath. (We also just got internet back December 10.)

You are here for books though. I do mention it because I obviously wasn’t up for a lot of reading (and I’m still not).  I only finished two books, well a book and an enovella via audio and that was before it hit.

Books Read in October

This Body’s Not Big Enough For Both Of Us by Edgar Cantero: 2 stars
The Lost Sisters by Holly Black (audiobook): 5 stars

Mini Reviews

This Body’s Not Big Enough For Both Of Us by Edgar Cantero: I didn’t really like this book. The entire time I wanted to put it down because it just wasn’t for me, but I couldn’t because I had to know what happened next and how the story would end.  The story though is quite face paced and unpredictable, and not just because of well hidden clues; things seem quite random at times. All in all it’s one crazy ride.

The Lost Sisters by Holly Black (audiobook): The audio for this is absolutely amazing. I didn’t really know what to expect based on the premise of the book, but I found it quite captivating. I had planned to do some household tasks and take bookstagram photos while listening, but ended up just sitting, completely absorbed in the story. I thought it helped explain some things in The Cruel Prince as well as give more insight into a a few of the characters.

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Reviews

Book Review: Murmur by Emily Israd

Book: Murmur by Emily Israd

Rating: 3/5 stars

 Goodreads Synopsis:

Hannah Sterling can change into a bird.

Or at least, she could until this past summer. When the Sickness takes away her shapeshifting ability, Hannah finds herself grounded—maybe for good.

But there’s no time to worry about that. Life in Jessup, Oklahoma has started heading south, fast. A student is killed, a biker gang is on the prowl, and the man Hannah’s father just hired is seriously giving her the creeps.

Meanwhile, Jack Corbin is having problems of his own. Life as the local miracle healer isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and Jack’s strange power seems to be drawing clients and danger in equal measure.

With the darkness closing in, Hannah and Jack need to take hold of their powers to protect the people they love.

It’s going to take every ounce of luck—and magic—to get out of this one alive.

Review:

I received a copy of the e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you so much Emily for sending me a copy of your book.

I liked Murmur. The characters are very likable and the plot is paced well. I actually had a hard time putting the book down. A really hard time because Emily left little hooks at just the right moments. Once you thought you’d reached a good stopping point something new would come to light.

The story starts with Hannah learning she is Sick. This means she is either going to lose her ability to shift or gain new abilities. No one really knows as this Sickness is so rare, but they’re assuming the worst. So right away we have a conflict, a conflict Hannah can do nothing about. I found that conflict a strong motivator to keep reading in order to learn more about the mysterious Sickness and how Shifters were viewed in the town.

The only issue I had with the book was that it felt like a few plot threads and details just got lost. I expected a character to have a lot more importance than they did and was wondering where they went (admittedly this is on me as the reader as the character did serve their purpose). Characters got or saw information and then one or all either completely forgot about it or it didn’t really resurface. I found one of these instances quite distracting, but it wasn’t a deterrent to continue reading.

Overall the story is interesting. The characters were fully developed and as I said likable. I enjoyed the family dynamic of the Sterlings and the Corbins. The friendships were fun and well written. Will and Finn are total show stealers and I hope to see more of them in the series.

While the story does come to a solid conclusion I still had a few questions and would like to continue the series.

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#waitingonwednesday Reviews

#WaitingonWednesday: City of Ghosts

Six days!!! So it won’t be a long wait, but I just had to do a post. I can’t wait to get my hands on a finished copy of City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab.

Be sure to check out both the US and British editions of the book. They both look amazing! (I definitely ordered the British edition off of Book Depository.)

City of Ghosts is a Middle Grade* novel about Cassidy Blake, a young girl who can see ghosts. Cassidy and her best friend Jacob (who is a ghost) travel with her parents to Edinburgh to film their new show investigating haunted places.

I kept my description vague because I like to know as little as possible about a book, but if you’d like a more detailed description be sure to check out the description on GoodReads.

I was fortunate enough to win an ARC of City of Ghosts through an Instagram giveaway Victoria Schwab had.

Review:

I gave this book 5 stars.

I absolutely loved it!

Schwab crafted wonderful characters. I loved Cassidy and Jacob; their friendship is adorable.

Schwab also really captured Edinburgh. You feel as if you’re with the characters walking through the city. Admittedly I’ve been to Edinburgh and reading this book was like a brief visit back. I didn’t get to take a ghost tour, but this book more than made up for it.

This book was such a fun read and I can’t recommend it enough. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the series will have in store.

Will you be picking up a copy next week?

If you can’t wait to get your hands on this book and if you haven’t read The Archived Series by Victoria Schwab yet it would be a great read while you wait. You can find my review for The Archived on GoodReads.

*While a MG book, Schwab never “writes down” so you can definitely enjoy it even if you are older than the target audience.