September TBR

September tbr

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Hey everyone! This is my list for this coming month and I’m excited to share it with you!

Across The Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, LGBT

A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance

Deal With The Devil by Kit Rocha
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Retelling

Fractured Path by J.C. Cervantes
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical-Fiction

The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

The Mage’s Daughter by Lynn Kurland
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fiction

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fiction

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, YA

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Where The Drowned Girls Do by Seanan McGuire
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

The Wolf’s Den by Elodie Harper
Genre: Adult, Mythology, Retelling

Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Retelling

September Wrap Up

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Wow, I can’t believe September is over!! This month really flew by but I did get some good reads in so I’m excited to share that with you so let’s get started!!

A Lesson In Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy, Historical-Fiction, LGBT
Review: Here

Rating: 3.5/5

Dating Makes Perfect by Pintip Dunn
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune
Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 3.5

Fade To White by Tara Ross
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, YA
Review: Here

Rating: 5/5

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy, Historical-Fiction, LGBT
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

His & Hers by Alice Feeney
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Music and Mirrors by Candace Robinson
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 5/5

Reality Check by Kirpa Singh
Genre: Contemporary, Mental Health, YA
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Genre: Mental Health, Non-Fiction, Self-Help
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise
Genre: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 3/5

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Sci-Fi
Review: Here

Rating: 3/5

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Fade Into White

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“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

On the outside, Thea Fenton’s looks perfect but looks can be deceiving as her life is falling apart and she’s struggling to pick up the pieces. The young girl is wracked with anxiety that no one around her seems to care about or understand so she resorts to self-harm to deflect the pain inside. But, when a local teen commits suicide, Thea’s world completely unravels as her anxiety skyrocket’s and things beginning happening that she can’t explain leaving her trapped in her own chaotic mind. The lines between reality and another world are starting to blur leaving Thea to feel like the world is caving in on her. That is until she meets Khi, a mysterious new boy from a coffee shop that seems to know Thea better than anyone does even herself. She finds herself drawn to him and is able to tell him how she really feels and he listens and tries to help her sort through her own thoughts to make sense of them.

Well this is probably one of the best novels about Mental Health in particular anxiety that is very accurate which made me super happy as it’s hard to find good rep with mental health. Sometimes, I feel like the authors don’t do the research or portray it correctly and it’s more romanticized than it needs to be. As someone who was diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I found Thea extremely relatable and felt for her as she developed throughout the book with character growth. I felt like the author did a very good job at portraying anxiety and how it differs from feeling anxious and how that anxiety can be so exhausting and draining that you don’t even know how to explain it. It was truly well written and I loved the end result of where Thea ended up on her journey with finally coming to accept who she is. She never thought she would get there and she does and I think it was really well done and I enjoyed the book from beginning to end.

His and Hers

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“Tell a person they’re wrong, and they’ll cover their ears. Tell a person they’re right, and they’ll listen to you all day long.”

This is the story that is told from three pov’s: His, Hers, and Truth. When a young woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, everyone is on high alert. The case begins to unfold as Jack London, a detective covering the case is suspicious of Anna Andrews, a newsreader who is reluctantly covering the case. But before Jack can make any movements, he becomes a suspect is his own murder investigation. Danger lurks in the shadows as someone isn’t telling the truth and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

What a fascinating murder mystery as I found myself deeply immersed into the characters, the plot, and how the story was told. This the first book by Feeney that I’ve read and I will reading more of her books as this was truly enjoyable and a true thriller. Anna, works as a BBC Commentator and Jack is a chief police officer who find themselves tangled in web of lies, seduction and murder. Anna tells her story while Jack tells his and we also get a POV from the killer! The way the POV’s are told really makes you turn the page in anticipation to find what out what will happen next and I really enjoyed how Feeney wrote the POV’s and the way she set up the atmosphere, it really felt like I was there. There are just some books that reel you in and you can’t set it down because you want more and yo don’t want to wait to find out. Well, that’s how I felt with this book as it really felt like a thriller and didn’t have silly plot points but the development of the characters, the plot, and eventually the ending made this story truly satisfying and enjoyable. I highly recommend it especially if you’re into thrillers and mysteries!

The Bronzed Beasts

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“If you think what we are doing is impossible, then let us rewrite what possibility means. Together.”

Still reeling over Severin’s betrayal, the crew is fractured and while they armed with only a handful of hints, they must find their way through the snarled and haunted waterways of Venice, Italy to locate Severin. Meanwhile, Severin is on his own journey and one that could see him facing dangerous consequences as he faces the deranged whims of the patriarch of the fallen house and discover the location of a temple between a plague island where the divine lyre can be played and all his desires will come to pass. With only ten days until Lalia expires, the crew will face plague pits and dangerous masquerades, unearthly songs, and the shining steps of a temple whose powers might offer divinity itself but at a price that they’re not willing to pay.

Well this was a bit of letdown as I was anticipating that this would be a four or five star review. I was delighted to see the characters especially Zofia and Hypnos as they’ve been my favorites from the first book. I felt like they were fleshed out even more with growth as well as the other characters. Chokshi’s writing has really improved over the course of the trilogy and it really shows in this last book. I admire how she’s able to bring you into the world of the characters and make you feel like you’re apart of it. Now that I’ve talked about what I loved, it’s time to get what didn’t work for me. First off, the pacing was a little off at times and also didn’t match up to the plot in some parts so I felt confused during some parts. I felt like I was missing something and had to go back and reread certain sections. Which is why the ending didn’t really make a lot of sense to me because it felt rushed and forced as there were quite a few things that weren’t explained. So I feel like this book could’ve been a little better if things were explained better and not so forced as it felt. But, I’m sure others will enjoy it and that’s all that matters.

The Silvered Serpents

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“Then again, the names we are born with can end up meaning so little. The names we give ourselves, well, perhaps that’s the truth of us.”

Severin and his crew might have successfully thwarted the fallen house, one victory that has come at a terrible cost. A cost that haunts them all leaving Severin desperate to make amends, he pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant it’s possessor the power of God. Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew whether a myth is really a myth at all. As hidden secrets come to light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves but what they may find out will lead them down paths they never expected.

Besides the writing, what really stands out in particular with this book is the diversity and Chokshi really does a good job with fleshing them out and giving them growth from the first book. I struggled to like Lalia in the first one as I wasn’t sold on her narrative but she grew on me as I got to know her more in this book. The characters are all emotionally engaging and have their own struggles and flaws which helps with understanding their motives. Out of all the characters, my favorite is the relatable queen, Zofia who is such an interesting and emotionally intelligent character. This book is where you see a lot of group dynamics develop just as much as the characters and that is always a treat to see. The only thing I hated was the cliffhanger at the end, I remember when I read it for the first time, I threw the book across the room. But, since I reread this closer to the release of the new book, I wasn’t as angry.

I will have a review of the third and final book very soon, stay tuned!

The Witch’s Tale by Genevieve Gornichec

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“There is a difference between understanding and forgiveness. It’s possible to have one without the other.”

What a beautifully written retelling of norse mythology and in particular the relationship Angrboda and Loki. The retelling makes you feel like you’re a part of a world with gods, monsters, and other magical creatures. In this retelling, Angrboda’s story starts out where many witches meet their end: a burning. The most powerful Norse god, Odin punishes Angrboda for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future and the fire leaves her powerless and injured. She flees into the woods and soon meets a mysterious man by the name of Loki, and at first the two are at odds but soon fall in love. The union produces three children all with unique magical abilities, as they grow closer, the pair especially Angrboda wants to keep her family out of Odin’s watchful eye.

But, as time passes and Angrboda’s injuries begin to heal, she soon learns that everything she holds dear, including her precious family is is grave danger. Angrboda’s leans on Skadi, a skilled huntress with whom she shares a growing bond to help her. Angrboda will have to choose between remaking their future or accepting the fate that she has forseen for them.

What I truly loved about this book is the retelling and fleshing out of Angrboda with making her real and relatable and giving her a story where you really feel for her. The character development that she goes through during the trying and blissful events throughout the book stood out the most. I was intrigued by the development and you could see her growth and I loved how the book really focused on her. She demonstrated a lot of emotional intelligence, stability, resilience, and empathy and when you have a character with qualities that like, it’s hard not to be invested in them. This along with the plot and other characters made it a very enjoyable novel and I think many people will enjoy it just as much as I did.

Dating Makes Perfect

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“You want me to say that you’re stunning? That I wish I could take a photo, so that I can look at you all day? That the material is soft and touchable–and as skimpy as it is, it still covers way too much?” His eyes are black and furious and mesmerizing. I couldn’t look away if I tried. “Yeah, I could have said all that. No doubt, that’s what Taran’s going to be thinking. But I didn’t, because I have too much respect for you. Even after everything we’ve been through.”

The Tech Sisters don’t date in high school. Not because they don’t want to, not because they’re not interested but it’s all because their not allowed to do so. In a move that other Asian-Americans know all too well, six months after the oldest Tech sisters go to college and get asked by their parents about not being in a relationship or marriage. The sisters retaliated by saying that they won’t marry for ten years as they need to dating practice and that could take longer depending on other life events. But now things are different, the youngest sister Winnie must practice fake dating until her parents watchful eye. But as we all know, things don’t always go so easily and when Winnie’s parents pick the preferred match for Winnie to date, she could be less than pleased at the thought of dating her worst enemy.

This is probably one of the cutest ya rom-coms that I’ve read in awhile. The premise, plot, characters, atmosphere and writing really made this a fun and interesting story from beginning to end. Before I go into what made this book so wonderful, I did want to point how much I enjoyed learning about the thai experience. As someone who has been accustomed to privilege my entire life, I understand how important it is for #ownvoices and having their stories told so I appreciated learning more about the culture. Not only did I love the characters but the dynamics between especially within the family and between the sisters, it was hard not to feel for them especially with wanting to be respected for who they want to be and the struggle of choosing their own identity and how differing from that can cause conflict within the family. The romance was very cute and I did feel like it was well written and not forced like other romance books that I’ve read. Overall, this is super cute and fun rom-com so be sure to check it out if it sounds like something you want.

The Vanished Birds

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“Take my day, they sang, but give me the night. Feed the hearth and ready the brew, for I am coming home to you.”

The Vanished Birds follows Nia Imani is a woman out of time and place traveling through space and the stars throughout the years as so many things have happened. Her friends and lovers have aged past her and all that she has left is her work. Alone and adrift, Nia finds herself longing for something more and soon she finds herself wrapped up in a new adventure, one of which will change the course of her life and make her question everything she thought she knew.

I would’ve given it a higher rating but there were parts where i felt very confused and not as invested in the story as I wanted it to be. The plot and writing is top notch but I felt other parts of the story and even the characters felt under developed and under utilized. It’s a space opera which is pretty freaking cool and I don’t read enough of those. Normally, you meet the main character in the first chapter but not this story which I think also contributed to my interest level. The first chapter was filled with lots of historical information and felt like more of a prologue than an introduction to the story. Besides the main character, Nia I didn’t have an interest in the others. While i enjoy reading about the main character, I want to invest in other characters in the book as they have interesting stories and when I can’t, I lose interest real quick. The story had great potential but I just didn’t click with it for several reasons. But, I’m sure others will enjoy for different reasons so to each their own.