Oh boy, if my 15-year-old me were to do this post, I’d be on the floor laughing. Now? I’m just chuckling. Yes, I don’t listen to the Jonas Brothers, even though some of them are cute. I’m more of industrial rock, rap, indie rock, and some metal fan.
But I love Sha and Mandy from Book Princess Reviews and thought the tag was interesting. So here I am! Don’t forget to visit their blog! Do it.
Morning, book fam!
Let’s start the week off with a great tag. I’ve already had to move around this week’s schedule so many times that I’m not sure what day I’m supposed to do what. But hey, at least I got the post done. 😂
And of course, I’d forget where I found the tag, but it was floating around somewhere. And you all know my affinity for these posts. So I hope you enjoy!
Morning, everyone!
I may be late on my whole 12 Days of Blogmas (because posting every day for a month is just daunting for me), so I’ll start off with a great tag post! Brittany from Perfectly Tolerable tagged me. Thank you, love! If you haven’t checked out her blog, you need to do so now!
I may break some hearts here, but I’ve never watched the movie, and I’m not sure if I will. However, I can’t pass up a fun tag. So I hope you enjoy!
Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Genre: High Fantasy
Page Count: 409
Rating: 3/5
Source: Purchase
Goodreads | Indigo | Amazon CAN | Amazon US | Book Depository
One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.
Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.
Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll.
There are many who would claim the dragon’s wish for their own. Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious samurai of the Shadow Clan, is one such hunter, under orders to retrieve the scroll…at any cost. Fate brings Kage and Yumeko together. With a promise to lead him to the scroll, an uneasy alliance is formed, offering Yumeko her best hope for survival. But he seeks what she has hidden away, and her deception could ultimately tear them both apart.
With an army of demons at her heels and the unlikeliest of allies at her side, Yumeko’s secrets are more than a matter of life or death. They are the key to the fate of the world itself.
“It is very hard to be human, little fox. Even the humans themselves don’t do a great job of it.”
I’ve been eagerly waiting to get back into another high fantasy. So when I saw several bloggers talk about Shadow of the Fox and also read the blurb for it, I bought myself a copy. Even though I loved the Japanese mythology, I couldn’t fall in love with it.
Every thousand years, an ancient scroll awakens a dragon who grants a wish of either great power or great destruction. Yumeko, a half-kitsune girl, is tasked with protecting a piece of that scroll when a demon slaughters her adoptive family. But many foes look to claim it, like Kage Tatsumi. But they make a pact built on hidden truths and lies, which may tear them apart.
How can I complain about that description? Julie delivers all the elements I’m looking for in a YA fantasy: a touch of romance, mythology, Japanese culture, dragons, and a great backstory. I’m not sure if the journey the characters take dulls the story or if I simply couldn’t connect with the storyline itself. What I was expecting was a well-executed Japanese-inspired fantasy, but what I got is anything but that. However, I love how Julie engrosses you in magical folklore. But I think that was one of the few things that kept me reading.
I wanted something more than formulaic writing. Too many tropes and over-used elements suck the life out of this book. By the end, I struggled with finishing it. One character who prevented me from DNFing it is Tatsumi. The demon slayer of the Shadow Clan must wipe his mind of all emotions, or the demon who possesses the sword of Kamigoroshi will take control of his body. He battles his own mind when he pairs himself with Yumeko. His growth is complex and compelling. I wanted to see more of his past and watch how he fights internally.
Unfortunately, the other main character, Yumeko, couldn’t keep my attention. I don’t mind when a character is naive. But even though the monks isolated her from the world because she’s half-kitsune, her character development is barely non-existent. She falls for the same tricks. In the first one hundred pages, I loved her. But she falls flat by the end.
Julie relies too heavily on the mythology, and she doesn’t see the flaws in her writing. If she focused more on her characters, then perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more. However, she has created a unique platform to build off a solid series though. If she fixes these issues, then her sequels may fare better.
Morning, bloggers!
I honestly wish October would last longer than 31 days. It breaks my black little heart it ends so quickly.
Beside December, October is my favourite month. And I absolutely loved all the Bloogoween and Blogtober posts! I participated in Blogoween, even though I didn’t finish it. But let’s get to the rest of the post, yes?
Why must this reading slump still plague me?! I thought I got rid of it in September, but it came back to bite me hard. I tackled only 3 books, and while I was let down by the first 2, I ended this spooktacular month with a bang.
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
I’ve waited months to get my hand on this hotly anticipated sequel. So you know I set my expectations high. Maybe too high. Wildcard starts off from the explosive ending of Warcross. The beginning of this book is the strongest, but at the halfway mark, the storyline turns into a muddied mishmash of storylines. I wanted Emika to grow as a character, but she’s more interested in her feelings for Hideo.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have read 4-star and 5-star reviews from many trusted bloggers. Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with most of the characters or the story itself. I came for the diversity, which I was wanting so desperately, but I left with disappointment. I never thought the main character could be so naive.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Victoria is one author who knows how to get me out of a reading slump. Coming into this book, I wasn’t sure if I’d love it. I know some readers aren’t accustomed to middle grade books, so my expectations weren’t set above the norm. But Cassidy, the main character who sees ghosts, is adorable, sweet, and sarcastic. Victoria’s writing is refreshing from all the disappointments I’ve had from the previous books.
Not many new titles sparked my interest. So last month, I didn’t bring in a big haul. The first book snuck up on me. Just look at the cover. But the last title is bittersweet. Even though I may have two more TOG books to read before I tackle this behemoth, I am not ready for the heartache and torture. But I’m so excited to get this exclusive edition!
So this part may seem a little new to you. For months, I wanted to highlight some posts from my favourite bloggers. So here are my top 3 picks:
💜 My girl Kathy from Books and Munches talks about the peer pressure our book community faces. More importantly, she brings up how we bloggers pressure each other and ourselves. Throughout the post, I nodded my head the entire time. She also announced her baby boy, who I have affectionately named Spaghetti, is safe and healthy, AND I CAN’T WAIT TO MEET HIM. I’m so happy for you!
💜 Charleigh from Charleigh Writes lists 10 blogging lessons she’s learned. She addresses many issues I’ve brought up in the past and mentioned new ones. I highly recommend taking a look!
💜 My two favourite bloggers Teagan and Jess from Fiction No Chaser created the YA Playlist Tag. And I can’t wait to do it! I love finding new tags. And they made me cackle with their first answer. 😂
Hey, everyone!
Today’s my second stop for Blogoween, and I’m loving each post. We officially have seven, I repeat, seven more days until Halloween. At this stage, I’m contemplating the mandatory horror movie binging and stuffing my face with candy and other goodies I probably shouldn’t eat.
Anthony from Keep Reading Forward came up with this creative prompt. I absolutely adore fall colours, so there’s no chance I can pass up this post. So here are my favourite book covers that remind me of the Fall/Halloween. I hope you enjoy!!
I’m slowly getting through the book. And while I love the Japanese lore and culture, I’m not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. However, Tatsumi, the male main character, may be the saving grace of the book.
I regret not reading this book. I truly do. I never paid attention to the series, and I instantly knew I had to buy it once I finished reading the blurb. How can I pass up a sci-fi where teenagers must learn how to kill others in order to restore balance?
I’ve heard a lot of buzz about this new YA fantasy. I love how this duology is inspired by Asian culture. And I am always down for forbidden magic, especially necromancy.
I can’t stop looking at this cover. It looks perfect beside Strange the Dreamer. I’ve heard nothing but praise about the series, and I cannot wait to get to it!
As a blogger, I hope I don’t spoil readers when they read my reviews. I’ll give just enough details that will tempt them to read it. But naturally, one sci-fi series I wanted to read got spoiled for me. And do I like that it did? No. But reading the reviews have told me I may not have missed out on much.
Kristoff and Kaufman mix together space, corporate war, and a deadly plague to create a beautifully immersive novel. I’m not surprised that most of the books on my Christmas list are written by him. I have some serious catching up to do!
When the Wren Hunt hit Instagram, I knew I want to read it. This new YA fantasy tells a tale of Wren, a 17-year-old Augur, who must find a bring to stop the war between her people and the Judges, who took her and her family’s powers.
I’m still reeling over the ending. I am not worthy of this man’s genius and writing. I truly am not. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with a Mad Max-meet-Romeo and Juliet science fiction, but Kristoff has a talent of pulling that off.
Every time I walk past this book on my shelf, it’s calling out to me. This YA novel reminds me of The Handmaid’s Tale. It brings a feministic side to court intrigue. I hope I get to read it soon!
Morning, bloggers!
So, today is Thanksgiving for us Canadians. And I’m eagerly awaiting to stuff my face and not regret a single bite. I want my turkey and dressing.
I found this fun tag at Through Prose Tinted Pages. And I knew I couldn’t resist and Fall-themed one. Nope. I have no willpower left. I loved Vanessa’s answers. And I’d highly recommend checking out this blog. Vanessa won’t disappoint!
And check out the tag’s creator, Bionic Book Worm.
I don’t give this debut novel enough credit it deserves. Not many quiet main characters can carry along a fantasy book. However, Jules does so perfectly. The currency-is-time concept is what intrigued me. But the writing and the character arcs kept me enthralled. I cannot wait to read Evermore!
I’m not over this ending. I do not accept it. I want nothing more than to weep. Baby August and Kate deserved a better ending than this one. I still haven’t forgiven Victoria.
I love Stephanie. Her debut series never ceases to impress me with elaborate plot twists and character arcs. It’s never a dull read with this book! I’ll forever ship Dantella.
It’s October. You know I can’t resist mentioning this beauty! I’m so scared that I don’t know what to think at this point. I WANT MY BABIES TO LIVE. Or I die with them. 😭
Oh, this question is hard for me. I typically stay with fantasy, and you don’t get the warm and fuzzy’s in that genre. But Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has stuck with me for years. Yes, the topic is heartbreaking, but this book is one in a few that teaches us how to endure even the worst atrocities. And having most of the characters be book lovers helps as well.
I’m about forty pages in, and I know I’ll like this book. I’ve been wanting a great diverse read, and I’ve heard nothing but great reviews for this title. I also have an affinity for beautiful covers, Japanese storyline, and kitsune. 🦊
Like always, I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this post. What’s the fun in that? So if you don’t want to do the tag, I’m fine with your decision. But if you do, I’d love to see your answers. So link back to this post, okay? Have fun!
Aimee | Elaine | Mogsy, Tara, and Wendy | Brittany | Kayla | Daniela | Taylor | Amber | Kathy | Lily | Mara
Hey, everyone!
So guess who got an extension on her internship? Clearly me. And I forgot to tell everyone. Typical, I don’t say anything until weeks later. I’m thrilled, and I can’t believe I’ve been working at a small press for the last six months. I can’t. Someone slap me, please.
As you all know, Top Ten Tuesday, originally created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is a weekly meme. For this week’s topic, we get to show off our potential TBR list for Fall 2018. And I don’t know if I should be dreading this post or if I should be happy. My physical pile is getting out of control, but let’s throw in some new titles and just ignore the problem, shall we?
So I hope you enjoy! Here are my top picks:
I’ve heard a lot of buzz with this new YA mystery. And I knew I had to read it when I found about the podcasts you can listen to while reading the book. I love unique ways of telling a story, and I think this book deserves a place on my TBR list.
I probably haven’t given the series proper credit. Kendare has created an eerie yet spellbinding world, and I love it. Unfortunately, some tropes kept me from reading the sequels sooner. But I need to stop letting my moods get in the way of some great storytelling. And frankly, I need to know which queen kills Mirabella.
I wasn’t sure if I should put this title on my list. However, I like to explore different genres. And I’ve seen some promising reviews for this YA suspense. I don’t always read this kind of book, which is why I’m so drawn to it. And I think it’s a perfect read for the Fall and Halloween.
Please be good. Please be good. You don’t know how much I want this book to be good. 😂 I adore Marissa’s writing. I truly do. But the cliffhanger at the end of Renegades has kept me on my toes ever since I read it. I love dark little heart Nova, and I can’t wait to see the internal battle she’ll more than likely have in this sequel. Bring it, Marissa!
I first fell in love with the cover. You can’t go wrong with cover love. But at the time, I was a little hesitant about putting it on my list. I’ve never heard about the author before. But I adore Japanese culture, and I keep seeing rave reviews. So I’m taking a chance on this book.
Yes, this book has been on another one of my TTT posts. But I’m not passing up on this series. Nope. Not going to happen. I love historical fiction, and the author incorporates some of the most prolific characters and real-life people into her writing.
Siobhan's Novelties 