Thursday, March 5, 2020

February Book Haul

This month I was lucky enough to be able to get 15 books. 3 books I already mentioned because they are my Book of the Month books. These books are the ones I bought from Barnes and Noble. The synopsis are coming from good reads.

 I have already this book and gave it 4 stars. I enjoyed it and I am glad I finally read it. It is different than the Mistborn series that I read a while ago.Elantris: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling. The Shaod became a curse.
    Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping—based on their correspondence—to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.
    But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspects the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.
    Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. A welcome breath of fresh air, it is a rare epic fantasy that doesn't recycle the classics and is a complete and thoroughly satisfying story in a single volume. It's also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy.

 This is a middle-grade that I heard about on book tube. I am always looking for another good middle-grade to read.The story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him.

From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she's the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she's not very smart. If you've ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be.

When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris understands how he must feel. Then she has an idea: she should invent a way to "sing" to him! But he's three thousand miles away. How will she play her song for him?
 This book is the second book I have from this author. I haven't read her first book The Hazel Woods. This book is a continuation of the Hazel Woods. I am hoping to like this book and The Hazel Woods. I also hope to get these read this year, but we will see how that goes. The highly anticipated sequel to Melissa Albert’s beloved, New York Times bestselling debut The Hazel Wood!

In The Night Country, Alice Proserpine dives back into a menacing, mesmerizing world of dark fairy tales and hidden doors. Follow her and Ellery Finch as they learn The Hazel Wood was just the beginning, and that worlds die not with a whimper, but a bang.

With Finch’s help, Alice escaped the Hinterland and her reclusive grandmother’s dark legacy. Now she and the rest of the dregs of the fairy tale world have washed up in New York City, where Alice is trying to make a new, unmagical life. But something is stalking the Hinterland’s survivors―and she suspects their deaths may have a darker purpose. Meanwhile, in the winking out world of the Hinterland, Finch seeks his own adventure, and―if he can find it―a way back home...
 This is the third and final book in the trilogy called Truly Devious. I have red the firs book but haven't continued on with the series. I do own all three books. Ellingham Academy must be cursed. Three people are now dead. One, a victim of either a prank gone wrong or a murder. Another, dead by misadventure. And now, an accident in Burlington has claimed another life. All three in the wrong place at the wrong time. All at the exact moment of Stevie’s greatest triumph . . .

She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.

At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles there must be answers.

Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer.

In the tantalizing finale to the Truly Devious trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson expertly tangles her dual narrative threads and ignites an explosive end for all who’ve walked through Ellingham Academy.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson delivers the witty and pulse-pounding conclusion to the Truly Devious series as Stevie Bell solves the mystery that has haunted Ellingham Academy for over 75 years.
 Another Emma Mills book. I have 4 other books by her and I have only read 1 of them. I like her stories because they are mostly about friendship. When Nina decides to take a radio broadcasting class her senior year, she expects it to be a walk in the park. Instead, it’s a complete disaster.

The members of Nina's haphazardly formed radio team have approximately nothing in common. And to maximize the awkwardness her group includes Jamie, a childhood friend she'd hoped to basically avoid for the rest of her life.

The show is a mess, internet rumors threaten to bring the wrath of two fandoms down on their heads, and to top it all off Nina's family is on the brink of some major upheaval.

Everything feels like it's spiraling out of control―but maybe control is overrated?

With the warmth, wit, intimate friendships, and heart-melting romance she brings to all her books, Emma Mills crafts a story about believing in yourself, owning your mistakes, and trusting in human connection in Lucky Caller.
 I have never read anything from this author but this book is a Rick Riordan Presents book. It is about Native American myths. I enjoying read about Native Americans. Lately, seventh grader Nizhoni Begay has been able to detect monsters, like that man in the fancy suit who was in the bleachers at her basketball game. Turns out he's Mr. Charles, her dad's new boss at the oil and gas company, and he's alarmingly interested in Nizhoni and her brother, Mac, their Navajo heritage, and the legend of the Hero Twins. Nizhoni knows he's a threat, but her father won't believe her.

When Dad disappears the next day, leaving behind a message that says "Run!", the siblings and Nizhoni's best friend, Davery, are thrust into a rescue mission that can only be accomplished with the help of Diné Holy People, all disguised as quirky characters. Their aid will come at a price: the kids must pass a series of trials in which it seems like nature itself is out to kill them. If Nizhoni, Mac, and Davery can reach the House of the Sun, they will be outfitted with what they need to defeat the ancient monsters Mr. Charles has unleashed. But it will take more than weapons for Nizhoni to become the hero she was destined to be . . .

Timeless themes such as the importance of family and respect for the land resonate in this funny, fast-paced, and exciting quest adventure set in the American Southwest.
 I was lucky enough to get this book as an e-arc. I really enjoyed this book and I have a review up on this blog. I highly recommend that you read this story and learn more about our history. In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, KY, lives blue-skinned 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry. The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading material to the impoverished hill people of Eastern Kentucky.

Along her dangerous route, Cussy, known to the mountain folk as Bluet, confronts those suspicious of her damselfly-blue skin and the government's new book program. She befriends hardscrabble and complex fellow Kentuckians, and is fiercely determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give to those who have nothing, a bookly respite, a fleeting retreat to faraway lands.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a powerful message about how the written word affects people--a story of hope and heartbreak, raw courage and strength splintered with poverty and oppression, and one woman's chances beyond the darkly hollows. Inspired by the true and historical blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek showcases a bold and unique tale of the Packhorse Librarians in literary novels — a story of fierce strength and one woman's belief that books can carry us anywhere — even back home.
 This is another author that I own three books of and have only read one of them. This year she will have another book published. I hope this book is as good as her debut novel that I read a couple of years ago. From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the first novel in a brand-new series set at an elite international boarding school, that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.

Will the princess save the beast?

For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?

His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can't shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…

As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending
 I have enjoyed Becky Albertalli writing and I do own some of Aisha Saeed books haven't read any of them yet. Aisha usually writes middle-grade. This duo will be interesting to how their writing works together. I have heard that this book has politics in it and that worries me a little because that just doesn't interest me. YES
Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate—as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at all to almost anyone), Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes…until he meets Maya.

NO
Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing—with some awkward dude she hardly knows—is beyond her.

MAYBE SO
Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer—and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural romance of the century is another thing entirely.
 Another middle-grade book. This author has also written adult and young adult books. This book I heard about from Booksandlala. This is one of her favorite authors. Liberty Johansen is going to change the way we look at the night sky. Most people see the old constellations, the things they've been told to see. But Liberty sees new patterns, pictures, and possibilities. She's an exception.

Some other exceptions:

Her dad, who gave her the stars. Who moved out months ago and hasn't talked to her since.

Her mom, who's happier since he left, even though everyone thinks she should be sad and lonely.

And her sister, who won't go outside their house.

Liberty feels like her whole world is falling from space. Can she map a new life for herself and her family before they spin too far out of reach?
 This is the second book to the series called Crown of Feathers. I haven't read the first book yet. I do have a habit of waiting until I have the whole series before I start reading them. I just want to know that if I like the series that I have all the books so I can binge them. Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev must stop the advancing empire from destroying the Phoenix Riders in this fiery sequel to Crown of Feathers, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake calls “absolutely unforgettable!”

You are a daughter of queens.

The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders.

Like Nefyra before you, your life will be a trial by fire.

Veronyka finally got her wish to join the Riders, but while she’s supposed to be in training, all she really wants to do is fly out to defend the villages of Pyra from the advancing empire. Tristan has been promoted to Master Rider, but he has very different ideas about the best way to protect their people than his father, the commander. Sev has been sent to spy on the empire, but maintaining his cover may force him to fight on the wrong side of the war. And Veronyka’s sister, Val, is determined to regain the empire she lost—even if it means inciting the war herself.

Such is your inheritance. A name. A legacy. An empire in ruin.

As tensions reach a boiling point, the characters all find themselves drawn together into a fight that will shape the course of the empire—and determine the future of the Phoenix Riders. Each must decide how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to lose in the process.

I pray you are able to pass through the flames.
For those who know me this book is no surprise that I bought it. I will always buy something if it about Laura Ingalls Wilder. I am almost 100% sure that I have read this book but didn't own it. As a young girl, Laura Ingalls and her family traveled by covered wagon across the American frontier. Years later, when Laura saw tractors and airplanes replace horse-drawn plows and wagons, she wanted to record her childhood for her own daughter, Rose. Her stories became the beloved Little House books, the classic series that has captured for millions of readers the essence of life as a young pioneer girl.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Books beside my Chair #9

This goes from February 24th through March 1st. I read 4 books which brings my yearly reading total to 39 books. I read 1 young adult historical fiction, 1 adult fantasy, 1 adult romance, and 1adult fiction. Total pages read 1,714.

Now for the books.

 This is her first book that I have read and I really enjoyed it. It is about the 2nd world war. I learned a lot of things that I didn't know like the ship accident at the end of the book. Sorry if this is a spoiler but at first I thought the time changed at the end of the and she was talking about the Titanic but she wasn't. I gave this book 4 stars and highly recommend it. This is young adult historical fiction.
 This is adult fantasy as you probably already guessed by the picture. I did enjoy this book. It isn't the first book of his I have read. This is his first book that he wrote and I did enjoy it. I also gave this 4 stars.
 This is my adult romance. It is the second book in a duology. I have to say I did enjoy the first book better but this was still good and gave it 4 stars. This book had less bedroom scenes which was good. It was a little more political though. All in all still a good read.
This is the adult fiction. I read this because it is my book club pick for March and since we meet the first Tuesday of the month I had to get it read. I started out just barely liking it but near the end I was enjoying myself greatly. I gave this book 4 stars because of the second half of the book. If it would have continue on the way it was going it would have been only a 3 star.

I hope you give these book a try and until next time keep reading.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Kingsbane Book Review

Kingsbane
By: Claire Legrand
Sourcebooks Fire
Teen and Young Adult
Pages 587
Published Date 21 May 2019
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This is book 2 in The Empirium Trilogy.
I really enjoyed this book but not as much as the first book. It is about two different times about a mom and daughter who have never met. Mom sent the daughter off to be protected and is lost into another time period in the future.
Things are happening in the time period of the daughter and she needs to go back in time to protect her world by going back and stopping her mom.
Mom is struggling with her power and has conversation with an angel in her head.
It is hard to describe without revealing too much of the book.
I highly recommend this series.
I will say that I am surprised that this is a young adult book because of the details of the sexually encounters in here.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Books Beside My Chair #8

This is for the week of February 17th - 23rd. I read 2 books which total 791 pages. This brings my yearly total of books read to 35.

 White Bird By: R.J. Palacio Is a middle-grade Graphic Novel about the second world war. It is historical fiction. I greatly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend that everyone read this book. It is put into simple terms and but hard hitting about true events. She does a great job telling these event which makes it easy for children to understand but not be afraid. I gave this book 5 stars. Children need to know what happened in the past.
Kingsbane By: Claire LeGrand Is a young adult fantasy novel. It does have some very detailed couple relations area in it. I would probably put this book as an new adult fantasy book instead of young adult. I did enjoy this second book in the series and will have a review up with in a week. I gave this book 4 stars. This book is the continuation of the Furyborn that came out in 2018. I enjoy the characters and it leaves you on a cliff hanger at the end. I am not sure when the last book comes out but hopefully this year because I need to know how the series will end. A lot of interesting things have happened.

That is all I read for the week. It was a slow reading week but I enjoyed everything I read.
Until next time keep reading.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday #4

Today I have chosen to talk about ten authors I own the most books from. I will be putting them in order from the most owned to the least. This will not cover all the authors that I owned multiple books of though just the top ten.

 1. Sandra Brown is the author that I owned the most books of. I have 47 books. I am still needing to find some of her books that I don't own. I still have 5 books that I need to read. I started reading her books when I was pregnant with my youngest daughter Ashley. That was about 26 years ago. I love her story telling.
 2. Mary Higgins Clark is the next in line. I own 41 of her books that she wrote by herself. I own 4 that she wrote with her daughter Carol Higgins Clark and 5 that she wrote with Alafair Burke. I started reading her books when I lived in Del Rio, Texas. My bishop's wife recommended her and I have read all but 8 of her books. She has sadly passed away on January 31, 2020. She will be greatly missed.
 3. W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear I own 22 of their books. I haven't read 5 of them. I started reading their books in 1999 because my Dad recommended them. I also know that they have each written books by themselves. There books are like Jean Auel books about America before we truly knew it. They are called America's forgotten past. I really enjoy them. Now some books are better than others but they have a lot of information and detail and that can get a little boring but not all of them are like that. They are great story tellers.
 4. Sue Grafton is an author that I own 22 of her books but haven't read any of them. In fact I haven't read any of her books. She has written the alphabet series starring Kinsey Millhone as a detective. She sadly passed away on December 28,2017 before she was able to write the last book in the series. So far there isn't anyone who will write it so they are saying the alphabet ends on Y. I just need the last three books and then I will have the complete series so that I can binge read it.
 5. Gerald N. Lund is an author that writes mostly books about my church history. In case you don't know my religion I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have read about 11 of his books and those I own along with 9 more that I haven't read. That brings his book count to 20. I need 1 or 2 more books to finish another series that I own but want the books before I start. I love how he tells about church history in a knowledgeable way and very interesting to learn and the research he does. The first series I read of his is called The Work and Glory. If you want to learn about our history I would recommend his books.
 6. Janet Evanovich I own 19 books. I have read a few of her books and like her writing style. I have been reading her Stephanie Plum series right now and those are the books that I own. My oldest daughter Tara got me into this series.
 7. Joanne Fluke I also own 19 of her books. I also started reading her because of oldest daughter Tara. I really enjoy her Hannah Swenson series. I have another book that she wrote just to see if I would enjoy that as well but haven't read it yet.
 8. Carol Higgins Clark I own 14 of her 15 books that she has written. I also own 4 of the books she co-authored with her mother that I mentioned before. She is also a mystery writer like her mom but she uses just one main character and that is Reilly Regan who is a private investigator. I enjoy her stories but she isn't her mom.
 9. Dean Hughes I also own 14 of his books. I have read only 5 of them. He is also a member of my church. His stories aren't really history based but fun. His series that I read was about WWII and how a family of our belief lived through it. It was a great story. I need to read the other series that I own because it is suppose to be about the children's family on the above series.
10. Richard Paul Evans I own 12 books and Aryan owns 7 books. Everyone knows who he is. He is a wonderful story teller and puts out new books every year. I have read almost all of the books he has written. There are a couple that I own that I haven't read yet.

If you have read any of these authors please let me know what you think about their writing. I have read something from all but one of them. If there is an author you would recommend please leave me a comment. Until next time keep reading.

Monday, February 17, 2020

Books Beside my Chair #7

For the week of February 10th through February 16th, I read four books which totaled 1,713 pages and brings my total books read for the year to 33.

 This is my classic for the month. I have always liked reading about Robin Hood. I have read several retellings about him. I did only give it three stars though. Classics are hard for me to get into even my favorite one. I like hearing about people helping other people in need.
 Ok I am one of those who really didn't like this book. I gave it 2.5 stars. It was very slow and took 100 pages before anything interesting happened. It also was way to political for me. I did like the fact that both of the guys parents did support them though.
 This book took me forever to read. Not because it is bad but because I only read it for 30 minutes a day. I also didn't read it every day. This is church history about my religion. It is good but out- dated on some of the thinking now. I did enjoy learning about my religion. Not much new though I have read a lot but like hearing about it from a different author and view. The title is hard to read so I will tell you what the book is called.  Essentials in Church History By: Joseph Fielding Smih.
This was the last book I finished fore week. I read it for the Historathon. I picked this book up in a thrift shop sometime last year. This book is based in Canada and was about children who came from Britain to be placed in homes. It is kind of like our Orphan Train children. It was very good and I learned a lot about Canada by reading this book. It is a middle grade but that is the best way to learn history. It takes out all the boring details and gets to the point in an easy way.

I struggled this week to get these books read not because of a slump but because of life and being busy. Again I am hoping to do better because the month is almost and my TBR has barely been touched with all I want to read.
Let me know if you have read any of these books and if you have what did you think of them.
Until next time keep reading.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

February Book of the Month Books

Here is the unboxing of my February Book of the Month books. I will give you an overview of what the books are about by writing what the front of the book says. Here is a link to Book of the month if you want to join. https://www.mybotm.com/0cxpwrpoiqlivn29?show_box=true. Now onto the unboxing.

 The books always come in this size of box if you order three. I always order three because I can get the hard back books for $9.99 and they are new titles. You can't beat that price. You will also receive a book mark each month.
 The books are wrapped together in plastic wrap so they don't get damaged.
These are the books that I chose this month.
You Are Not Alone By: Geer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. This is about Shay Miller. She wants to find love, but it eludes her. She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end. She wants to belong, but her life is becoming increasingly isolated. You Probably don't know anyone like the Moore sisters. They have an unbreakable circle of friends. They live a life of glamour and perfection. They always get what they desire. Shay thinks she wants their life. But what they really want is hers.
All The Stars and Teeth By: Adalyn Grace. She will reign. As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer-the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it's never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy's dangerous soul magic. When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he'll help her prove she's fit to rule, if she'll help him reclaim his stolen magic. But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder-and more peril-than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she'll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stowaway she never expected...or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.
Ride...Or Die Ashlords By: Scott Reintgen Ever since the Ashlords were gifted phoenix horses by their gods, they've raced them-into battle, or hunts, and now at the world-re-nowned Races. Elite riders from clashing cultures vie to be crowned champion by honing their ability to create and control phoenix horses made of ash and alchemy, which are summoned back to life each sunrise and burst into flames each sunset. But good alchemy only matters if a rider knows how to survive the brutal nights. While murder is outlawed, breaking bones and poisoning ashes are legal, even encouraged. Eleven riders will compete in this year's races, but three of them have more to lose than the rest-a daughter of two former champions, a scholarship entrant, and the son of a revolutionary. Which one will attain their dream of glory and win power for their people? Or will they all flame out in defeat.

Don't they sound great. I hope you give Book of the Month a try. You only get books and a book mark nothing else that you have to worry about finding a place or nothing you don't want.
Until next time keep reading.