TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.
My pick this week is The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by N.K. Jemisin.
Goodreads Synopsis:
This is the way the world ends. Again.
Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze — the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization’s bedrock for a thousand years — collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman’s vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.
Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She’ll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: A Princess by Christmas (A Royal Wedding #3) Author: Julia London Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: HQN Books Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: October 13, 2020 Rating: ★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
She’s discovered his secret.
Now the trouble really begins…
After three years of mourning—and turning her dear deceased husband’s gazette into the ton‘s sauciest source of fashion and gossip—Hollis Honeycutt feels her life has been strangely bereft of late… Her sister is living abroad, and her best friend moved to the country. What must a young widow of rank and reputation do? Why, transform her society gossip sheets into serious investigative news, starting with a rumored coup…and the rather dashing, mysterious gentleman whom Hollis suspects might be the villain of her first real story, and she is the only one who can write it.
Marek Brendan is investigating terrible rumors of treachery and treason that threaten his home country of Wesloria, but he must proceed with caution. No one can discover the truth. After all, who would ever believe he is Wesloria’s lost crown prince? Only Hollis Honeycutt’s cerulean-blue eyes seem to know more than she’s letting on—and worse, Marek can’t seem to resist her curious charms. But even as betrayal threatens a nation and a throne, nothing is quite so dangerous as the lovely young widow who’s determined to find the truth…and a prince of her own.
Review:
Hollis is adjusting to her new life without her sister and best friend, who are now happily married. She is the editor of a women’s magazine that she inherited from her deceased husband. When the King of Westloria visits England, Hollis discovers a possible coup. At an event with Queen Victoria, Hollis meets Marek, a mysterious stranger who has traveled from Westloria with the King. Marek is investigating his own suspicions of treason in the kingdom. Hollis and Marek are drawn together to investigate the rumors of a coup within the kingdoms.
This story is the third in the series, but I didn’t feel lost without reading the first two. I could tell by the way that Hollis’s sister and friend were settled into their marriages, that they were probably the focus of the first two books. The characters were introduced enough that I understood what was happening, and didn’t need to read the first two books first.
I didn’t find the romance in this story believable. Hollis and Marek were strangers who were suspicious of each other, since they both were searching for answers to the rumors they’d heard. Then all of a sudden, after spending some time together, they were in love. There wasn’t a build up to a romance that I would have expected in this kind of story. There also wasn’t the Christmas theme I was expecting. The story ended at Christmas, but I thought there would have been more of a Christmas theme throughout the story, since it had “Christmas” in the name.
This story was a little disappointing, because it wasn’t the holiday romance I was expecting.
Thank you HQN Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
How to Catch a Wicked Viscount by Amy Rose Bennett
Other books in the series:
The Princess Plan
A Royal Kiss and Tell
Have you read A Princess by Christmas? What did you think of it?
This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.
The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite. The expected publication date is January 5, 2021.
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Hate U Give meets Get Out in this honest and powerful exploration of prejudice in the stunning novel from sister-writer duo Maika and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.
ISN’T BEING HUMAN ENOUGH?
When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic.
One of the good ones.
Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.
Title: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares (Dash and Lily #1) Author: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Source: Library Format: Ebook Release Date: October 26, 2010 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.
What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?
Co-written by Rachel Cohn (GINGERBREAD) and David Levithan, co-author of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON with John Green (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), DASH & LILY’S BOOK OF DARES is a love story that will have readers scouring bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.
Review:
Lily, a sixteen-year-old girl in New York City, left a notebook with dares written inside it in The Strand bookstore. She was hoping that the right guy for her would find the notebook and complete the dares. Dash finds the notebook and starts the scavenger hunt around the bookstore to complete the dares. Then he sends the notebook back to her with his own dares inside. The notebook sends Dash and Lily around New York City over Christmas and eventually leads them to each other.
This story is a fun holiday book. Dash and Lily were brought together by chance, because Dash happened to find Lily’s notebook where it was hidden. As they progressed through the dares, it became obvious that they had a lot in common. They even almost crossed paths a few times before they actually met.
A bookstore romance is the dream for book lovers! This hunt around New York City would be so much fun, but I wouldn’t do some of the dares they had to do, which included going into crowded stores on Christmas Eve and going to a night club on Christmas night.
I loved how this was a romantic story, yet the characters didn’t even met in person for most of the story. There was a clear romance developing between Dash and Lily through their dares, but they were only communicating through the notebook. This made it even more special and unique, since they fell for each other without actually being physically together.
This was a fun story! I’m excited to watch the new Netflix adaptation.
What to read next:
The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins (editor)
Other books in the series:
The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily
Mind the Gap, Dash and Lily
Have you read Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares? What did you think of it?
Title: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) Author: Sarah J. Maas Genre: Fantasy, Romance Publisher: Bloomsbury Source: Purchased Format: Hardcover Release Date: May 3, 2016 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.
With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.
Review:
Feyre is now one of the High Fae, living with her love, Tamlin. She lives happily with him in the Spring Court, while her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court, has been forgotten. Feyre is exploring her new Fae gifts, while staying safe under the watchful eye of Tamlin and his people, until Rhysand decides to claim his end of the bargain at the worst possible time. Then, Feyre begins to realize that her new world wasn’t what she expected.
This is a great sequel. There were so many twists, that kept me excited to read this long story. The final chapters were so intense and unpredictable. There was some beautiful symmetry between the beginning and end. I knew a couple of spoilers for the book, but for the most part, it was a surprise.
The only thing that I think should be changed with this book is it’s classification as young adult. There were some steamy romance scenes that I think were too mature for a teen reader. This book should be classified as New Adult, which is between Young Adult and Adult. However, this book is usually placed in the YA category where New Adult isn’t available. This series is for an older YA or adult reader.
I loved this sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses! I’m excited to read the next one!
This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!
What I just finished:
This weekend I finished A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.
What I’m currently reading:
I’m currently reading Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.
What I’m reading next:
Next I will be reading A Princess by Christmas by Julia London.
What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?
The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.
This Sunday I’m reading A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.
With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.
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