Thursday, January 28, 2021

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Apprentice (Collective Underground #1) by Kristen Young

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Apprentice (Collective Underground #1) by Kristen Young, an exciting and thought-provoking YA dystopia.

About the Book
The Love Collective is everywhere. It sees everything. Be not afraid.

Apprentice Flick remembers everything, except the first five years of her life. And for as long as she can remember, Flick has wanted to enter the Elite Academy - home to the best, brightest, and most loyal members of the Love Collective government.

Flick's uncanny memory might get her there, too … even if it is the very thing that marks her as a freak. But frightening hallucinations start intruding into her days and threaten to bring down all she has worked so hard to accomplish. Why is she being hijacked by a stranger's nightmare over and over again?

Moving to the Elite Academy could give Flick the future she's always wanted. But her search for truth may lead to a danger she cannot escape.

Book Beginnings
Some things should never be forgotten - at least, that's what they tell me. I can't forget anything. Not what I had for breakfast last week (regulation protein cereal). Not the Collective News broadcast from last month (Supreme Lover Midgate wanted to wish us all "a very happy Triumph of Love season".) Not even my first Hater Recognition Sign (Haters can't love. Period). 
Usually I can block most of it out, but sometimes it bubbles over, and I end up getting in trouble. Like when I recite my Dorm Leader's exact words back to them. Or worse: when I recite what they said four years ago.

Friday 56
Flashes of light fill my vision, like ripples of lightning across the surface of water. Dark clouds roll across a moonlit landscape. My skull throbs in pain.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater

About the Book
It’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since a faerie cursed her, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear, embarrassment, or even happiness—a condition which makes her sadly prone to accidental scandal. Dora’s only goal for the London Season this year is to stay quiet and avoid upsetting her cousin’s chances at a husband… but when the Lord Sorcier of England learns of her condition, she finds herself drawn ever more deeply into the tumultuous concerns of magicians and faeries.

Lord Elias Wilder is handsome, strange, and utterly uncouth—but gossip says that he regularly performs three impossible things before breakfast, and he is willing to help Dora restore her missing half. If Dora’s reputation can survive both her ongoing curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world… but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Pride and Prejudice meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this enthralling historical fantasy romance, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mama. Pick up Half a Soul, and be stolen away into debut author Olivia Atwater’s charming, magical version of Regency England!


My Thoughts

This was such a fun historical fantasy. I loved it! The world building was so great and the characters were incredibly likable and multidimensional. It takes place in an alternate Regency-era England where encountering magic and faeries is the norm.

Dora was such an awesome leading lady. She had quite a few amusing forays in society. She didn't really have a filter, so most of the time she said exactly what she was thinking which led to some awkward, yet entertaining, encounters. Because she was missing part of her soul, she was missing some of her emotions too. This led her to react to things in a different way than what was expected of her. She tried her best to act “normal”, but what is normal anyways? She was at her best when she was just being herself.

There were also a couple of intriguing mysteries to solve. First was the case of Dora's missing half of her soul and trying to figure out how to retrieve it. And then a peculiar sleeping plague popped up that affected children from the workhouses.

All in all, this was a well-rounded and entertaining novel that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. It was a charming pick-me-up that I highly recommend. I'm very much looking forward to the next one.

4.5 Stars

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Can't Wait Wednesday: Dearest Josephine by Caroline George

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Dearest Josephine by Caroline George releasing February 2.

About the Book
Caroline George sweeps readers up into two different time periods with an unexpected love story that prompts us to reimagine what it means to be present with the people we love.

2020: Chocolate and Earl Grey tea can’t fix Josie De Clare’s horrible year. She mourned the death of her father and suffered a teen-life crisis, which delayed her university plans. But when her father’s will reveals a family-owned property in Northern England, Josie leaves London to find clarity at the secluded manor house. While exploring the estate, she discovers two-hundred-year-old love letters written by an elusive novelist, all addressed to someone named Josephine. And then she discovers a novel in which it seems like she’s the heroine…

1820: Novelist Elias Roch loves a woman he can never be with. Born the bastard son to a nobleman and cast out from society, Elias seeks refuge in his mind with the quirky heroine who draws him into a fantasy world of scandal, betrayal, and unconditional love. Convinced she’s his soulmate, Elias writes letters to her, all of which divulge the tragedy and trials of his personal life.

As fiction blurs into reality, Josie and Elias must decide: How does one live if love can’t wait? Separated by two hundred years, they fight against time to find each other in a story of her, him, and the novel written by the man who loves her.


What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Monday, January 25, 2021

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2020


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 I'm sharing some of the books I read from new-to-me authors in 2020. Despite the terrible year, I did find quite a few great new authors. I have them listed here in the order that I read them in.
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About the Book
Boston, 1773
Emma Malcolm’s father is staunchly loyal to the crown, but Emma’s heart belongs to Noah Winslow, a lowly printer’s assistant and Patriot. But her father has promised her hand to Samuel Clarke, a rapacious and sadistic man. As his fiancée, she would have to give up Noah and the friends who have become like family to her—as well as the beliefs she has come to embrace.

After Emma is drawn into the treasonous Boston Tea Party, Samuel blackmails her with evidence that condemns each participant, including Noah. Emma realizes she must do whatever it takes to protect those she loves, even if it means giving up the life she desires and becoming Samuel’s wife.

Present Day
Lieutenant Hayley Ashworth is determined to be the first woman inducted into the elite Navy SEALs. But before her dream can be realized, she must return to Boston in order to put the abuse and neglect of her childhood behind her. When an unexpected encounter with the man she once loved leads to the discovery of a tea chest and the document hidden within, she wonders if perhaps true strength and freedom are buried deeper than she first realized.

Two women, separated by centuries, must find the strength to fight for love and freedom. . . and discover a heritage of courage and faith.
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About the Book
I'm one scrappy wizard. As someone with barely a flicker of magic, I've spent my life being mocked and surviving fights with bullies. But when my parents die in an accident, and I find myself responsible for our whole wizard house and family, I know my usual tactics aren't going to cut it.

The situation veers from bad to catastrophic when my backstabbing cousin stages a coup and takes my family hostage. I barely manage to flee, but the only supernatural willing to help me is Killian Drake - the most feared vampire in the region, and a far more deadly villain than the jerk threatening my family.

Is Killian sexy and charismatic? Heck yeah.

He's also so powerful that my flight or fight instincts kick in every time our eyes meet. And he's definitely using me as his personal magic detector in his feud against the local fae.

But Killian is also the first person to believe I might have more than just a scrap of magic. And if I can convince him to train me, I might get strong enough to free my family and get my house back.

I'm not sure what happens when a scrappy wizard is taught how to fight by a hall of deadly vampires, but I'm about to find out.

Magic Forged is the first book in the Hall of Blood and Mercy trilogy, which features vampires, wizards, fae, and werewolves. It's packed with humor, adventure, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a vertically challenged wizard and the most lethal vampire in town.
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About the Book
The dancers of the Order direct their floating world of Meriel with their movement... but are they steering it toward destruction?

Calara spent her life learning dance patterns and seeking to become the perfect servant to her people. When she discovers the work of the Order is built on lies, she flees with a rough-edged herder, Brantley of Windswell. Pursued by soldiers, her journey through the suffering villages of the rim leads her to encounter a truth that sends ripples through her world—and through her soul.

As she seeks clues to her forgotten family, Calara discovers newfound courage in the face of danger, while her quest awakens a growing but forbidden affection for Brantley. Yet even his support can't fully be trusted, since he'd rather destroy the Order than bring reform.

She is a lone woman facing opposition from rim villages and treachery from the all-powerful Order. Can she restore the dance to its true purpose and bring freedom and hope to her people?
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About the Book
Talia Inger is a rookie CIA case officer assigned not to the Moscow desk as she had hoped but to the forgotten backwaters of Eastern Europe--a department only known as "Other." When she is tasked with helping a young, charming Moldovan executive secure his designs for a revolutionary defense technology, she figures she'll be back in DC within a few days. But that's before she knows where the designs are stored--and who's after them. With her shady civilian partner, Adam Tyler, Talia takes a deep dive into a world where only criminal minds and unlikely strategies will keep the Gryphon, a high-altitude data vault, hovering in the mesosphere.

Even Tyler is more than he seems, and Talia begins to wonder: Is he helping her? Or using her access to CIA resources to pull off an epic heist for his own dark purposes?

In this Ocean's Eleven-meets-Mission Impossible thriller, former tactical deception officer and stealth pilot James R. Hannibal offers you a nonstop thrill ride through the most daring heist ever conceived.
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About the Book
The world is blind...then one boy is born with sight.

Nestled in a mountain haven, the remaining people of the world live in a village that is ordinary but strict. A severe peace must be kept severely, as they say. It's all that keeps them from descending into the chaos that claimed the world a hundred years ago.

Led by the Prophet Valdas and his Regents, the villagers work, play, marry, and have families. They gather in ceremony once a year to celebrate their Day of Remembrance. Life is planned, precise, and predictable until the special abilities of eleven-year-old Andrius threaten to undermine it all.
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About the Book
Inspired by the incredible true story of a group of ordinary men and women who dared to stand against evil

The ideal of a new Germany swept up Sophie Scholl in a maelstrom of patriotic fervor--that is, until she realized the truth behind Hitler's machinations for the fatherland. Now she and other students in Munich, the cradle of the Nazi government, have banded together to form a group to fight for the truth: the White Rose. Risking everything to print and distribute leaflets calling for Germans to rise up against the evil permeating their country, the White Rose treads a knife's edge of discovery by the Gestapo.

Annalise Brandt came to the University of Munich to study art, not get involved with conspiracy. The daughter of an SS officer, she's been brought up to believe in the Führer's divinely appointed leadership. But the more she comes to know Sophie and her friends, the more she questions the Nazi propaganda.

Soon Annalise joins their double life--students by day, resisters by night. And as the stakes increase, they're all forced to confront the deadly consequences meted out to any who dare to oppose the Reich.

A gripping testament to courage, The White Rose Resists illuminates the sacrifice and conviction of an unlikely group of revolutionaries who refused to remain silent-no matter the cost.
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About the Book
The Handmaid's Tale meets Wilder Girls in this unique, voice-driven novel from Kelly McWilliams.

Agnes loves her home of Red Creek--its quiet, sunny mornings, its dusty roads, and its God. There, she cares tirelessly for her younger siblings and follows the town's strict laws. What she doesn't know is that Red Creek is a cult, controlled by a madman who calls himself a prophet.
Then Agnes meets Danny, an Outsider boy, and begins to question what is and isn't a sin. Her younger brother, Ezekiel, will die without the insulin she barters for once a month, even though medicine is considered outlawed. Is she a sinner for saving him? Is her sister, Beth, a sinner for dreaming of the world beyond Red Creek?

As the Prophet grows more dangerous, Agnes realizes she must escape with Ezekiel and leave everyone else, including Beth, behind. But it isn't safe Outside, either: A viral pandemic is burning through the population at a terrifying rate. As Agnes ventures forth, a mysterious connection grows between her and the Virus. But in a world where faith, miracles, and cruelty have long been indistinguishable, will Agnes be able to choose between saving her family and saving the world?
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About the Book
After a devastating interstellar war against the machines known as Mechanized Intelligence Cruisers, the Commonwealth is ready to return to normal life.

Captain Ahab is not.

Tired of being paraded around the capital as a war hero, Ahab finally secures a commission to hunt down the last remaining MICs in the outer planets.

He gets more than he bargained for with Moby Dick.

Ahab’s first encounter with the massive white MIC leaves Ahab without a ship and without a leg. Plagued by fever during his recuperation, Ahab becomes convinced that Moby Dick is a threat to the Commonwealth's newfound peace. But his willingness to do whatever it takes to destroy the MIC leads his best friend and first mate Starbuck to wonder if their captain is in his right mind.
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About the Book
His shadowed face lit by flames,
Rumpelstiltskin is my name...

For as long as anyone can remember, every child in Westfallen has been born with a Gift, and these Gifts defined them.

Then Cosette is born, Giftless.

An attempt to hide her misfortune brings her before the King, who entraps her to use her Gift as a pawn in his war.

Caught in a lie, Cosette desperately searches for a power strong enough to free her. Intrigued by whispers of an old king and a dark curse, she calls upon Rumpelstiltskin and finds him trapped in a magic deeper than she bargained for. Now, Cosette must fight to reclaim her freedom from the King and break Rumpel’s curse. When time runs out, she’ll lose more than her heart. She’ll lose her life.

THE STORYTELLER’S DAUGHTER is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling that will satisfy fans of Gail Carson Levine’s ELLA ENCHANTED, as well as Jessica Day George’s DRAGON SLIPPERS and PRINCESS OF GLASS, and Cameron Dokey’s THE WORLD ABOVE.
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About the Book
Humbug! This Christmas, Ebony Scrooge will learn the true meaning of the holiday season.

It’s Christmas Eve in Victorian London, and Ebony Scrooge is hard at work tinkering weapons of mass destruction and avoiding all things Christmas. When the spirit of her deceased partner, Jacqueline Marley, warns Ebony that she will be visited by three ghosts, Ebony writes the visitation off as a dream. But on this Christmas Eve, the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future must try to pull off a miracle, restoring Ebony’s heart before it’s too late.

Hauntings and Humbug is a retelling of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, set in New York Times bestselling author Melanie’s Karsak’s steampunk universe.
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About the Book
With everyone he cares about either dead or long absent, Cowl Coven has lost interest in life.

Despite the endless distractions of a high-profile job as a programmer in the Hub and nightly runs into the chasm below for the black market, he still finds himself looking for a way out. When a hacked piece of data reveals what seems to be human life on the desolate, alien-infested surface of Earth, he thinks he might have just found it.

What he finds instead is secret government project that has destroyed the lives of thousands. Human beings are being mangled and equipped with mechanical devices that rob them of all self-agency.

Cowl is forced to decide if he will hold on to a safe life he doesn't really want or if he's going to accept the danger to save one of the victims.
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Have you read any of these authors? If so, what did you think about them?

Review: Forging Darkness (Fallen Legacies #2) by Julie Hall

About the Book
A hidden kingdom. A dark prince. The world won’t survive them both.

No one knows if Steel is dead or alive . . . except me.

For months I kept the late night calls from Steel a secret, until he let it slip that he tracked down his villainous sister, Silver. He needs help—even if the powerful angel-shifter is too stubborn to admit it.

But the Steel I find isn’t the same boy from Seraph Academy. He’s darker. Haunted. And the distance between us can’t be crossed by a simple flap of my wings.

When a battle with the Forsaken goes horribly wrong, I awaken as a prisoner inside a Fallen stronghold. My enigmatic abductor—Thorne—is manipulative, secretive, and claiming I’m meant to rule by his side.

I’m not buying it, especially since the alluring offer to unveil the mystery of my seraph ancestry comes at the cost of bringing every Nephilim to their knees.

Lines between the realms will blur. My world will burn. And this time, I’m not sure I can fight the darkness on my own . . .


My Thoughts

Forging Darkness is the exciting second book in Julie Hall's Fallen Legacies series.

It's been two months since Steel left the academy on a search to find his wayward sister Silver. When he does find her, he gets more than he bargained for when his friends show up to help him and they come across a situation more dangerous than any of them could have ever predicted.

The characters are definitely tested when they're put into some very precarious situations. And while it was completely nerve-wracking to read about, at the same time, it was also quite inspiring watching them grow and mature while facing almost insurmountable odds and conquering them.

I loved that in addition to Emberly's POV, we got some chapters from Steel's perspective too. It was nice to know what he was thinking and feeling.

This book had a lightning fast pace which made it nearly impossible to put down. There were lots of surprising twists, turns, and reveals, and something so shocking it just about gutted me. Seriously, I don't think I've been that stunned in awhile. I was racing through the pages, hardly able to breathe for a good chunk of the book. I cannot wait for book three!

I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Four Stars

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater. It's the perfect blend of historical and fantasy and so much fun!

About the Book
It’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since a faerie cursed her, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear, embarrassment, or even happiness—a condition which makes her sadly prone to accidental scandal. Dora’s only goal for the London Season this year is to stay quiet and avoid upsetting her cousin’s chances at a husband… but when the Lord Sorcier of England learns of her condition, she finds herself drawn ever more deeply into the tumultuous concerns of magicians and faeries.

Lord Elias Wilder is handsome, strange, and utterly uncouth—but gossip says that he regularly performs three impossible things before breakfast, and he is willing to help Dora restore her missing half. If Dora’s reputation can survive both her ongoing curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world… but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Pride and Prejudice meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this enthralling historical fantasy romance, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mama. Pick up Half a Soul, and be stolen away into debut author Olivia Atwater’s charming, magical version of Regency England!

Book Beginnings
Theodora Eloisa Charity Ettings was a very long name for a very small girl. This, her aunt liked to say, was probably why she was such a handful - by the time one had fully shouted the words "Theodora Eloisa Charity Ettings, you get back here this instant!", said ten-year old girl was almost always long gone.

Friday 56
Dora reached out to touch Elias very carefully on the shoulder. "You do not have many friends, Elias," she said slowly. "I may be wrong about this - in fact, I am most likely wrong - but I think that you are grieving. And if you trusted your friends enough to show that grief, instead of turning it to anger, you would not be outside in the rain."

What have you been reading lately?

Cover Reveal: Hunger by Jill Williamson


It’s time for a cover reveal! I’m thrilled to celebrate with Jill Williamson (@jill_williamson_author) on her cover reveal for HUNGER, book 2 in the YA post-apocalyptic Thirst Duology. This cover (and the cover for Thirst) were both designed by the talented Emilie Hendryx (@createexploreread). This is a prequel to Jill’s Safe Lands dystopian trilogy. (Which I absolutely LOVED.)

****

Here is the story of HUNGER: 

In the wake of a pandemic, Eli and his friends find a thriving community that offers free housing, food, and thankfully, safe drinking water. But something is amiss. The residents spend most their time partying and attending concerts. No one seems concerned that the virus is still out there. When Eli tries to leave, he discovers a fence has been built to keep him, and everyone else, inside.

Hannah is tired of running. When she is conscripted to work in the hospital, she hopes she’s finally found a place to belong, but Admin’s disregard for a doctor’s pledge to “First do no harm” is unsettling.

As Hannah starts to wonder if she will ever be safe again, Eli clings to his hope for freedom. In a world filled with lies, can they learn to trust each other? Or will their hunger for safety trap them in a world that’s not so safe after all?

****

And now, the cover!


Awesome, right?

****

The ebook for HUNGER is available for pre-order on Amazon. The book releases on April 8, 2021 in Hardcover, paperback, and ebook. For more information, to pre-order, or to add the book to your Goodreads page, visit www.JillWilliamson.com/thirst

Review: A Dream within a Dream (Coffey & Hill #3) by Mike Nappa & Melissa Kosci

About the Book
Trudi Coffey only realizes that she hasn't seen Samuel Hill in weeks when the FBI shows up asking questions about him. After a strange encounter with an armed man demanding her help and an attack by a member of the Boston mob looking for someone named Dream, Trudi manages to find Samuel--or rather, he finds her. He's made some pretty powerful enemies, but right now his full attention is on protecting Dream from the mob. Because Dream has something they want--the map to the location of artwork stolen from the Gardener Museum during the infamous 1990 heist.

With danger closing in from all sides, Trudi and Samuel will have to call on all of their allies to keep Dream safe and discover the identity of the people who have been hunting down Samuel. The real questions are whom can they trust? And who will make it out of this thing alive?


My Thoughts

I loved the first two books in this series so I was ecstatic to finally read this long-awaited third installment. I was a little bit afraid that it wouldn't live up to my expectations, but I had nothing to worry about. It was just as good, just as compelling, just as exciting. I loved it.

It was so great seeing Trudi and Samuel again, getting to know Eula even better, and meeting new character Dream. All of these characters really came to life and seemed to jump right off the page. That's one of the things I've loved most about this series. The characters are so complex and multi-dimensional. They feel real and genuine.

This was an incredibly compelling read. It was fast paced, hard to put down, and full of so many surprising twists and turns. I was sad to reach the conclusion because that ending? My gosh, I need more! I have so many questions! If you're a fan of suspense, definitely check out this series. It's one of the best out there.

Five Stars

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Can't Wait Wednesday: Cast the First Stone: A Time Travel Thriller (The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone #1) by David James Warren

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Cast the First Stone: A Time Travel Thriller (The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone #1) by David James Warren releasing February 9. David James Warren is the pen name for three authors, one of which is one of my favorites, Susan May Warren. I've already got this preordered and can't wait to dive into it.

About the Book
One case haunts him. One chance to fix the past. One mistake could cost him everything.

Ex-Minneapolis Police Detective Rembrandt Stone walked away from a career he loved—just the price of being sure he can come home to the wife and daughter he cherishes. But he can’t shake the deep regret over a case left behind.

When his mentor, the former Chief of Homicide dies and leaves Rembrandt with a box of cold cases and a mysterious watch, he finds himself thrust into a world he recognizes—a world from twenty years ago—the same world he’s woken from in a cold sweat a hundred times. But is it a dream, or some kind of twisted reality?

If he solves the case that plagues him, and justice is finally served, will it destroy the life he loves?

Strap in for a mind-bending, time travel thrill ride in Book One of this exciting new series, The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone.

From the creative pens of USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren, award-winning author James L. Rubart, and new voice, David Curtis Warren, writing collectively as David James Warren.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Monday, January 18, 2021

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Meant to Read In 2020


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 I'm sharing some of the books I meant to read last year but didn't get to. Most of these are 2020 releases but there are a few from 2019. I read a lot of books last year but I just can't seem to keep up with my ever-expanding TBR mountain. These are just a few of the books I had every intention to get to last year but for some reason or another they kept getting pushed back. I'm hopeful I'll get to them this year.
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About the Book
Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there's only one match she's committed to now--the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency's requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.

Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.

With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.
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About the Book
He’s torn between love and honor...

Lucas Danby has always regretted the decisions that caused his dishonorable discharge from the military—and he’s never stopped trying to redeem his honor. He's spent the past decade taking on dangerous short-term missions as an elite private soldier—the only part of his life that's ever gone right. But the high-risk work never cures his shame. Now he’s stuck stateside, mentoring a new recruit. Worse, he's sick of lying to the people he cares about most—including the woman he’s secretly loved for years.

She can’t escape her house of memories...

Jenessa Belville should be happy. She's the hometown girl everyone loves, after all. But she’s also the last Belville left—and if she had her way, she'd leave the name and all its painful memories behind. Which is exactly what she hopes to do once she sells Belville Park, the massive estate she inherited from her parents. First, though, she needs to restore the property’s once-glorious gardens. But on the same day she puts up the “For Sale” sign, she discovers three children hiding in the caretaker's cottage, thrusting her into the unexpected role of temporary guardian.

Fighting for their future means healing from the past...

Struggling to mentor a young man with scars nearly as piercing as his own, Lucas offers to help Jenessa restore the Belville grounds. Though drawn together by a trio of kids who tug on their hearts and the sparks they can’t deny, past secrets and current sorrows threaten to pull them apart. Only the brightest love and hardest sacrifice can turn the house Jenessa never wanted into the home she and Lucas have always longed for.
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About the Book
A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents' past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she's also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help. 

Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he's chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can't force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most. 

As Genevieve researches her family's history and her and Sam's emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they've clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.
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About the Book
I, Holiday Brown, have it all. A platinum record. Multi-million dollar home in Manhattan that I share with my two best friends. Life is looking fantastic until my roommate’s brother decides to bunk in our guestroom while his house gets renovated.

W. Emmett Bell has always been the bane of my existence. He’s annoying, stubborn, a know it all, and just might be the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. But I refuse to fall for him. Then his sister’s threatened by a stalker and dynamics change. His unwavering faith isn’t quite as self-righteous as I’d always thought, and maybe he has a good side I’ve overlooked all these years.

Or maybe it’s all too much trouble.
_______________________________________


About the Book
When an English socialite embarks on a dangerous journey to save her sister from the Nazis, glamour, romance, and espionage collide.

As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. Chasing her wayward sister, Ellie, to Nazi-occupied Paris was never supposed to be one of them. Now accustomed to the luxurious lifestyle that her Nazi boyfriend provides, Ellie has no intention of going back to the shackled life their parents dictate—but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.

Barrett Anderson was arrested for defending himself against a drunken bully of high birth. Given the option of jail or training Resistance fighters in Paris, Barret chooses the latter. He poses as a bar owner, entertaining Nazis at night while his men train right below their jackboots during the day. Being assigned to watch over two English debutantes is the last thing he needs, but a payout from their father is too tempting to resist.

From the moment Kat and Barrett meet, tempers flare and sparks fly amid false assumptions. Despite their differences, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other in order to survive their deadly mission. In the end, their hearts may prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner.
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About the Book
The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for park ranger Luke Fereday, lately it's being used to move drugs. Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers.

John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder, but things are more complicated than they first appear, and Brooke soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling--hard--for the daughter of the man he failed to save?

Award-winning author Patricia Bradley introduces you to a new series set in the sultry South that will have you wiping your brow and looking over your shoulder.
_______________________________________


About the Book
Boston police detective Dani Lake dreads returning to her small hometown of Skye, Alabama, for her ten-year high school reunion--and not just for the normal reasons.

At only fifteen, Dani tragically discovered the body of her murdered classmate, setting in motion the process that led to the unjust conviction of her dear friend and an unshakable burden of guilt she carries to this day. So when new evidence surfaces during her trip home which suggests the truth Dani’s always suspected, she embarks on a mission to expose the real killer, aided by Skye police detective Chris Newton--who happens to be the man Dani’s best friend is dying to set her up with, and also the only person who believes her.

But when Dani pushes too hard, someone pushes back, endangering Dani and those closest to her as she unearths secrets deeper and darker than she ever expected to learn—secrets that may bring the truth to light, if they don’t get her killed first.
_______________________________________


About the Book
Ever had ex-housemates you can’t get rid of?

When Killian and the rest of the Drake vampires kicked me out of their mansion without any explanation, I felt beyond betrayed…

I was livid!

But I refused to waste my energy thinking about them. Thanks to all the free training I got while living with vampires, I had the skills I needed to finally free my family. I even got my house back! Best yet, I can pass on the magic techniques and fighting skills I’ve learned to all the wizards in our group.

As long as I ignore the rotating vampires standing watch on the corner across the street, life is normal again…until the fae risk injuring hundreds of supernaturals just to stage a surprise attack on Killian.

There’s no way I’m going to let the fae get away with this. I may be furious with Killian, but I hate bullies even more.

But, big surprise, my good deed won’t go unpunished. I knew I’d face a fallout for saving the most feared and lethal vampire in the Midwest—I just never imaged the lengths Killian would go through to protect me and win me back…
_______________________________________


About the Book
First in a duology that reimagines fairy tale tropes within a space opera—The Princess Bride meets Princess Leia.

Rory Thorne is a princess with thirteen fairy blessings, the most important of which is to see through flattery and platitudes. As the eldest daughter, she always imagined she’d inherit her father’s throne and govern the interplanetary Thorne Consortium.

Then her father is assassinated, her mother gives birth to a son, and Rory is betrothed to the prince of a distant world.

When Rory arrives in her new home, she uncovers a treacherous plot to unseat her newly betrothed and usurp his throne. An unscrupulous minister has conspired to name himself Regent to the minor (and somewhat foolish) prince. With only her wits and a small team of allies, Rory must outmaneuver the Regent and rescue the prince.

How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse is a feminist reimagining of familiar fairytale tropes and a story of resistance and self-determination—how small acts of rebellion can lead a princess to not just save herself, but change the course of history.
_______________________________________


About the Book
The ninth book in the fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.

Sarah Zellaby has always been in an interesting position. Adopted into the Price family at a young age, she's never been able to escape the biological reality of her origins: she's a cuckoo, a telepathic ambush predator closer akin to a parasitic wasp than a human being. Friend, cousin, mathematician; it's never been enough to dispel the fear that one day, nature will win out over nurture, and everything will change.

Maybe that time has finally come.

After spending the last several years recuperating in Ohio with her adoptive parents, Sarah is ready to return to the world--and most importantly, to her cousin Artie, with whom she has been head-over-heels in love since childhood. But there are cuckoos everywhere, and when the question of her own survival is weighed against the survival of her family, Sarah's choices all add up to one inescapable conclusion.

This is war. Cuckoo vs. Price, human vs. cryptid...and not all of them are going to walk away.
_______________________________________


About the Book
New York Times bestselling and Alex, Nebula, and Hugo-Award-winning author Seanan McGuire introduces readers to a world of amoral alchemy, shadowy organizations, and impossible cities in this standalone fantasy.

Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story.

Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math.

Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realise it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet.

Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own.

Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained.
_______________________________________

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think about them? What were some of the books you meant to read last year but didn't get to?

Review: Dying with Her Cheer Pants On by Seanan McGuire

About the Book
Despite its humble origins, there is no more challenging or physically dangerous teen sport in the world than cheerleading. Cheerleaders are seriously injured and even killed at a higher rate than other high school sports. Their stunts are performed in skimpy uniforms without the benefit of proper safety equipment…and yet they love them, glittery eyeshadow, spirit bows, and all.

And then there are the Fighting Pumpkins, who take that injury rate as a challenge. Students of Johnson’s Crossing High School, they answer to a higher calling than the pyramid and the basket toss, pursuing the pep rally that is rising up against mysteries and monsters, kicking gods with the pointed toes of professional athletes chasing a collegiate career.

Meet Jude, half-vampire squad leader; Laurie, who can compel anyone to do as she asks; Heather, occasionally recreationally dead; Marti, strong enough to provide a foundation for any stunt; Colleen, who knows the rule book so well she may as well have written it; and Steph, who may or may not be the goddess of the harvest. The rest of the squad is ready to support them, and braced for the chaos of the big game, which may have a big body count. Prepare to jump high, yell loud, and look pretty with the Fighting Pumpkins, those glorious girls in the orange and green, whose high kicks could still be enough to save the world.


My Thoughts

This was a super fun horror comedy anthology that follows the Fighting Pumpkins cheer squad. We meet a few different squads and lots of interesting characters and see them save the world on numerous occasions.

I can't even begin to tell you how much fun I had reading this. It was a total escape from real life and I loved every second of it.

If you're a fan of Seanan McGuire, this is a must read. Outside of her Toby series, I think it's some of her best work. I can't recommend it highly enough.

NOTE: This book does contain some strong language.

Five Stars

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: A Dream within a Dream (Coffey & Hill #3) by Mike Nappa & Melissa Kosci

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring A Dream within a Dream (Coffey & Hill #3) by Mike Nappa & Melissa Kosci. The first two books in this series, Annabel Lee and The Raven, are some of my absolute favorites in this genre, so I was ecstatic to get this third installment for Christmas. I was afraid it wouldn't live up to it's predecessors, but it definitely does. I love it.

About the Book
Trudi Coffey only realizes that she hasn't seen Samuel Hill in weeks when the FBI shows up asking questions about him. After a strange encounter with an armed man demanding her help and an attack by a member of the Boston mob looking for someone named Dream, Trudi manages to find Samuel--or rather, he finds her. He's made some pretty powerful enemies, but right now his full attention is on protecting Dream from the mob. Because Dream has something they want--the map to the location of artwork stolen from the Gardener Museum during the infamous 1990 heist.

With danger closing in from all sides, Trudi and Samuel will have to call on all of their allies to keep Dream safe and discover the identity of the people who have been hunting down Samuel. The real questions are whom can they trust? And who will make it out of this thing alive?

Book Beginnings
"Get. Down."
He's driving too fast, looking too often at his rearview mirror. The world outside us is a strange, pale kind of twilight. There's no sun in the sky that I can see, yet there's still some kind of half-light, as if day is resisting night, refusing to go to bed like an ill tempered child.

Friday 56
Whispers circulated. Most of the group stayed pretty quiet with the two guards in the room, but I could hear how agitated they all were. Everyone, at least in their lucid moments, liked Clara. She treated everyone like a human being, even the inmates who seemed barely human.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: The Entity Game (Aurora Donati #1) by Lisa Shearin

About the Book
A powerful United States senator and his aide die in their office of cardiac arrests. The next day, a second senator dies of an aneurysm. Officials declare their deaths natural causes, but the FBI fears there is something sinister happening on Capitol Hill and looks to psychometric detective Aurora Donati to investigate. Rory’s ability to get information from people or objects with a single touch uniquely qualifies her to explain the inexplicable. Only this time, she begins to wonder if she is up against forces that no one has ever encountered before.

The next attack strikes close to home and turns Rory’s world upside down. She finds herself entangled in a deadly mix of terrorists, corrupt politicians, and secretive intelligence agencies in a web of deception and conspiracy dating back to experiments performed in a Cold War-era Soviet laboratory and perfected by modern science.

Someone else is pursuing the truth: Gabriel Marshall, CIA operative, who has an agenda and abilities of his own. They find themselves locked in a deadly game, stalked by a seemingly supernatural assassin who puts Rory and Gabriel’s abilities to the ultimate test in a deadly duel. Time is running out and Rory must counter each move and play the game to its heart-stopping end in the halls of the US Capitol itself.


My Thoughts

This was a great start to a new series. I love Lisa Shearin's SPI Files, so I was excited to check out this new series. While it's quite different, it's just as entertaining and hard to put down.

Rory's psychometry skill was fascinating to read about, but, wow, what a stressful thing to have to deal with. To get impressions and to be able to sense emotions and events just from touching something would be so intense. But it's definitely an awesome skill for a detective like her to have.

This was an absolutely compelling read. The confounding mystery had me flipping through the pages as fast as I could trying to figure things out. How was the bad guy killing? Why was he doing it? I had to know! I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the book. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a thrilling read.

Five Stars

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Eyes of Tamburah (Archives of the Invisible Sword #1) by Maria V. Snyder

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Eyes of Tamburah (Archives of the Invisible Sword #1) by Maria V. Snyder releasing February 1. I'm so excited that this book is finally being released in the U.S. It was first released in Australia and New Zealand in 2019. Maria V. Snyder is one of my favorite authors, so it was torture knowing others were reading it, and yet not being able to get my hands on it. 

About the Book
'He thinks you are the thief...'

Shyla is a researcher who resides in the underground desert city of Zirdai, which is ruled by the wealthy Water Prince and brutal Heliacal Priestess. Even though Shyla is sun-kissed - an outcast, considered cursed by the Sun Goddess - she is still renowned for uncovering innumerable archaic facts, lost artefacts, ancient maps and obscure historical documents. Her quiet life is about to change when Banqui, an archaeologist, enlists her services to find The Eyes of Tamburah: legendary gemstones that bestow great magic on their wielder. These ancient objects can tip the balance of power and give whoever possesses them complete control of the city.

But chaos erupts when The Eyes are stolen soon after they're found - and Shyla is blamed for the theft. Forced to flee, with the Prince's soldiers and the Priestess's deacons on her trail, Shyla must recover the jewels and clear her name. A quest that will unearth secrets even more valuable than The Eyes of Tamburah themselves...


What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Everything Behind Us (Murphy Brothers Story #3) by Jennifer Rodewald

About the Book
Neither wants to relive the past, but they need each other to face the future.

Connor Murphy lives by a code of honor and service. Dignified, duty-bound, and responsible, he’s spent the past eight years as a single enlisted airman, determined never to mess up another person’s life the way he did Sadie’s. As long as he follows orders, does his job well, and avoids romantic entanglements, he’ll do just fine. Of course, that last part was easier before Sadie rolled back into town.

Sadie Allen never intended to return to Sugar Pine—her hometown hosts too much regret—but she can’t face her health crisis alone. Not with a four-year-old depending on her. Even so, Connor Murphy’s proposal of a marriage of convenience wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. She can’t fault his reasoning—her prognosis is grim and her son could use a father—but her heart aches at the thought of a marriage without romance. Especially to the one man she’s never gotten over.

The day-to-day challenges of Sadie’s illness are enough to strain the strongest relationships, let alone one hastily conceived in the shadow of past mistakes. Will the pressure be too much for their marriage to withstand, or will they allow God to forge something beautiful through their pain?

Everything Behind Us, Book 21 in The Potter's House Books Series (Two), is an uplifting and inspiring story of hope, redemption and second chances. It is also book three in Jennifer Rodewald's Murphy Brother Stories (book One is Always You). Grab your copy and be encouraged today.


My Thoughts

Jennifer Rodewald has done it again! I'm beginning to sound like a broken record when it comes to her books, but she never fails to deliver an incredibly authentic, poignant, and faith-filled read.

I absolutely loved Everything Behind Us. It's an emotional read, for sure. There's lots of tears, but it's also brimming full of hope, showcasing the wonder of God's steadfast love.

The characters were wonderful and likable. Connor was a great leading man. He's upstanding, honorable, and an all-around genuine good guy. I was really rooting for Sadie. She was dealing with a lot and handled everything with such strength and bravery. I really admired that about her. And Reid was such an adorable and serious little guy. So cute!

I highly recommend this novel of forgiveness, second chances, and coming home again. If you're a fan of contemporary romance, you can't beat this series. I can't wait for the next Murphy Brothers story!

I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Five Stars

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Entity Game (Aurora Donati #1) by Lisa Shearin

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring The Entity Game (Aurora Donati #1) by Lisa Shearin. This was a Christmas gift that I was super happy to receive. I love Shearin's SPI Files, so I was excited to try her new series out. It's way different, but just as good. 

About the Book
A powerful United States senator and his aide die in their office of cardiac arrests. The next day, a second senator dies of an aneurysm. Officials declare their deaths natural causes, but the FBI fears there is something sinister happening on Capitol Hill and looks to psychometric detective Aurora Donati to investigate. Rory’s ability to get information from people or objects with a single touch uniquely qualifies her to explain the inexplicable. Only this time, she begins to wonder if she is up against forces that no one has ever encountered before.

The next attack strikes close to home and turns Rory’s world upside down. She finds herself entangled in a deadly mix of terrorists, corrupt politicians, and secretive intelligence agencies in a web of deception and conspiracy dating back to experiments performed in a Cold War-era Soviet laboratory and perfected by modern science.

Someone else is pursuing the truth: Gabriel Marshall, CIA operative, who has an agenda and abilities of his own. They find themselves locked in a deadly game, stalked by a seemingly supernatural assassin who puts Rory and Gabriel’s abilities to the ultimate test in a deadly duel. Time is running out and Rory must counter each move and play the game to its heart-stopping end in the halls of the US Capitol itself.

Book Beginnings
Sleep was not overrated.

Friday 56
I'd never been good at waiting, and my impatience and fear were magnified times a thousand at the thought of emergency room doctors working on someone I loved.

What have you been reading lately?