New Release Tuesday

Genre: Sci-fi & Young Adule

Series: The Aurora Cycle

Pages: 480

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They're not the heroes we deserve. They're just the ones we could find. Nobody panic. 

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally 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! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But old scores run deep as ever.

On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal’s son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specialises in disappointments.

Savine dan Glokta – socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union – plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.

The age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. With the help of the mad hillwoman Isern-i-Phail, Rikke struggles to control the blessing, or the curse, of the Long Eye. Glimpsing the future is one thing, but with the guiding hand of the First of the Magi still pulling the strings, changing it will be quite another… 

HAPPY READING!!

Bout of Books 25

The time is here again! Bout of Books 25 is right around the corner, and it couldn't come at a better time. I just got some really good books in from the library. So this is the perfect time bust into those and finish the ones I'm halfway through. All of the shows I've been watching on Hulu and Netflix will go on hold as I get back to reading. April wasn't fantastic for me, reading wise. Life sort of put into a rut. I'm slowly getting back into the habit of reading on the bus and not staying up all night watching TV. So I'm it's the perfect time for Bout to come along.

But, what is Bout of Books?

It's a low stress read-a-thon that last a week, May 13th through the 19th. You don't have to have a blog to participate. Social Media works too. Bout of Books moves at whatever pace you need it to. I really like it because it works with my crazy work schedule. It gives me a reason to keep the TV off and limit the amount of time I spend on my computer. You can find more information, here.

For this Bout of Books I do actually have a TBR:

• Deadly Class Book 2
• Ungovernable
• Ghost Stories: Classic Tales of Horror and Suspense

HAPPY READING!!

April Wrap Up

Let's see, worked nearly every day this month to some degree, but I managed to squeeze a few things. Our local theater does a Throwback Thursday event once a month. This month was Princess Bride. So naturally I went. So now that's off my list of things I want to do. I was able to manage Easter lunch with friends. Which turned out pretty amazing. Lastly, I managed to squeeze in Avengers: Endgame. Three hours of pure stress, but so freaking good!

Books Read: 2

Pages Listened to: 12 hours

Pages Reads: 301

DNF: 0

Currently Reading: Who Killed the Fonz? & Grim Solace & Gemina 

• Bout of Books 25
• the Jay Kristoff Event!

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 what 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.

Ivy Gamble has never wanted to be magic. She is perfectly happy with her life—she has an almost-sustainable career as a private investigator, and an empty apartment, and a slight drinking problem. It's a great life and she doesn't wish she was like her estranged sister, the magically gifted professor Tabitha.

But when Ivy is hired to investigate the gruesome murder of a faculty member at Tabitha’s private academy, the stalwart detective starts to lose herself in the case, the life she could have had, and the answer to the mystery that seems just out of her reach.

Why I'm Waiting: I loved River of Teeth and the way Sarah Gailey tells a story. I cannot wait to see what she's about to do next.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

Genre: Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 384

In a quest for a simpler life, Helen and Nate abandon the comforts of suburbia and teaching jobs to take up residence on forty-four acres of rural land where they will begin the ultimate, inspirational do-it-yourself project: building the house of their dreams. When they discover that this charming property has a dark and violent past, Helen, a former history teacher, becomes consumed by the legend of Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who lived and died there a century ago. As Helen starts carefully sourcing decorative building materials for her home - wooden beams, mantles, historic bricks -- she starts to unearth, and literally conjure, the tragic lives of Hattie's descendants, three generations of "Breckenridge women," each of whom died amidst suspicion, and who seem to still be seeking something precious and elusive in the present day.

HAPPY READING!!

Chasing Graves - Review

Author: Ben Galley

Genre: Grimdark Fantasy

Format: e-Book

Pages: 391

I've followed Ben Galley on Twitter for a many moons now, and I finally made myself pick up one of his books. I mean all of his books sound right up my alley. Only Chasing Graves had one extra thing going for it,  Egyptian mythology. Which is something I've been obsessed with since a kid. So I tried a little bit harder to get my hands on this series. As luck would have it, the random name generator that Ben Galley uses seems to like me. So with a promise of a fair and honest review, I downloaded this bad boy to my phone. Lost it when my phone freaked out and panicked. Then re-applied it to the new phone and devoured it.

Every free chance I've had since I managed to get back on my e-reading app I've spent reading this. My roommate even laughed as I was finishing the last few chapters, because I was reading I as making brunch. 

How much did I enjoy this book? So much so that I'm waiting for the second book, Grim Solace, to finish uploading onto my phone.

There so much to like about this book, but I think my favorite thing is that we get thrown into the story kind in the middle of Caltro's story. He's already gone through some stuff and taken a job in a dangerous city because he's kind of got no other choice. We know nothing about him, except that he's smarmy and is a thief. It's the same with every other character we meet. Their story has already started and we've appeared midway through it. The great thing is your not left guessing what happened before the pages started. Ben Galley slowly reveals what you need throughout the plot here and there. Little moments that look random until all of sudden their not so little anymore.

In fact I got so focused on figuring out players and on the little side games, I forgot didn't think to ask the bigger question. Why was the emperor locked away? I knew it wasn't the reason we were being fed. That was too clean, to easy. My theory however was blown out of the water because I hadn't planned it being that! Which I loved by the way, but maybe I should have saw coming. Because I figured out how everyone else fits into this story. The pieces they needed to play. Those two were my odd men out. Moving parts I couldn't place.

Vague, I know. But, no one likes spoilers. Particularly with this reveal. It was one of the moments I yelled 'What?!' through our silent house.

But, on to the next amazing point the world building in Chasing Graves is stellar, and it's not just one landscape that we're shown. Through the story we see different parts of Araxes, some older, some newer, some nasty. But, each section is it's own and Ben Galley makes it so easy to picture these parts as our cast moves through the city. My favorite sights were the Long Sands. I mean they had me at duneworms. I just wished we'd seen one. I'd love to seem more of this world. More of Krass and Skol, even the Scatter Isles. We got a taste of them through out cast, but that was about it

And, the cast for Chasing Graves is really well put together. Each one stands on their own. None of them fell flat with me. I have my favorites: Etane, Caltro, and Ani. Etane because I want to see just how well he can use that sword, and because he comes with all the sass. Caltro because he doesn't want to be the hero of this story, but he's probably going to have to be. Lastly, Ani because she may not be able to hear you beg for your life, but she will enjoy taking it. There are also characters I don't enjoy so much, well mostly two: Vex and Nilith. Mostly Vex just annoys, more so after the ending. As for Nilith, I mean how lucky can one person be?!

Lastly, the writing style. I save this for last because it is more than amazing. So many different pieces are being weaved together in this first book. So many players put into actions, and not once did I feel the story falter. It has a good paces and jumps seamlessly between point-of-view. Chapter-by-chapter more of the story is being unraveled in front of you, but even as the book came to end, I'm not real sure what the endgame will be. Though I do know how more pieces fit together. The amount of research done for this book is easy to see. From the way the mention of the dead gods, to the way Araxes is set up, to the never ending desert. I felt like Caltro trying to unravel every piece of every mystery with each not bit of information that as given out.

In the end I'm left with a lot of questions. Is Nilith going to make it to the Nyxwell in time? What do the dead gods want with Caltro? Will someone smack Vex so hard his head spins? Among a few. All of my questions just make me want to jump into the second book even faster. While the book ended on a cliff hanger, which rude, I'm not unsatisfied with the ending. I'm just hoping the next books has more answered. Because all I now are theories and questions.

Buy, Borrow, or Skip: I'd say buy. This is one of those books that has a lot going on it, and is one you can ready a second time a find something you missed the first time. Some little thing you too busy theorizing to noticed you read.

HAPPY READING!! 

Cover Runway Sunday

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally 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! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

This book is not for the faint of heart or weak in spirit. It’s not for skeptics who don’t believe in fairy tales and the powerful forces of good. It’s only for brave and intrepid souls like you, who will stare down evil in all its forms.

Inspired by the critically acclaimed film written and directed by Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro and reimagined by New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke, this haunting tale takes readers to a darkly magical and war-torn world filled with richly drawn characters like trickster fauns, murderous men, child-eating monsters, courageous rebels, and a long-lost princess hoping to be reunited with her family.

Perfect for fans of the movie and readers who are new to del Toro’s visionary work, this atmospheric and absorbing novel is a portal to another universe where there is no wall between the real and the imagined. A daring, unforgettable collaboration between two brilliant storytellers.

HAPPY READING!!

Happy Independent Bookstore Day

It's that time again. Time for Sarah and I to hit the road and try to hit seven of our local Independent Bookstores. Last year we managed five of them all while taking the bus. This year we've recruited my roommate to hit the two closest to our house. Then it's off on the bus to hit the last five. Last year we discovered some hidden jems of bookstores, and I cannot wait to see how many wrong buses we take this year.

Sarah has our route mapped out, out lunch spots are pre-chosen, and we have a list of the books we want to get. One new book from each stop. Hi-jinks will ensue, I'll get lost at least once, and there will be chicken wings! And, you know all the books we didn't plan on buying.

Whether you go out on a marathon trip, or just up the block, get out today and visit your local bookstore. I'm lucky to have three amazing stores so close to where a live and one not far from work. But, today of all days go out and say hi, and see what your local bookstore is getting up to on this not quite official book holiday.

Also jump over to my Twitter account, @_sullybear_, to see what kind of nonsense I'll be getting up today!

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 what 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.

For nearly ninety years, Hollywood's brightest stars have favored the Chateau Marmont as a home away from home. An apartment house-turned-hotel, it has hosted generations of gossip and folklore: 1930s bombshell Jean Harlow took lovers during her third honeymoon there; director Nicholas Ray slept with his sixteen-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Anthony Perkins and Tab Hunter met poolside and began a secret affair; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies, once falling nearly to his death; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose in a private bungalow; Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months.

Perched above the Sunset Strip like a fairytale castle, the Chateau seems to come from another world entirely. Its singular appearance houses an equally singular history. While a city, an industry, and a culture have changed around it, Chateau Marmont has welcomed the most iconic and iconoclastic personalities in film, music, and media. It appeals to the rich and famous not just for its European ambiance but for its seclusion: Much of what's happened inside the Chateau's walls has eluded the public eye.

Why I'm Waiting: Who doesn't love a good Hollywood scandal? It seems like a fun patio, or beach, read. With summer right around the corner, I'll need all of those I can get.

HAPPY READING!! 

New Release Tuesday

Genre: Non-Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 320

In 1942, the Allies were losing, Germany seemed unstoppable, and every able man in England was fighting. Churchill believed Britain was locked in an existential battle and created a secret agency, the Special Operations Executive (SOE), whose spies were trained in everything from demolition to sharp-shooting. Their job, he declared, was "to set Europe ablaze!" But with most men on the frontlines, the SOE did something unprecedented: it recruited women. Thirty-nine women answered the call, leaving their lives and families to become saboteurs in France. Half were caught, and a third did not make it home alive. 

In D-Day Girls, Sarah Rose draws on recently declassified files, diaries, and oral histories to tell the story of three of these women. There's Odette Sansom, a young mother who feels suffocated by domestic life and sees the war as her ticket out; Lise de Baissac, an unflappable aristocrat with the mind of a natural leader; and Andrée Borrel, the streetwise organizer of the Paris Resistance. Together, they derailed trains, blew up weapons caches, destroyed power and phone lines, and gathered crucial intelligence—laying the groundwork for the D-Day invasion that proved to be the turning point in the war. Stylishly written and rigorously researched, this is an inspiring story for our own moment of resistance, in which women continue to play a vital role.

HAPPY READING!!