Waiting on Wednesday

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

When twins Eira and Soren escape from their survivalist home into a world overcome by zombies, there's only one way to stay run!Eira and Soren are queer twins living with their survivalist parents when a plague starts spreading that turns people into zombie-like monsters. They disagree with their parents about a lot, but they can't deny that their way of life keeps them safe while much of the world perishes--for now. When it becomes clear that their safety won't last, the twins decide to strike out on their own.They don't get far before encountering the one remaining person in the closest the librarian, Racer, a gold medal-winning Special Olympics champion. Racer is appalled at the twins’ slow speed and tells them that their survivalist skills aren't worth anything if they can't outrun the monsters. He sets them on a training regimen that comes in handy when they embark on the bigger journey ahead of them.On their trek they find friends, enemies, and even love. But with zombies on their heels at every turn, will they ever be able to slow down?

What I'm Waiting:  Because while zombie books are usually my favorite things, this one sound too good (funny) to pass over!

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

Discover tantalizing recipes, spine-tingling stories, and historic photos from the most notoriously haunted locations across America in this fun and fascinating cookbook. Paranormal investigator and Kindred Spirits co-host Amy Bruni leads you through eerie hotels, haunted homes, hellish hospitals, and spooky ghost towns, giving you stories and a recipe from each place.

Whether you're in the mood for Lizzie Borden's meatloaf or want to serve up spooky prison stories along with sugar cookies from Alcatraz, Food to Die For is your guide to ghoulish gastronomy.

One of America's favorite ghost hunters, Amy Bruni takes you to mysterious hotels, eerie ghost towns, and possessed pubs in this delightfully sinister collection of stories and recipes. Each of the nearly 60 locations in Food to Die For 

Vintage photographs and charmingly creepy stories rooted in historyA noteworthy recipe associated with the people or placeFull-color, captivating, and hauntingly styled food photos to inspire a killer kitchen experienceThis terrifyingly tasty cookbook will bewitch anyone

Has a taste for the paranormal and a hunger to try new foodsLoves history, travel, and culinary curiositiesEnjoys entertaining guests in unique and memorable waysWould get goosebumps making a recipe written 300 years ago 

History buffs, thrill-seekers, and foodies will all get shivers seeing the past come to life with every enchanted recipe and delicious tale from Food to Die For.

HAPPY READING!!

Currently Reading

At the start of the month, I did a current reading post about the ridiculous number of books I'd managed to start at the end of June. In fact, I was currently reading five books. Not to mention the fact I had three NetGalley books that needed my attention. One of them still needs my attention, but I've finally started the other two. That's a win for me because I have a bad habit of my eyes being bigger than my ability to read. I tend to get very excited about books and forget how slow of a reader I am. Seriously, I love reading, but I'm such a slow reader.

On that note I did manage to finish three books off the list at the start of the month: Frugal Wizard's Guide, Heir of Novron, and Ghost Stories. I put a small dent in Botanical Daughter, this should really be my focus in August to finally finish. That really should be one reading goal for next month. Finish Botanical Daughter because we're enjoying and it's silly that I haven't dove deeper into it. 

This is a two-step forward, one-step back moment though. Because yes I knocked three books off that list, but I've added two tanks to NetGalley. I didn't pick up Black Box of Doom once this month! And I really need to finish it in August too because it's due to come out in September. So maybe two goals for next month. Even if I only read two books next month, they should probably be these two books. 

So in the end no progress was made because I'm still in the same boat, only with different books. Which seems to be a cycle I'll never be able to break. I just really like starting books, but seem very bad at finishing them. Does anyone else have this problem? Or, is it just me?

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

      

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

In this middle-grade mystery, eleven year old Charlie moves from NYC to Florida only to find herself in the haunted Winklevoss Manor. To her surprise, she's not alone—she's joined by three mischievous ghosts cursed for snatching a dead man's diamond.After twelve-year-old Charlie moves from New York City to sweaty, sticky Florida, she’ll do anything to get back home.Even if it involves ghosts.Winklevoss Manor, Charlie’s new house, is a towering Victorian mansion famous for one thing—it’s haunted. Three ghosts—Ada, Arthur, and Guff—live there, and not by choice. They’re trapped, cursed for stealing a dead man’s diamond. A diamond that, just like the ghosts, is still in the house. And this gets Charlie thinking. . .Maybe if she can find the diamond and sell it, Charlie’s family could have enough money to move back to the city. But lifting the curse isn’t that simple, especially when she’s pitted against the school bully and three unruly spirits. It’s frightening to think about, but what if the only way to get rid of the ghosts and curses is by doing what Charlie fears the most—confronting the past that haunts her?

HAPPY READING!!

The World's Favorite Ghost Stories - Review

Author: Tony Brueski

Genre: Ghost Stories

Format: e-Book

Pages: 192

Thank you to Netgalley and Callisto for sending me an advance copy of The World's Favorite Ghost Stories, which hits shelves on August 20, 2024.

Like with all anthologies this contained some stories that hit and some that missed. Overall I liked the stories inside of here, most of which were new to me. One I had forgotten all about, but was one I read way back in college. That one was really fun to reread after all these years, it was like unlocking a core memory. So for the most I really enjoyed this book and I'm really glad I got the chance to read this early thanks to NetGalley. Because this is an anthology and because I was given the chance to read this early, I reviewed each story as I read them. These were all classics from way back when, but these are my honest thoughts. 

Also, very quickly. Let's take note of this solid cover because it's without a doubt what originally caught my eye about this book. Solid cover and I cannot wait to see what looks like in solid form in August!

The Listener: 2 Stars

The concept is super scary, and this story got so close a handful of times. The problem was the main character is very unlikeable, and everything is from his point of view. Which should have made it scary, but his thoughts kept going in circles and it kind of pulled away from the story. There was so much build-up that was so creepy, but every time the jump scares just sort of fell flat. The downside was this was the first story right out of the gate. So it set a tone that was hard to jump back into this book after a couple of days. This one just never reached its full potential. 

Only A Dream: 3 Stars

This is a weird one and has a bit of a frantic kind of energy to it, which worked for the story. The sort of quick pace that kind of circles itself, adds to the stress and helps keep you on the edge of your seat. I spent the first third of the story wanting the man to not open the door, the second third worried the ghost was going to just lunge out the man, and the last half questioning why would he open the basket. WHY?! We all knew what was in there, we didn't need to open it. Still, this was a step above the first story.

The Moonlight Road: 4 Stars

This was really good and really sad. Super sad, like bring down the room sad. It was also very creepy. The perfect kind of campfire tale or slumber-part ghost story. We get three different points of view in this one. The first two stories kind of back each other up with a random main being the murder, but in the last point of view, the psychic says something else. I liked this one. I'm still not sure what happened, but I was reading it in the dark, and creeped me out.

Jikininki: 4 Stars

This was cool! A hundred percent a campfire, fire pit, ghost story. Wandering in the forest is always a quick way to find yourself in the middle of a ghost situation. It also sends chills down my spine cause the middle got really creepy. Also who just walks into a run-down-looking shack thing? Even if another priest, or monk, lives there. Bad things happen in run-down shacks in the middle of the forest. Seriously. Still, this was really good. I liked it.

The Spector Lovers: DNF

I thought I was tired when I started this one so it wasn't holding my attention. So I started it again the next day, but I just couldn't get into this one. It started out fine and I was interested and then it tapers off for me, and I kept getting distracted instead of reading. So I DNF'ed this one.

His Dead Wife's Photograph: 3 Stars

I love the idea of spirit photography and the thought of capturing a moment in time. I thought this was a beautiful story of the first way of getting that photograph she wanted even after death. It's not a malevolent haunting, just a moment, a reminder that was once there. I also thought it was wonderfully told by a third party. Not a scary ghost story, but a soft and beautiful one.

The Yellow Wallpaper: 4 Stars

I read this one way back in college. I didn't remember until about halfway through the story, and then I realized I knew how this one was going to end. Thinking back, in college I didn't care so much for this story. Years later on a second read, I do really like this story and maybe it's because I understand the main character a little better and her predicament. It was great to get to go back and rediscover this story!

The Grateful Ghost: 4 Stars

Okay, well that was hauntingly beautiful, and proof that not every ghost story needs to be scary. This was a story about how one good deed can create another good deed. One simple act changed the course of another man's life, though he expected nothing in return. While very short, I enjoyed this story and it was a really great note to start my day off with! 

What Was It?: 4 Stars

My dudes! My dudes! This story was so good. It's what I've been wanting out of this anthology from the start. Have there been good campfires, by the candlelight, stories? Yes, there have and some have been very eerie and creepy. But this one, this one pulled at my attention. It sets you up with this perfect haunted house that all these learned men go to stay in to see the ghosts. Only there is no ghost, but there is something else. It was so good! It sucked me with the ghost, but the monster, invisible man, and opium-based fever dream, the thing kept me until the end. I love that it's a bit of an open ending. This one I think will stay with me for a bit.

 

The Marble Arch: 3 Stars

What an odd story. I liked it well enough, in the sense that it's interesting. Parts of it are rough, though I imagine that has more to do with the translation. The twists keep the story going and move quickly so you don't get bored. Though I don't know if I'd call this a ghost story. It's definitely a wonderful tale with a happy ending. But it doesn't really feel like a ghost story to me. Despite many twists I never really felt any intense moments, nothing truly spooky, nothing made my heart race. But I did keep reading to find out the true fates of the characters. Maybe some of those moments got lost in the translation to make feel less like a ghost story. Maybe it's one that was scarier in its time. Either way, it's still a solid short story. Just super weird.  

The Shell of Sense: 3 Stars

This was not the ghost story I thought I was getting. It wasn't vengeful at all, in fact, it was kind of beautiful. Just a woman trying to make sure two of the people she cared so much about were taken care of. While I prefer my ghost stories a little more creepy, I did like this one.

Silence: DNF

This is another one that I don't think translation did any favors, or maybe it was the writing style. But I couldn't keep my head on this one. I'd manage two pages then wander off somewhere else.

Lost Hearts: 3 Stars

This was a great way to close out the entire book! So creepy. I will say I need to go back and read this one again in a few days. Because this anthology has been weighing on me to finish so I don't think I got to enjoy or take it in a way it deserved. Because in just eleven-ish pages there seemed to be a lot going on. But I had to read this on my phone and I was super frustrated with the story before this one that I was distracted. On feels like a second read, I'd give this one a higher rating because it felt really creepy, my mind space was just not perfect. Definitely one I need to come for.

Are these the world's favorite ghost stories? Mayhaps. I enjoyed quite a few of these, and even found a new favorite in What Was It? but there were definitely some of these stories that were not for me. But, it was a great collection of ghost stories that for the most part I had never read. If you're a fan of classic ghost stories I suggest picking this one up, there are some gems hidden inside these pages!

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

 

Gert is back! And to no one surprise, she's not doing well. Gert is all grown up as I said she's struggling. I have missed this universe so much. While Skottie Young wrapped up the first part of this series well, I'm pumped to be back in Fairyland. I'm probably the only one. We all know that Gert doesn't want to be there, but she's been struggling since her return from Fairyland. Something that I don't think surprised anyone. I love how this started out as a world-domination plot, but ended with Gert stuck in Fairyland, again. This held the same sort of chaotic fun of the original series, and while Young is no longer doing the art, Brett Bean didn't do a cracking job. Each page is still colorful, and bloody, and it feels like no time has passed between volumes four and five. This was a lot of fun from start to finish. I liked that we got to finally see a bit beyond Fairyland, and a little more about where, and what, Fairyland is. I'm even more stocked about a familiar face about to make an appearance in the next volume! I've missed him most of all!

HAPPY READING!!

The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England - Review

 

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy

Format: Hardback

Pages: 366

This was my first Brandon Sanderson book. I know many people who have read the Mistborn series and loved it, and I'm pretty sure I would also love it. But they are such large books that it's hard to jump into them. I'm not good at jumping into big books. I'm also very bad at jumping into books that are generally loved by a lot of people. It's a lot of pressure okay. But this little beauty felt like the perfect way to jump into a Brandon Sanderson book.

The first thing that caught my attention was the title, which just immediately sucks you in. Second is this cover, it just promises whimsy and a good time. Third was the actual plot of this book. I'm so happy it wasn't time travel, I'm not good with time travel books. I get confused, the tenses get confused, and then someone becomes their own grandfather and it gets weird. And sometimes too sciency, and my brain isn't built for that.

Parrell dimensions, however, are those I can get behind. I do like a good multiverse, and it doesn't surprise me that humans found a way to make money off of those multiverses. It's just good math.

What I really love about this book is for a good two-thirds of the book you have zero idea now what's going on. All of this is told through the eyes of our main character John, who thanks to stumbling face-first into a portal to another dimension, has zero memories of who he is. Throughout the story he starts to piece it all together as he discovers this medieval world he's stumbled into. It's the memory lost and for a first-person narrative that makes this a lot of fun.

Not only do you get to learn this new world along with John, but you get to meet the real John as well. We learn what people from the modern world think of him, and we know what the people of this old world think of him. And, then we get to meet the kind of man John finds himself to be. So despite all the humor, battles, and weird futuristic science, is a heartwarming story of self-discovery. 

While there is a lot of science in this, Sanderson pulled from a lot of classic science fiction tropes, so it was easy to follow along with the tech. Also, the amount of research that went into the medieval aspect of this aces. I know very little about that time, I don't normally read a lot of books based there because they tend to get a little dry with a lot of details about things that aren't my cuppa. Sanderson managed to avoid that but still had a lot of detail about the villages, way of life, and the people. All of which we say through John's eyes or learned about through other characters.

I really liked a lot about this book from the easy world-building and the characters as well. I loved the twists as John got his memory back, and the ending was great as well. I didn't feel like a single t didn't cross as I hit the last page, but I was sad that the story was over. I could read a whole series with this cast of characters. Only I'm not sure what else they could be doing, or where they would go. But I did this cast so much that I would follow them on another adventure.

I know this all sounds very serious but the comedic timing on this one was also perfect. No moment felt forced, and a lot of times I was laughing out loud. In fact, I found myself a little sad that I'd checked this one out from the library. Because this is one of those books I would have highlighted and mark the crap out of. There were so many solid moments that I adored. Even a few I had to share with other people because they lead into jokes we tell each other.

Easily though my favorite part of this where the little breaks where we got pieces of the actual handbook to medieval England. Those moments give such Terry Pratchett vibes mixed with a little Douglas Adams as well. Both of those things were aces in my book, those are two of my favorite comfort authors.

This was a fun read and I'm so happy it came across my library's for you section. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

That’s the one. That’s the girl who’s going to die.

I didn’t believe in the Rule of Three. Not at first. It was just one of those urban myths you hear about all the time. A story my boyfriend told me about a girl cursed by the number three. A girl whose parents had killed themselves after her sibling had died in an accident. Which meant that she was doomed to die too because that’s the Rule of Three.

Bad things always happen in threes, they say, and they are right. Because it’s happening again.

But this time the curse is coming for me. And worst of all?

It’s coming for you, too.

Why I'm Waiting: Because I'm pretty sure this book is going to emotionally destroy me, and those are my favorite kinds of horror books.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

 

A violent storm washes a mysterious house onto a rural Pacific Northwest beach, stopping the heart of the only woman who knows what it means. Her grandson, Simon Culpepper, vanishes in the aftermath, leaving two of his childhood friends to comb the small, isolated island for answers―but decades have passed since Melissa and Leo were close, if they were ever close at all.

Now they'll have to put aside old rivalries and grudges if they want to find or save the man who brought them together in the first place―and on the way they'll learn a great deal about the sinister house on the beach, the man who built it, and the evil he's bringing back to Marrowstone Island.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

      

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver. For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist’s eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves—but it doesn’t take long for James to realize he’s made a devil’s bargain . . .   Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice. Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists—the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.   James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it’s cold-blooded murder . . .   Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction in a rollicking tale of the risks and rewards of scientific pursuit, the passions of its boldest pioneers, and the anatomy of human desire.  

HAPPY READING!!

Book Haul

Okay, so when I went shopping on Wednesday, it was for every specific thing. It was to go to Pop-Mart in search of the cute little Universal Monster dolls they had. Which I found, and they are both creepy and cute. I also went to snoop about Box Lunch. What I hadn't planned on doing was randomly finding a brand-new comic book store.

But, I did. Mostly because I rarely ever go to the mall, and I always forget which way I came into the courtyard. Today, however, it paid because wouldn't you know it. The mall has a comic book store. I a really nice one. Full of treasure. 

The plan was to poke around, see what they had, make a small list, and then come back. But. But! Volume 5 and 6 of I Hate Fairyland. Something I have been trying to get my hands on since volume 5 hit shelves. But has been sold out, or in some weird cases was never stocked, at my local places.

However, the owner of Phantom Zone Comics reassured me that he always has copies of this series on hand. So we bonded over our love for this series. Because it's amazing! I adore it, and no I did not wait to read and savor these. 

A review will be out sooner, not later!

HAPPY READING!!

August Silent Book Club

Thank you to everyone who came to the July Silent Book Club last night. It was great to see a full house again! So many of us were reading Brandon Sanderson! I was pleasantly surprised by our turnout. Our RSVPs were low, but the weather cranked it up to almost 90. So a lot of us were happy to have a couple of houses in the AC! 

If you missed out on this month's meet-up, have no fear. Silent Book Club will be back on August 21! Same bat-time, same bat-channel! As you can see there is no wrong way to read: library books, graphic novels, Kindles, even audiobooks. Whoever, and whatever, is welcome! 

I even saw my cohost with a physical book this month! Personally, I go back and forth between my Kindle and physical reads. This month I was reading a library book. Hard to tell where my mood will take me next month!

Hope to you see next month!

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

A dance to the death. A girl who’s just as monstrous as H.H. Holmes. A hallway that’s constantly changing―and hungry. All of these stories exist in the same place―within the frame of a particular house that isn’t bound by the laws of time and space.

Following in the footsteps of dark/horror-filled YA anthologies like His Hideous Heart and Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, and Netflix’s groundbreaking adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House, this YA speculative fiction anthology explores how the permanence of a home can become a space of transition and change for both the inhabitants and the creatures who haunt them.

Each story in the anthology will focus on a different room in the house and feature unique takes on monsters from a wide array of cultural traditions. Whether it’s a demonic Trickster, a water-loving Rusalka, or a horrifying, baby-imitating Tiyanak, there’s bound to be something sinister lurking in the shadows.

Why I'm Waiting: You had me at H.H. Holmes! 

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

 

Discover the history and culture of the 100 most fearsome mythical creatures to capture the human imagination in this startlingly illustrated compendium.

Accompanied by illustrations of each beast, Freaky Folklore is your guide to the world’s most terrifying beings, from ancient times to today. Hosts from the leading horror podcast network, Eeriecast, present the most frightening—and entertaining—tales of these mysterious creatures, revealing everything you need to know.

This beautifully creepy collection is filled with wicked monsters,
 
Freaky Folklore has the stories, culture, and illustrations for you to be on the lookout for these beasts. Dive into the world of mythology and find what makes each creature unique.

My review can be found here!

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

      

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan. He is the founder, owner, and manager of The Hitchcock Hotel, a sprawling Victorian house in the White Mountains dedicated to the Master of Suspense. There, Alfred offers his guests round-the-clock film screenings, movie props and memorabilia in every room, plus an aviary with fifty crows.

To celebrate the hotel’s first anniversary, he invites his former best friends from his college Film Club for a reunion. He hasn’t spoken to any of them in sixteen years, not after what happened.

But who better than them to appreciate Alfred’s creation? And to help him finish it.

After all, no Hitchcock set is complete without a body.

HAPPY READING!!

July Silent Book Club

Hi! Hello! Me again! Just a reminder that this coming Wednesday, the 17th of July at 7pm, is the Edmonds Silent Book Club. So if you're in the Seattle area and need to get out of the sun, come join us for food, drinks, and an hour of reading. All reading is well, all genres, and all ages! For more information, jump on over to Instagram to @silentbookclubedmonds!

HAPPY READING!!

Currently Reading

Okay, we're officially halfway through the year and nearly halfway through the month. I've mentioned this a couple of times, but I've been really good at starting books, and only sort of good at finishing them. While I've knocked two books off my Currently Reading Pile from last week. I have in fact added another book, gotten a new book from NetGalley, and one of my holds came in. So that all happened. I've managed to not start any of them. This is a feat considering I'm really pumped for the NetGalley book. It's right up my alley, and I'm only waiting for my three-day weekend which I've carved out next week. 

It's one of those, I don't need to take off from work, but we've been a bit overstaffed on those days, so I'm taking a small summer break to help out. I might go on a little trip. I haven't decided yet. There is a good chance I'll find a sunny spot and read all weekend. And probably spooky shopping. 

Currently Reading:

The Jason Paragin book is good, but it's been hard for me to read. Abbott has a lot of anxiety and you feel it when you read his chapters, which is great because we get to know him as a character through the way his mind works. However, his chapters make me sleepy because he's a lot. Ghost Stories is also slow going because these are older books, early 1900s and later, so after a couple of stories I need a break. Which has been nice because it means I'm getting to enjoy this without devouring each story. 

I really like A Botanical Daughter, but there's a lot of botany involved so after a couple of chapters my brain needs a break. So I haven't been rushing this one either because I don't want to miss anything. I really like how Medlock is reworking the Frankenstein story. Heir of Novron I just started Tuesday, it's a chore audiobook, and I'm the opener and solo in the restaurant for a few hours audiobook. While I'm excited to see how this series is going to end, I'm also bummed to nearly be finished with this series.

Frugal Wizard is my first Brandon Sanderson book, and I'm loving it. I'm halfway through it at this point. It's super weird and I have no idea what's going on. Which is what I like about it. We're finding everything out with the main character as it all unfolds. I don't even have a theory because I'm here for the ride on this one.

So yeah, that's the stack, the tally. I'll probably finish at least two of these by the end of the week. I'm going to a concert on Sunday. This means a lot of waiting, which means it's a good thing I got a couple books on my phone! There's a good chance I'll manage to finish Ghost Stories and Frugal Wizard before next Monday. If not, Silent Book Club is this coming Wednesday. So there's that!

HAPPY READING!!

Rise of Empire - Review

Author: Micheal J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy 

Format: Paperback

Pages: 786

Okay, I did it, I cracked open volume two despite knowing that my boys would fight and that all seven hundred-odd pages would be filled with pain. Despite knowing all of this, I dove right into it because I've been itching to learn more about Hadrian's past. To finally have him realize who he is and that he has a purpose. That he was always meant to be a protector, even if he lost his way for a bit. I'm so glad I didn't wait to pick this one, because yeah there were some stressful moments, but all around this was a really good read, listen, combo thing I did! 

I've been reading these series in chronological order, but I already know who the Heir is actually going to be. I'm not good at waiting, so I Googled it ages ago. Mostly because I kind of had an idea on the who and I didn't want to wait to get through this series, because the last books are all over seven hundred pages. And that sort of stressed me out. I know they like several smaller books bound together because they all serve one plot, but this was nearly eight hundred pages.

But, I'm doing a combo of the audiobooks and reading along as I listen, and that has honestly been the best combo for me. I love the two voice actors who voice Hadrian and Royce and having all the background sound effects have helped keep my focus on the story. Personally, I think it adds to the whole experience. Because this series is a high fantasy series. So the music, the sounds of sword clashing, and actually hearing the tone in the actors' voices, helped keep my mind on the story, and not how many pages I have left. 

I don't know if it's been said before, but Arista really is my least favorite character. She's so wrapped in everything that's happened to her that she's just not reaching how great she can be. Despite a few moments where I almost change my mind, but then she fails at something and it's like she doesn't know how to stand back up on her feet. She needs someone to constantly give her another reason, and there's so much whining. There have just been so many better, more badass women in this series. Like Gwen and Winter's Daughter Genny! I don't know Arista just isn't a character for me, her chapters are my least favorite, and I don't think I'd cry if she died.

Not something I can say about the last book when baby Pickett died. I'm still not over that!

Still, I really liked this one. It's got some great one-liners, Gwen has my favorite line in this book! It's kind of living rent-free in my head and makes me giggle for no reason. There are some really solid moments between my favorite duo in this as well, that despite everything Royce and Hadrian are family. And despite how much Royce screwed up, Hadrian isn't just going to walk away from Royce. There are also some on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments in this one.

I found the first volume pretty slow due to the plot, it was a lot of build-up and scene setting, which all makes because you hit the ground running, and you don't get a chance to breathe. This plot goes from one bad thing to the next to the next, and then it's sort of over. But you know it's not over because of course there's a war, there's a plot with a fake heir, and now there's a horn.

This was hard to put down, I was reading every chance I got. Every book has fallen by the wayside, and despite the fact I've been reading one since the end of March, I've already started volume three. Listen I have to know how Royce found out everything. What exactly is coming around Wintertide and why do they need this horn. I have too many questions, and I don't want to wait. 

Still my favorite series. Still, my favorite duo, and I'm really worried about how this is all going to end. Gwen has me worried, I don't like that we haven't gotten a chapter from her point of view because I don't like not knowing what she's seen in everyone's palms. 

HAPPY READING!!