Mid year book freak out tag 2020

It has been kind of quiet on the blog here lately.  Between work, enjoying the nice weather, family time, and all the ARCs I've been reading I haven't had much time for blogging other than scheduled posts.  I've read some really excellent books, and plan to get those reviews up soon.  

I've been seeing this post pop up on YouTube and I always liked it.  I thought I'd do an impromptu Tag Tuesday.  I love this particular tag because I can feature some of my favorite books I've read so far this year and let you know about some upcoming releases that I'm looking forward to.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020. 
1. A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow.  
1. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this, and if you look back at my reviews in 2018, I read a ton of retellings with mermaids/sirens.  This looked really interesting and I love a good mermaid storyline, but this completely blew me away.  It is not a retelling, and it is so much more than a fantasy story about a girl who is a siren.  It discusses racism, sexism, and so much more.  
2. 
2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2020. 
1. Rage & Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  
1. This is the second book in The Harbinger Series, and this world is a spin off of my favorite series ever.  This is shaping up to be my second favorite.  I love the characters, the world, and the author.
2. 
3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to. 
1. Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz.  
1. I got a surprise ARC of this in the mail, but I haven't gotten to it yet.  It came out in January, but I tend to catch up on reading my physical books in the summer when I spend more time outside reading
2. 
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year. - I have a few:
1. Escaping Ordinary by Scott Reintgen
2. The Brightest Night by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3. Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
4. Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
5. Biggest disappointment.  
1. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.  
1. This was so hyped up and on the surface looks like something I love.  It's got humor, Stephen King level weirdness and horror, and vampires.  I love all those things in a book, except for a book about vampires, this really fell flat for me.  There was too much of the Stepford Wives overtone and not enough vampire.  This one is going to be hit or miss for people and it was a miss for me.
2. 
6. Biggest surprise. I have two:
1. The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauerneuster.  
1. I wasn't sure I'd like this, but it was a Reese Witherspoon pick and those tend to be pretty good.  While this doesn't have magic, it almost has a magical realism feel for parts of the book.
2. 
2. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline.  
1. This book was so interesting.  Dystopian books are hit or miss with me but I loved the unique premise of this.  I also loved how much the author put herself and the culture of the indigenous people of North American into this book.  I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook. 
2. 
7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you) .
1. Sarah Gailey.  
1. I highly recommend their work, and I'm slowly making my way through their backlist.  They have a unique writing style that I really enjoy, and there is always a diverse cast of characters.  
8. Newest fictional crush. 
1. I am not a fan of this question. I don't really the do whole book boyfriend thing.  If you want men that don't suck read any of the Smartypants Romance books.  There is a good mix of characters for all types of readers.  
9. Newest favorite character.
1. Ava from Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden Mills
1. This book deals with some heavy subject matter but Ava deals with all the crap that is thrown at her with poise and a strength that most people don't have.  Knox would be a good answer for the previous question.
2. 
10. Book that made you cry. 
1. I don't think I've read one this year.  I've read some pretty emotional books that have covered some fairly heavy topics, but I went through my read list and none of them brought me to tears.
11. Book that made you happy. 
1. Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting it Done by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser
1. This is a great non-fiction book about high school girls learning to code.  As a high schooler I would have loved to have had the opportunity that Andrea and Sophie had to learn about coding and technology.  I entered into engineering with some support but not at the same level they did.  This book made me happy to know that girls are getting the support they need to enter STEM fields and close the gender gap.
2. 
12. Favorite book to film adaptation you saw this year. 
1. Honestly I don't think I've seen one this year.  I just listened to Bird Box on audio and I want to see the movie but I don't have Netflix.
13. Favourite review you've written this year.
1. Black Tangled Heart by Samantha Young
1. This book was an emotional rollercoaster.  I really loved it!
2. 
14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received) 
1. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
1. This is Jen's first foray into Fantasy and was a surprise release in March.  It is fairly long so I haven't picked it up yet, but I know I won't be able to put it down once I do.
2. 
2. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
1. As is the usual trend I have a ton! I have 3 prompts to finish up for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, 20 prompts left for the Popsugar Reading Challenge. I'm doing really well on my challenge reading, and I've got a list of ARCs to read and review. I'll list a few of the ARCs that are coming out in the near future:
1. Unearthed by Marc Mulero (July 26, 2020)
2. 
3. Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (August 25, 2020)
4. 
   
   
   



Original post Chami and Ely at A Book So Fathomless. Original Vlogs IsThatChami and Earl Grey Books.

2020 O.W.L. Magical Read-a-Thon Wrap Up

I didn't think I would finish all 12 prompts, but I ended up finishing the last 2 books today!  As usual I ended up with way to many things on my plate book-wise, and work has been really cutting into my reading time.  So while I didn't end up reading everything I planned I was still able to finish all the prompts.  

I did finish all the books I needed for the Culinary Sorcery Career and the Locomotive Operator Certificate.  I had some other books left over so I decided those could fit for the Legal Defense of Fantastic Beasts because you never know when that will come in handy.  

Did you finish all your OWLs and get your career?  

What I read

These books don't fulfil a career or an extra course but they do fill an OWL.

• Ancient Runes - Heart Run: Heart on the cover or in the title
• The Heart of Shadows by Marco Cosimo d'Amico
• 
• This is a strange little graphic novel with a great message about fear.  The style isn't my favorite, but I can see how it is appealing to kids.
• Astronomy - Night Classes:  Read the majority of this book when it's dark outside
• Food Wars by Yuto Tsukuda
• 
• I picked this up for another reading challenge and I thought I'd really enjoy this because it's about food.  This just really isn't my taste and I didn't enjoy it.
• Divination - Third Eye: Assign Numbers to your TBR and use a random number generator to pick your read
• 
• I kind of cheated with this one and let the library do my picking for me.  You never know when your holds are going to come due so I went with Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire.  This takes us back to the world of Jack and Jill and the kids from Eleanor's school have to help save the day yet again.  
•  Transfiguration - Animagus Lecture:  Book/Series that includes shapeshifting
• Wild Wolf Mate by Dianna Love
• 
• This is book 5 of the League of Gallize series.  I had it for review, and since I had just finished books 1&2 for another prompt I gave it a go.  I really like this series.  If you like steamy shifter romances this is a good one to pick up.

Culinary Sorcerer

I ended up finishing all of the prompts at the last minute.  I didn't think I was going to make it, but I was able to swap out 

• Arithmancy - Magical Qualities of #2: Read something outside your favorite genre
• Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
• 
• I didn't love this, but I learned alot about the books and the political and culture.  The author narrates the book, but I would have preferred that a voice actor narrated it.  Despite her heated opinions on certain subjects, that didn't come through in her narration.
• Charms - Lumos Maxima: White Cover
• I planned on reading Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan.  I'm currently reading it now so I decided to read a short story by Mark Lawrence instead.  I read During the Dance, which is a beautiful short story, which is available for free on Amazon.
• 
• Herbology - Mimbulus Mimbletonia: A title that starts with M
• Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
• 
• I like Gailey's works, but I didn't love this one.  
• Potions - Shrinking Solution: A book under 150 pages
• The Black God's Drums by P. Djeli Clark
• 
• This was an excellent mix of historical fiction, sci-fi, mythology, and fantasy.  I loved it!

Locomotive Operator

• Defense Against the Dark Arts - Grindylows: A Book Set at the Sea/Coast
• I had planned on reading A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow, but I ended up reading The Deep by Rivers Solomon.  The Deep was a cool novella, that I feel like you really need to read multiple times before you really absorb the entire story.  I highly recommend the audiobook!
• 
• Muggle Studies - A Book from the perspective of a Muggle (Contemporary)
• The Treble with Men by Piper Sheldon
• 
• This was my favorite book of April!  It has a Phantom of the Opera vibe and I really loved the characters.  

Legal Defense of Fantastic Beasts  

• Hippogriffs: Creature with a beak on the cover
• The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
• 
• This is the sequel to The Poppy War, which I loved!  This is kind of slow, but it finally picks up towards the end and leaves you needing the next book.  This book is a journey for sure, but it is a journey worth taking.
• Witch Hunts: Book featuring witches/wizards
• League of Gallize Shifters: Box Set One by Dianna Love
• 
• This whole series deals with shapeshifters of different kinds.  The Gallize are a special sect of shifters with extra special powers working and always willing to save the day.  This is a fairly steamy romance series as well, but fear not it isn't overly fluffy.  The female leads are strong and intelligent and just as awesome as their partners.  While not prominent characters in the books, there is a witch/wizard element to the storyline.

January Wrap-up

First wrap up of 2020.  I read and listened to a ton of books in January!  Hopefully I can keep up the momentum for the rest of the year.

I completed a bunch of prompts for the 2020 Popsugar and Book Riot Read Harder  challenges this month.  If you are interested in what I'm reading or what I read for the past challenges, my google docs are below.

• Popsugar Reading Challenge Spreadsheet
• Book Riot Read Harder Spreadsheet

In addition to the books below, I also read all 95 episodes of the webcomic, Lore Olympus on Webtoon.  The creator is Rachel Smythe and it's awesome.  If you are a Greek mythology lover, you need to check it out.  It is a retelling of the story of Persephone and Hades, and I love the direction she is taking with it.  Fair warning, it deals with alot of topics that might be triggering to some.  She usually puts a warning at the beginning of episodes that specifically deal with triggering topics.  New episodes come out on Sundays and I'm so glad I finally jumped in.  I love her art style and can't wait to see where the story is headed.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

I can't believe I got through so many books this month.  

• Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon
• This is a slow paced sci-fi kind about an older woman who just wants to be left alone.  The company who colonized the planet she has lived on for 40 years decides that they are going to move the colony somewhere more prosperous.  Ofelia, decides she's staying put, and live out the rest of her days the way she wants.  The story plays out much like the movie Castaway with Ofelia as the sole inhabitant of the planet, until she is visited by the indigenous inhabitants of the planet.  An odd relationship builds between Ofelia and the strange beings known as The People that develops into so much more.  This isn't heavy on the science or technology, and the pace doesn't pick up until after The People show up.  
• Ashlords by Scott Reintgen
• Review
• I have an ARC of this and it comes out on the 21st.  I'm a huge fan of Reintgen's work and this is his latest young adult offering.  It is supposed to have some magical battle horses and was compared to Scorpio Races which I loved.  
• Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
• Review
• I received an ARC of this a while ago, but I was holding this for January to count it toward the Popsugar reading prompt for a book involving social media.  This is supposed to be about two gamers who have to deal with the hassle of virtual trolls.  Look for more closer to the release date on the 28th.
• A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
• This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I loved it!  It is one of the more unique retellings I've read where it has a kind of groundhog's day aspect to it, and the fairy tale bleeds over into the real world.  I really enjoyed how Rhen, the prince, interacted with Harper the girl he is trying to woo.  I also loved Grey, Rhen's commander and trusted companion.  
• Fix the World (Skyward #3) by Joe Henderson
• This is the final installment in a sci-fi graphic novel series.  In this bindup, the main character is trying to turn gravity back on, fight giant bugs, and maybe find love.  I love the art in this and the series is pretty good.
• Fun Home: A Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
• This is a memoir in comic form.  It is Bechdel's life story, but it center's around her relationship with her father and his death.  It is a difficult read as it is kind of sad.  The art is great, and her emotion really shows through on the page.
• Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting it Done by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser
• I adored this!  It tells the story of two young girls and their story as they learned to code.  Their coding project from summer camp turned into a viral game.  I love how they tackled a taboo subject and really grew as people.  I entered the technology field over 20 years ago and while not much has changed, but it is nice to know that girls are getting more support and being encouraged to enter technology.
• Frenemies by Emma Hart
• Review
• This is a funny second chance romance that features a single dad and the ridiculous grandma I've ever read.  You should read it just to experience Grandma Jen.  
• Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills
• Review
• I pretty much couldn't put this book down.  This is an enemies to lovers romance that deals with some heavy subject matter.  The book opens with the main character Ava dealing with the aftermath of being sexually assaulted.  She returns to the private school she attends as a scholarship student in an attempt to overcome the assault, but on her first day back she gets a love letter in her locker.  Football player and king of the school, Knox ends up befriending Ava, though they start out as enemies.  They are both broken but they end up finding solace in each other.  Madden-Mills does a wonderful job with the touchy subjects of mental health and sexual assault.  

Audiobooks

I feel really accomplished that I got through so many audiobooks in January, especially since some of them were fairly long.   Most of these were for reading prompts, but quite a few of them were already on my TBR.  That is the beauty of these reading challenges.  I don't feel a ton of pressure to read books I don't want to read.  

• The Cursed Sea by Lauren Destefano
• I was disappointed in this sequel.  I really loved the first book.  This really just followed Wil as she runs around trying to stop a bunch of things from happening.
• Dry by  Neal and Jarrod Shusterman
• I read this for a prompt about a natural disaster after seeing this recommended a everywhere.  I really enjoyed this.  It was pretty disturbing because it is a realistic thing that could actually happen.  It follows a group of kids after a major drought has hit and water is basically 
• Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
• I picked this up for the Read Harder challenge for a retelling by an author of color.  This was also the book of the month at my library for January.  It ranges from diverse, violent, and strange.  Machado's writing is beautiful, but I just didn't really enjoy this collection of stories. The retelling is the first offering called The Husband Stitch and is a version of The Girl with the Green Ribbon.  This by far was the one I liked the most.
• The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
• I listened to this to fulfil the prompt for the Popsugar challenge for a book about a woman in STEM.  This book while fiction, is inspired by the the actual accounts of Mitza Maric, Einstein's first wife.  I'm not sure how accurate the history is, as this has inspired me to read up on Mitza and things don't add up.  This book made me mad, I couldn't stand the way she was treated, and while that was "the way things were" it still was awful.  I do wish this had focused more on the physics and less on the romance and relationship aspect of her life.  
• Akata Witch and Akata Warrior by Nnedi Okorafor
• This is a great middle grade/YA fantasy series.  It is set in Nigeria and utilizes African mythology and culture as the basis for the fantastical elements in the story.  This follows Sunny, born in the US to Nigerian parents.  Her family moves back to Nigeria when she is 12, but because she is an albino she is taunted by almost everyone around her for being a witch.  Unbeknownst to Sunny, there is a world of magic and paranormal all around her that she uncovers when she has a vision.  Fortunately she is surrounded by great friends and teachers who help her hone her powers and learn about the secret magical world around her.
• 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
• This is a weird compilation of stories of various genres.  As with most short story compilations I really liked some of them and I really didn't like others.  If you are looking for a good mix of horror, paranormal, and fantasy stories give this a try.  Some of them are really good, some are super weird, and I think everyone will find something appealing.
• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
• This is a WWII story told from the perspective of 2 sisters.  Despite being a good story, I felt it was far too long.  The author spends a great deal of time setting things up.  The story takes place in France, the older sister ends up with a Nazi soldier boarding in her home while the other more outspoken sister ends up becoming part of the rebellion.  Each of the sisters ends up helping the rebellion in their own way, but they both have to do what they need to in order to survive.  
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
• I can't believe I never read this in school.  I listened to the audiobook for the Popsugar prompt for a bildungsroman, or a coming of age story.
• River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey
• Hippo farming, who knew?  Did you know that this was a real concept?  I surely didn't.  This story while fiction is based on an actual concept that never came to fruition in the early 1900's in the US during a meat shortage.  This has a western feel and a very diverse cast of characters.  I'm really looking forward to the sequel.
• Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
• Technically I finished this in February, but I listened to most of it in January.  This is the sequel to Children of Blood and Bone.  It is an epic YA Fantasy, that discusses so much more.  There is magic, politics, mythology and betrayal.  The plot of this one kind of meanders around and doesn't really move forward.  I really liked the first book other than the ridiculous romance between Zelie and Inan, but this one just falls short.  It doesn't expand the magic and mythology.  The plot is basically Zelie being angry and making rash, emotional decisions and being mad at Amari the whole book.  Their friendship is being torn apart because Amari wants to try to find a peaceful solution and Zelie wants only vengeance, and both of them making decisions that don't make any sense.  This is just an emotional mess of a story.

October Wrap Up

This month was pretty ambitious.  I went into October expecting to get a bit behind.  I knew if I could get through the Smartypants books I might be OK.  I got through 19 books this month, which is pretty impressive.  I got through the 6 Smartypants books that came out in October, and I've got all the November ones on deck.  

I participated in Spook-a-thon, which was really fun to read some things that have been on my TBR for a while.  And finally, I knocked off a few prompts for my two reading challenges this month.  I've got 2 prompts left for Read Harder (I'm about halfway done with one of those already), and I've got 6 left for Popsugar.  With the help of audiobooks I think I'll make it.  I had to do some shuffling, but fortunately I've read a ton of books so far this year and some of the books I've read fit nicely in to the prompts.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• Review
• This was published October 1st.  This follows Cilka, one of the main character's from The Tattooist of Auschwitz, during her time in Vorkuta a Russian prison camp.  We learn of the horrors she suffered both at the hands of the Russians and the Germans from the time she was until her eventual release.  This is the story of a strong, compassionate woman who lived through some pretty horrific things.  She did what she needed to survive.  This is a work of fiction, but it is based on true events, real people, interviews, and accounts from various sources about Cilka and her time in Siberia.  Much like Tattooist, I liked it but it was missing something.
•  The Furies by Katie Lowe 
• Review
• This one came out October 8th and is a YA Thriller.  The cover and synopsis made me think of the movie The Craft.  While it has a dark tone and deals with 4 girls at a private school dabbling in the occult, it is not The Craft.  I unfortunately didn't really like this book.  The thriller element was OK, but the fantasy/magic element was lacking in my opinion.  I also didn't care for the writing style which seems to be a new type of prose on the market.  It is just not my style.  It also seemed to glorify the use of drugs and alcohol which I don't support.  This just seemed to use abusive and toxic situations more for their shock value instead of using what was a really good idea to tell a really good story.  
• Verity by Colleen Hoover
• This has been on my TBR since it came out earlier this year.  Spookathon was the perfect time to read this dark thriller.  This book is really messed up.  It is really creepy for a domestic thriller because you aren't really sure what is actually happening.  I found parts of it fairly predictable while other parts were very creative.  If you like domestic thrillers, I recommend it.
• Spell on Wheels by Kate Leth, Megan Levens, Marissa Louise, Jen Bartel, and Nate Piekos
• This was a really fun graphic novel. I hope there are more coming.  It follows three friends who happen to be witches.  When their apartment is robbed they head out on a road trip of paranormal proportions to get their stuff back.  Hijinx ensues.  I really liked it.
• Shadows by Kristen Proby
• Review
• This released on October 29th and is part of  a new trilogy set in New Orleans.  This follows three sisters who are all witches with different abilities.  This one focuses on the eldest sister who sees the dead as shadows.  When the shadows begin following her and haunting her dreams, she knows that she has to help somehow.  She teams up with a handsome FBI agent who happened to be on one of her ghost tours of the city and helps her discover that she's is the ultimate target of a serial killer.  This is a fairly dark paranormal romance with a pretty creepy thriller element.  I'm looking forward to the next installment.  
• Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
• I don't normally pick up children's books for the challenge.  This was recommended by Book Riot for this prompts so I grabbed it from the library, and I'm so glad I did.  It is a beautifully illustrated book about a Mexican immigrant who discovers the library and the wonders of books with her child despite the language barrier.  It isn't very long but it is gorgeous.  This fulfilled the prompt for a children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009.
• Kiss Me Again by Emma Hart
• Review
• This was my least favorite of the 3 books in the series.  It was still funny, but Ava starts out so over the top aggressively miserable and combative against Ethan it took away from the humor.  She eventually chills out a bit and the story proceeds with an epic prank battle between Ethan and Ava until they realize their feelings for each other.

Smartypants Romance  Releases

I'm not going to summarize these as I've written full reviews on each of them.  I'm also going to write a dedicated summary post for the 2019 releases.

• Code of Conduct by April White
• Review
• Weight Expectations M.E. Carter 
• Review
• Sticking to the Script by Stella Weaver 
• Review
• Happy Trail by Daisy Prescott 
• Review
• Love in Due Time L.B. Dunbar 
• Review
• Stud Muffin Jiffy Kate
• Review

Audiobooks

• Song of Susannah and The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King
• I'm continuing my audio reread of the Dark Tower series.  This series is weird but I love it!  The Wind Through the Keyhole was a new read for me and it was an interesting story within a story.  While it didn't directly tie to Roland and the gang's journey, it is still a valuable and entertaining read.  I have the final book to go in my reread and I plan to get to it before the end of the year.
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• This is not what I expected.  I kind of expected it to be about January going through the doors, but it is not that kind of adventure.  This was actually kind of disappointing for me.  It is a story within a story about portals and lost love, but lacked the action and adventure I wanted.
• The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman
• This is so sad.  Tom is an honorable man who has to do things by the letter of the law.  He loves his wife, so when a boat washes up on the island where Tom is the lighthouse keeper he is persuaded to not report it right away.  See his wife has just suffered a stillbirth and there is a baby in the boat.  The baby's father has died.  Tom and Isabella raise the child as their own but the guilt of not reporting the incident eats at him.  When he crosses paths with his daughter's biological mother, he has to confess his sin even if it will tear his family apart.  This is a story of love, loss, guilt, and heartache.  It is very somber, but worth the read.
• The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Manhke
• This is an audiobook I got for free on Volumes, which is Penguin Random House Audio’s app. They periodically do free audiobooks. This is a compilation of stories either from a podcast or inspired by the Lore podcast and TV series. I'm not big on short stories or podcasts, so this is a perfect fit. I also love learning about the history of spooky stuff. It also has a red cover.  This was fantastic and I loved learning all of the creepy facts behind some of the monsters we see in pop culture, movies, and the history of haunted places.
• There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
• This book has alot going on in it.  It is a very slow paced fantasy.  It follows five different perspectives, which is not my favorite.  I think because it follows so many characters none of them really felt well developed.  The plotline is interesting as is the magic system, but I had a hard time keeping up with what was going on with all the switching back and forth between characters.  I feel this would have been more enjoyable for me had it only followed 2 characters and the plot would have felt more developed and connected.
• A Hero Born by Jin Yong
• Review
• This book was published in 1957, but was just released in the US in September.  This is a Chinese fantasy, historical fiction set in the time of Genghis Khan.  I received a print ARC of this but it is a slower paced fantasy, so I opted to listed to the audiobook so I could get my review out sooner rather than later.  The audio is excellent!  This follows the son of a revered patriot as he learns Kung Fu at the hands of 7 masters.  It is a really interesting story, but you may get lost in all of the names and martial arts references.  I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to the remaining books.
• Rebel by Marie Lu
• I read the original trilogy quite a while ago.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about authors revisiting series that are complete.  This would have been fine had it just been about Eden, but it really felt like it was Lu's attempt to give readers the June and Day happy ending that they didn't get at the end of Legend.  Overall the book was OK, but not amazing.
• Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
• I picked this up for the Read Harder challenge for a historical romance by an author of color.  I'm not a big traditional romance reader, so this category was a struggle for me.  The book I initially picked out was a bit over the top and too swoony for me.  This was a perfect fit.  This follows Hester, a freed slave woman who works on the underground railroad.  When she nurses fellow conductor, Galen back to health, a romance ensues.  I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this, and their romance was excellent.  The steamy intimate scenes felt a bit disjointed from Hester's pious nature and the prudish nature of the times.  They were well done.   This was one of Book Riot's suggestions for the prompt and I'm glad I went with it.  The audio narration is excellent and I highly recommend it.  
• Drive by Daniel H. Pink
• I picked this up for a prompt to read a business book on the read harder challenge.  I really enjoyed it.  Alot of the concepts make alot of sense and the author gives alot of concrete and real world examples.  I think every executive and manager at every company should read this, even if they don't implement any of these concepts.  I can also see some of these concepts working with parenting, especially with goal setting and incentives.  It was really interesting.

September Wrap Up

I had a pretty ambitious TBR for the month, and I did pretty well.  I didn't get to everything on my list, but some of those were ARCs for October, so we can let those slide.  I also read ahead for my October TBR because I was afraid I wasn't going to finish some of the longer books.   Overall I think I had a great reading month.  I read some really great stuff this month.  October is shaping up to be about the same, way too many books to read (as if that is a problem) and not enough time to read them (an actual problem). 

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
• Review
• This came out September 3rd.  This is a Scandinavian thriller about a man who leaves little chestnut dolls at the scene of his very violent crime scenes.  It is good but in my opinion far too long and has way too much going on.  I often lost interest in what was happening because there were too many different things happening to too many characters and it took too long to resolve everything.  I find this is my typical reaction to Nordic Noir.  I like them but they are too slow.  I do better with the audiobook version.  I do think this will make an excellent movie.
• Beard with Me by Penny Reid
• Review
• This is one of  my most anticipated books of the year, this and the next one Beard Necessities.  This came out September 16th and was heartbreaking.  This is book 5.5 of the Winston Brothers series and it tells Billy and Claire aka Scarlet's story when they were teenagers.  The next book tells their story when they are adults and I can't wait.  Beard with Me is tragic and reveals so many things from the series that I've been wanting answers to.  If you haven't read the series, they are some of my favorites and this couple has been waiting for their book for a very long time!
• The Grace Year by Kim Liggett 
• Review
• This came out September 17th.  This is a YA dystopian set in a very misogynistic society.  When girls turn 16, their Grace Year, they are banished to survive that year on their own to rid themselves of their magic and sin.  Women are treated as property and if they fall out of line they are punished.  Their grace year is the only time they are allowed to act freely because they are consumed by magic, or are they?  I really liked this.  It was fast paced and had some really disturbing parallels to real life.
• War of Hearts by S. Young
• Review
• I'm so glad that Samantha has returned to her paranormal romance roots.  I loved this.  I has the qualities of her romance books that I love as well as the paranormal fantasy elements that made me first love her books when I found them years ago.  This is an awesome merging of all of the things I love about her writing.  This is a standalone novel due out October 1st, but I hope there are more books coming.  It follows Thea a paranormal of unknown origin and Conall a Scottish Werewolf.  Conall has a unique tracking gift and he is essentially hired to track Thea down by her adoptive father.  All is not what it seems and Thea and Conall find themselves on the run from several different factions that either want Thea dead or want to use her for her power.  It's a romance too, so I don't have to tell you the rest.  
• Saving Fable by Scott Reintgen 
• Review
• This came out September 17th.  This is a new middle grade fantasy series by Reintgen.  I loved his sci-fi trilogy Nyxia and this is so much fun.  This follows a fairy tale character who is waiting for her story.  It was amazing and I loved it!
• Kiss Me Tonight by Emma Hart
• Review
• This is a hilarious romcom.  It begins with a naughty text sent to the wrong number.  Reagan is outspoken already, and decides to engage the texter to tell him he's got the wrong number and witty banter ensues.  They end up having friendly text conversations when tragedy strikes and Reagan's apartment burns down.  She's rescued by a fireman, who comes to check on her in the hospital.  Her hero is none other than her text friend Noah, who happens to be the man of her fantasies.  He's hot, tattooed, and he has a ridiculous chihuahua.  Coincidence?  I think not.  This is a quick and funny read.  I read it in a couple of hours.  I really love this series and can't wait for the next book due out in October.  This was published on September 24th.
• Baking Me Crazy by Karla Sorensen
• Review
• This is a friends to lovers romantic comedy.  It is really adorable and not full of angst.  It follows Joss, a girl in a wheelchair which is something we don't often see in romance. Her best friend Levi is in love with her, but they met shortly after a wicked virus left her paralyzed from the knee down.  She wasn't ready for his affection, but she needed a friend.  She and Levi begin navigating what it means if their relationship changes to something more.  I really enjoyed being back in Green Valley and the Donner Bakery.  This comes out October 8th.
• The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout
• Review
• This picks up where The Darkest Star left off.  Evie is trying to come to grips with her identity and how Luc fits into her life.  Strange things happen pitting humans against Luxen putting our cast in a precarious situation.   As usual there is more to the story than meets the eye and Luc and Evie are at the center of it.  I really enjoyed this sequel and I'm really liking this spinoff series.  This also comes out October 8th.

Audiobooks

I didn't get to everything on my September TBR for audio, but most of these are longer books so I'm not upset about my progress.  I also finished up a few reading challenge prompts, so we are making steady progress on that front.

• The Library Book by Susan Orlean
• This really wasn't what I was expecting.  It was very well written, and well narrated by the author herself.  I was expecting more of a true crime novel about the fire at the library.  I was disappointed because I didn't not get what I was expecting not because of anything else.  This is more of a love letter to the LA Central library and the library system, with information about the fire thrown in here and there.  The timeline jumps around alot and there is a ton of valuable history in this book, it just doesn't solely focus on the fire or the investigation.  It is a very interesting book for sure.
• The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
• I read this for the popsugar reading challenge to read a book with sugar in the title.  This was short and cute.  It wasn't my favorite.  It has some elements that I don't love.  The main character has little self-esteem and she is treated very poorly by her mother and the rest of the town. She is naive and sheltered and rarely leaves the house other than to take her ailing mother to the ladies of privilege social gatherings.  I did like the interaction with Chloe and Josey.  Them meeting and becoming friends were my favorite scenes.
• The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
• Review
• I really enjoyed this.  It is actually the first book in The Physick series.  I read the 2nd book back in July and really enjoyed it.  This sets up some of the back story but they are both standalones.  I really enjoy anything involving the Salem Witch trials and this delivers.  It is a nice blend of historical fiction, magical realism, a little fantasy, and has a nice romance.  
• The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
• This was amazing.  I've had this on my TBR forever.  I highly recommend the audiobook.  I really enjoyed getting to know Eve and Charlie.  Both of their stories and how they intersect is a compelling tale.  Eve is a spy during WWI sent to France to bring back information to the Alice Network, a group of female spies placed strategically throughout France to gather information on the Germans.  Charlie is an American, headed to Europe to take care of her little problem, aka an unwanted pregnancy.  She decides to take a detour from her very proper, French mother to look for her long lost French cousin Rose who disappeared during WWII.  Charlie was given Eve's name as someone who might be able to help her find Rose.  The tale is one of heartbreak, revenge, loss, and trauma.  I really loved this!
• Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab
• This sequel follows our Cassidy, daughter of ghost hunters except she can actually see and talk to the dead.  This installment takes place in France as her parents shoot footage for their TV show about the haunted history of Paris.  Cassidy attracts the company of a long dead French poltergeist and she has to figure out how to get him to pass on before he really hurts someone.  Accompanied by her BFF ghost Jacob and fellow ghost whisper Lara, Cassidy must dodge her parents and save the city from mischief and mayhem.  This is a great read for fall.  It is a little creepy, not too scary, and perfect for young readers who want to dabble in horror.
• Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King
• I started a reread of this series via audio a while ago, but I took a break after Wizard and Glass because I was going to read The Wind Through the Keyhole.  Well that paperback has been collecting dust on my shelf for a while now and I've decided to pick back up on my reread.  This follows our favorite ka-tet on yet another weird adventure as they try to get closer to the dark tower.  It also made me realize that I'm a terrible Stephen King fan because I've never read Salem's Lot.  I have had a copy for approximately 1000000 years, no seriously I've probably had my copy for close to 25 years and I hope to get to it before the end of this one.

August Wrap up

I had a lot going on in August as far as reading.  I got about halfway through the month and felt really slumpy, but I had so many books to get through by the first week of September that I knew I had to push through.  I think the slump was partly due to the fact that I started out with a couple of books that I just didn't like.  They weren't terrible but they weren't things that really gripped me and I was just reading them for challenge prompts.  I also think I took on way too much by doing NEWTs and the Netgalley reviewathon.  While they were all books I wanted to read or intended to read anyway, it was just too much pressure.  I realized about halfway through the month, I had books to review in early September and need to switch gears.  I got a little overwhelmed and it is no one's fault but my own.  In the end I got everything read and reviewed, and the stuff on my TBR I didn't get to will get read in September.  No big deal.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• This was just OK for me, I feel it was definitely geared more towards the 9-12 boy demographic.  It has thievery, magic, action, and fart jokes.  I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times, the characters are quite hilarious.  I think my younger self would have really enjoyed this series.  This has been on my TBR for a while, but I won't be continuing on.  I was also using this as my book that was being turned into a movie in 2019, but I read that the  movie is being pushed to 2020 so this just counts for NEWTs.
• The Hanged Man and the Fortune Teller by Lucy Banks
• Review
• This is a paranormal historical fiction.  I really enjoy Bank's writing style.  This wasn't as humorous as her previous books, it was actually kind of sad and somber.  The historical fiction and time jumps were an interesting way to tell the story.  
• Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
• Review
• This started out a bit slowly for me, but it picks up at about 40%.  It follows Lou, a thief and witch in hiding.  Witches are persecuted by the church and due to a case of very bad luck she finds herself  married to one of the church's most pious warriors.  As Lou and Reid figure out their very unconventional relationship, she finds herself actually coming to like her husband despite the fact that he'll burn her at the stake if he finds out her true identity.  I really enjoyed this one, but it ends with a cliffhanger.
• Extinction of All Children by L.J. Epps
• Review
• This is a dystopian story set in the year 2098.  It follows main character Emma who is the last child to turn 18, as she was also the last child allowed to be born in the impoverished Territory L.  This has Hunger Games vibes, but Emma is no Katniss Everdeen.  This is an OK start to the series, but it lacks character development and is fairly tropey and predictable.  I will continue on with the series, but I have other books that will likely take priority.
• The Whisper Man by Alex North
• Review
• This is one of my favorite thrillers of the year.  It follows a father and son as they are recovering from the loss of their wife/mother.  As they try to find a fresh start, a copycat murderer begins to plague the town they live in and the son appears to be his next target.  This was creepy without being too gory and I really enjoyed the twists and turns.  
• Crew Princess by Tijan
• Review
• This is the 2nd book in the Crew series, but it still follows Bren and her friends who are a gang that isn't a gang.  Their world is filled with violence and loyalty unlike anything else you've ever experienced.  They are pitted against two other crews as graduation approaches.  Not only does Bren have to face her future and deal with the emotions that brings but she also has to try not to break the rules of her probation and end up in jail.
• Kiss Me Not by Emma Hart
• Review
• This is a romantic comedy and it is hilarious.  It follows the local librarian and kissing booth champion as she deals with her crush and nemesis as her competition.  As you can imagine being forced to listen to him kiss other women gets on her nerves and forces her to face her feeling for him
• Star Mage Vol 2 by J.C De La Torre and Facundo Percio
• I read the first volume of this for the OWLs a few months back, this is volumes 1-6 so I picked up with volume 2 to fill a NEWTs prompt.  The art is really great, but the plot is kind of silly.  It isn't overly violent or gory and the dialogue is a bit juvenile but I think it is geared more toward the younger crowd.   This isn't bad, I do feel like my boys would really enjoy it.

Audiobooks

I got through quite a few audiobooks I've been meaning to get to this month.  Most of these were pretty good and almost all of them filled in some sort of challenge prompt.  I got through 10 audiobooks this month and I think that is a great success.

• Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
• This is the follow up to Vicious and follows Eli and Victor as well as some new characters with extraordinary abilities.  Each of the characters plays a very specific role, and none of them are good.  This is a great anti-hero story as none of the characters are particularly likeable, and they are all bad guys.  I really enjoy Schwab's writing and her ability to craft a story.  
• My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
• Review
• This book was crazy.  It follows a seemingly normal couple with murderous tendencies.  As they carry out their psycho fantasy, they create a ruse to cover up their naughty deeds.  I wanted to love this, but I found this predictable and not very suspenseful.  While entertaining, I found most of their crazy behavior unrealisting and this just wasn't as gripping as I wanted it to be.
• The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
• I bought the ebook of this a while back when it was on sale around the holidays.  The ebook has pictures of the girls and some of the other key players in the story.  I really enjoyed the audiobook though as nonfiction can sometimes take me a long time to get through.  I so glad I finally got to this.  The story of the girls is a powerful one, it is devastating to hear how they were treated by the greedy executives.
• Bladerunner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
• This was really weird.  That is pretty much all I have to say.  I was able to use this for a popsugar reading prompt and it has been on my TBR for a long time.  It is one of those books that makes you think way to hard.  This just isn't my preferred style of book.  I can see why people like it, it is just not for me.
• Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo
• I won a copy of this audiobook ages ago from the publisher and have been meaning to get to it.  It is about a ragtag group of strangers who come together as a rebel Robin Hood like faction to save the education system of Nigeria.  It is really well written and narrated.  If you like realistic fiction I recommend it.
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
• I've been looking forward to this book for some time.  It however is not the best WWII historical fiction book I've ever read.  It is reads as though it were a movie and lacks the depth I expect from my books.  It isn't bad by any means it just felt like it was a bit fantastical given the serious nature of the subject matter.  
• Midnight Secrets by Rita Stradling
• The author was giving away audible credits for this so I grabbed one.  Who doesn't want a free audiobook!   This was a quick YA paranormal romance.  It has an unusual take on the vampire mythology as our main character is a vampire, but other than drinking blood she doesn't really adhere to any of the other vampire myths we are used to.  Parts of this are problematic, but overall I enjoyed it.
• The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
• I picked this up when Penguin Random House had this free for their Volumes Book Club.  I'd heard good things and again who can pass up a free audiobook.  I really liked this until about halfway through.  The self-depreciation, self-doubt, and second guessing of the relationship from both characters who are successful, confident professionals got old and very repetitive.  This was a really cute story, but Alexa was this awesome badass character who got really annoying with her self confidence problems.  
• The Lost Man by Jane Harper
• I read this for the Read Harder challenge to read something about journalism or by a journalist.  Jane Harper was a journalist for many years in the UK before she became an author.  I had no idea what this book was about before I started it, but I was really pulled into the Australian outback and its harsh conditions in this family drama/psychological thriller.  This is very well written and I enjoyed it.
• His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
• I actually just finished this today, but I listed to most of it in August so we are counting it.  This started out slow, but I'm glad I stuck it out.  This is awesome.  It is a bit historical fiction, a bit alternate history, and a bit fantasy.  The friendship between the main character Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire is precious and I love them.  If you like dragons I highly recommend this.  Simon Vance narrates this and does an amazing job.  I can't stop listening and now want to binge the entire series.  This fill the prompt for Read Harder for an alternate history this is a reimagining of the Napoleonic War between France and England with dragons.

Netgalley Reviewathon Wrapup

This was a great idea.  I've had about a dozen books on my shelf to review for a while now.  Some were already published when I was approved to review them and some are new releases.  This 6 week reviewathon paired with the other readathons and challenges I'm doing this year gave me the push I needed to clean up my shelf a bit.  I still have quite a few more to go, but this was a good start considering I read a bunch of other stuff as well.

I started with 11 and was approved for 4 more during the 6 week period.  I was able to read and review 5 books for the Reviewathon.  This leaves me with 11 books left on my shelf, but 4 of those come out in September and October.  That leaves me with only 7 on my backlog to review which isn't too bad.

• Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
• Review
• This was a fun middle grade spooky story.  It is perfect for fall time.  It wasn't terribly scary in my opinion, but I like horror novels so take that with a grain of salt.   It gave me RL Stine Fear Street vibes, and I loved those as a kid.  I thought this was very entertaining and I can't wait for the sequel Dead Voices.
• Black Dawn by Mallory McCartney
• Review
• This debut fantasy had a lot of promise but didn't work out.  It had way too much going on, too many character perspectives, and lacked development.  I will not be continuing with the series.
• The Hanged Man and the Fortune Teller by Lucy Banks
• Review
• This is a paranormal historical fiction.  I really enjoy Bank's writing style.  This wasn't as humorous as her previous books, it was actually kind of sad and somber.  The historical fiction and time jumps were an interesting way to tell the story.  
• Extinction of All Children by L.J. Epps
• Review
• This is a dystopian story set in the year 2098.  It follows main character Emma who is the last child to turn 18, as she was also the last child allowed to be born in the impoverished Territory L.  This has Hunger Games vibes, but Emma is no Katniss Everdeen.  This is an OK start to the series, but it lacks character development and is fairly tropey and predictable.  I will continue on with the series, but I have other books that will likely take priority.
• The Whisper Man by Alex North
• Review
• This is one of my favorite thrillers of the year.  It follows a father and son as they are recovering from the loss of their wife/mother.  As they try to find a fresh start, a copycat murderer begins to plague the town they live in and the son appears to be his next target.  This was creepy without being too gory and I really enjoyed the twists and turns.  

Books due out soon

• The Grace Year by Kim Liggett due out September 17th
• Saving Fable by Scott Reintgen due out September 17th
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris due out October 3rd
• The Furies by Katie Lowe due out October 3rd
• Ashlords by Scott Reintgen due out January 2020

Books already published that I hope to get to by the end of the year

• Journey To Territory M by L.J. Epps
• Journey To Territory U by L.J. Epps
• An Act of Faith by C.A. Oliver
• A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart
• The Broken Destiny by Carlyle Labushagne
• Last Night by Karen Ellis

Photo Credit: Netgalley