Morning, everyone!
I think I can safely say February wasn’t the most horrible month of 2021. I got some books off my TBR list and added a few more. Even though I sprained my ankle, which is slowly healing, February wasn’t too bad.
I hope you enjoy the read!
Morning, everyone!
I know. This post is well over a month late. I took some time for myself. I didn’t want to be tied down to anything. And since a reading slump hit me hard, I knew it was the right time for reflection.
I hope you enjoy the post!
A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: February 9, 2021
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Detective, Crime, Thriller
Page Count: 368
Rating: 4/5
Source: Publisher
Goodreads | Indigo | Amazon CAN | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
In the next riveting thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, the paranoia increases – along with the stakes – as the town of Rockton tries to solve the latest mystery at their door.
Detective Casey Duncan has noticed fewer and fewer residents coming in to the hidden town of Rockton, and no extensions being granted. Her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, presumes it’s the natural flux of things, but Casey’s not so sure. It seems like something bigger is happening in the small town they call home.
When an injured hiker stumbles from the woods, someone who seems to have come to the Yukon for a wilderness vacation but instead is now fighting for her life, it’s all hands on deck. What – or who – attacked this woman, and why?
With the woman unconscious, and no leads, Casey and Eric don’t know where the threat is coming from. Plus, the residents of their deeply secretive town are uneasy with this stranger in their midst. Everyone in Rockton wants this mystery solved – and fast.
I’ve received a digital copy of the book from the publisher for an unbiased and honest review.
When you find a series that slowly pulls you into an intricate world, you marvel at how you arrived at the sixth installment. But here we are. Rockton is somehow magical and surreal yet tangible. Since I first encountered this off-the-grid Yukon town, where people escape from society or officials, I knew it was a place I wanted to explore endlessly. And Kelley has a way of drawing you in and won’t let you go.
Casey Duncan, the town’s deputy, and Eric Dalton, the Sheriff, deal with internal and unknown external forces that affect their and the town’s way of life. They don’t know who to trust, what to think, or how to protect their people. As a stranger interrupts their night off, they need to figure out how she found out about Rockton and who else knows of them as well.
The Rockton series is one number one favourite thriller. I don’t read many from this genre, but Kelley has a way of convincing you to dive in. Each new novel of this series grows to be more addictive. And readers, including me, need to know what’s next for the Rockton family. Kelley offers you complex characters and thrilling storytelling. You’re rooting for characters who normally don’t enjoy reading. You fall in love with nature and the dangers of the land.
In this installment, Kelley uncovers deeply hidden secrets of the town. I’ve been dreaming of the day when we readers find out. And I have to tell you: I’m impressed. The author knows how to draw out a storyline, and I love her for it. Even when finding out, I knew my love of the Yukon town wouldn’t diminish. Each character, story arc, and misadventure provide a unique reading experience. You look past the flawed characters, even killers, and piece together who they are as humans. The series is a beautifully crafted experience for the human condition.
If you’re a fan of Kelley Armstrong and her Rockton series, A Stranger in Town is your next read! Don’t miss out on this series.
Cruel Intentions (Rydeville Elite #1) by Siobhan Davis
Published by: Independently published
Publication Date: June 12, 2019
Genre: New Adult, Romance, High School
Page Count: 398
Rating: 5/5
Source: Purchase
Goodreads | Amazon CAN | Amazon US | Book Depository
Life is a cruel game where only the most ruthless survive. It’s a truth my mother rebelled against, and she paid for it with her life. Now, I play their game. Publicly accepting the destiny that lies in wait for me when I turn eighteen.
But, behind closed doors, I plot my escape.
Trent, Charlie, and my twin, Drew, rule the hallways of Rydeville High with arrogance and an iron fist. I execute my role perfectly, hating every second, but they never let me forget my place in this world.
Everyone obeys the rules. They have for generations. Because our families have always been in control.
Until Cam, Sawyer, and Jackson show up. Throwing their new money around. Challenging the status quo. Setting hearts racing with their gorgeous faces, hot bodies, and bad boy attitudes.
Battle lines are drawn. Sides are taken. And I’m trapped in the middle, because I made a mistake one fateful night when I gave my V-card to a stranger in a blatant F you to my fiancé.
I thought it was the one thing I owned. A precious memory to carry me through each dark day.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Because the stranger was Camden Marshall, leader of the new elite and my perpetual tormenter. He hates me with a passion unrivaled, and he won’t be the only one. Fire will rain down if the truth is revealed, threatening alliances, and the power struggle will turn vicious.
My life will hang in the balance.
But I’ll be ready, and I’m not going down without a fight.
“I want to feel something real,” I reply without uncertainty. “I want to let go of these chains that bind my body. To feel like I’m in control even if it’s only an illusion.”
I devoured this all-consuming and intensely hot novel in less time than I ever imagined. It monopolized my entire time that I forgot to function. If you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers, dark bully romance, then Cruel Intentions should be on your list! Lies, betrayal, deadly secrets, teenage angst, bullies, and hot-as-hell guys who have stolen my heart, Cruel Intentions has it all and more.
Morning, bloggers!
I haven’t been around the blogosphere lately since I’ve been dealing with a lot of personal problems. But I’ve found a better medical regimen that should help. Overall, the month of November was pretty quiet on the blogging front, but I was able to squeeze some Christmas shopping in with Mom.
How did November treat you? Was it a great reading month?
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Published by: HarperTeen
Publication Date: September 3, 2019
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Witches
Page Count: 528
Rating: 5/5
Source: Purchase
Goodreads | Indigo | Amazon CAN | Amazon US | Book Depository
Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
“I loved her. Despite everything. Despite the lies, the betrayal, the hurt…I don’t know if she returned that love, and I didn’t care. If she was destined to burn in Hell, I would burn with her.”
You can set my pyre on fire. I’ve found my new enemies-to-lovers fave. All I needed to know is that a witch and a witch hunter fall hard for each other. Then I’m hooked. But if you’re looking for a filthy but perfect romantic fantasy, Serpent & Dove is your book! I fell for this book. It took me weeks to dig through my emotions and thoughts. Shelby’s debut novel may be one of my favourite reads of 2019. And I wasn’t expecting such a reaction though.
Shelby crafts convincing, endearing main characters who make you invested in their journey and struggle. While the plot is a solid read, I believe the characters are what makes this debut. Louise le Blanc, a witch who abandoned her coven, makes me laugh, cry, and squeal. Yes, squeal! Her mouth is dirtier than mine. And I adore how she has survived so much. She’s ruthless, but she’s universal.
Shelby’s storytelling gives you a unique outlook into Lou’s and Reid’s inner thoughts. Each chapter offers up a stronger understanding of these multi-faceted characters who were pawns in a larger game. Reid Diggory, the holiest witch hunter I’ve ever read, may be my next love. Seeing him evolve from a naive boy into a male of worth is one of the best character developments I’ve seen lately.
The romance and the writing follow at a close second. I cannot separate them since they work together beautifully. This love story will break your heart. The writing and storytelling will keep you fighting through the pain. The hype is strong yet real, so don’t let that worry you though. Serpent & Dove is a superb debut worth the read.
“Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from you.”
“Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay.”
Morning, bloggers!
Halloween is done. And I cannot believe it’s November already. I can’t. So this post is giving me all the sad feels, if you know what I mean.
Who else is almost close to finishing their Goodreads Challenge? I am so stoked to have read forty-six books. I just need four more to complete my fifty-book goal!
Morning, bloggers!
September was insane. And I warn you now that the post is long! I honestly didn’t think the month could end soon enough. It simply wasn’t my favourite. So I’m glad to see it go.
Now October is here, I cannot wait to see all the Halloween decorations pop up! On a personal matter, Mom will have finished her cancer treatments by next Monday. And I am counting down the days to hear the gong ring. She deserves it. And I’ll be glad to see cancer in the rearview mirror.
Now, let’s get to the post! I hope you love the read.
Morning, bloggers!
Was August good to you, or are you done with summer? Either way, I’m a little sad to see it go. It wasn’t the most emotionally exciting for me (stress likes to ruin the mood), but I had a few good days though. I attended my first HarperCollins Canada Frenzy Presents, which was a big step for my blog. And I met so many great Canadian bloggers. And I went to my third FanExpo.
With everything else in my life, I’ve been steadily raising my Goodreads Challenge and getting out of the red. But I’m rather freaked out over my September TBR list. I think the new month will be a killer!
So let’s get to the post, yes?
Enjoy the read!
DEV1AT3 by Jay Kristoff
Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 25, 2019
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Page Count: 448
Rating: 4.5/5
Source: Purchase
Goodreads | Indigo | Amazon CAN | Amazon US | Book Depository
In the wake of a climactic battle in the ruined city of Babel, two former best friends suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of the same quest. Eve is torn between the memories of the girl she was, and the synthetic she’s discovered herself to be. Together with her lifelike “siblings,” Eve sets out to find the real Ana Monrova, whose DNA is the key to building an army of lifelikes.
Meanwhile, Eve’s best friend, Lemon, is coming to terms with a power that she has long denied—and that others want to harness as a weapon. When she meets a strange boy named Grimm, he offers to lead her out of the horror-ridden landscape and to an enclave of other abnorms like herself. There, Lemon quickly finds a sense of belonging—and perhaps even love—among the other genetic deviates.
But all is not what it seems, and with enemies and friends, heroes and villains wearing interchangeable faces, Lemon, too, will join the race to locate Ana Monrova before her former best friend can get to her.
“Sometimes you don’t know you’ve crossed the line till you’re on the other side.”
Droogs, I don’t know if I can handle another one of Kristoff’s cliffhangers. I don’t. But this soul-destroying creator probably enjoys our torture, so I’m not counting on it. But damn you, Kristoff. Damn you.
Paradise Lost meets post-apocalyptic X-Men with a heavy dose of Mad Max, DEV1AT3 will utterly destroy your expectations. If you believed the ending of LIKEL1K3 was rough, then buckle in. Kristoff is will hit you with enough g-force you’ll come out breathless. It took me more than a month to come to terms with that ending. And I’m still not okay. I don’t understand how Kristoff conceives a mashup of storylines that somehow entwine together. Without a doubt, DEV1AT3 is one of the top favourite reads of 2019.
Siobhan's Novelties 