The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer

This book has taken me forever to finish. So I switched to an audiobook halfway through because yeah.....
It was just less adventure-y than the first one, and like....sigh. But I really loved the Norse mythology. And I will still die for Thorgil.
496 Pages

January Reads - Tim Emmel

 “We Promised You A Great Main Event” by Bill Hanstock 464 pages

This book was  a great history of the WWF/WWE from its founding to its heyday in the late 90’s, to today. As a big fan of pro wrestling this book did a great job talking the history of the sport, its biggest stars and how the backstage problems affected the onscreen action.

“The Zealot and the Emancipator” by H.W. Brands 464 pages

A great weaving of the lives of Abraham Lincoln and John Brown. This book shows how while different these two men worked to end slavery, one more violently than the other.

Read by Tim Emmel

Every Last Breath by Jennifer Armentrout

....Is this Thumper:
Don't mind me. I'm just.... gonna be over there on the floor crying. For multiple reasons. 
My ship is so cute. I love them.
Roth is still my favorite and I would die for him. 
BAAAAAAAAAAAMBI.
All these kids gon need therapy. 
384 Pages

We Free the Stars by Hafash Faizal

God the slow burn and the YEARNING

Ok but like....identity and darkness and like ajdklfjaklfjla
Trauma and healing and ;fjkldsasfjkldajkldsa; How dare Hafsah Faizal hit me where I'm at.
"the striking realization..the normal lived was not at all normal"
Hey look. there's the scene from the cover. 
Hey look. There's the title. 
What I expected to be the climax happened at the middle of the book, so you know like...the author has stuff planned... 

So I am ruined. No one talk to me. I just want my physical copy of the book to come in already so that I can underline and tab the ENTIRE book. I don't know how I'm going to recover from this book. Like...I just want to read it and read it and read it and read it. 
Chef's kiss. 

592 Pages

By the Book by Amanda Sellet

Summary: "As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.

Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing out advice than taking it—and the number one bad boy on her list is terribly debonair. As her best intentions go up in flames, Mary discovers life doesn’t follow the same rules as fiction. If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself."

oh, my, gosh - this book is too cute!! The author nailed the interesting takes on literary references; taught me some fancy new vocabulary; made me reminisce on the joy of high school friendships. 

384 pages

MOBIUS | goodreads

 

Week of January 25 - Salena

Full Throttle stories by Joe Hill – 496 pages

If you enjoy offbeat creepy stories then you will love this compilation of stories written by Stephen King’s son Joe Hill. Some are co-written with his father and the introduction, read by the author in the audiobook version, is a really interesting look into how Joe grew up and got into writing as a career.

 

The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson—352 pages

Joshilyn’s stories are down to earth and entertaining. This one about a dysfunctional family brings, smiles, heartaches, and even some tears.

 

The Andromeda Evolution by Michael Crichton—448 pages

This is the sequel to The Andromeda Strain. Exposure to an extraterrestrial microbe has devastating effects. I definitely recommend reading the books in order and Crichton says there may be more to the series on the way.  Good reads if you like sci-fi and biology tech.

 

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald—400 pages

Sara travels from Sweden to Iowa to meet her pen pal Amy but unbeknownst to her she arrives the day of Amy’s funeral. The town takes her under their wing and tries to make her vacation in Iowa fun and eventful. What will happen when it is time for Sara to go home? Small town fun as you get to know the residents and Sara!

 

Split Second (#1 in the King and Maxwell series) by David Baldacci—608 pages

All of Baldacci’s books are filled with action and suspense. This one is no different. King and Maxwell share some experiences as Secret Service agents and team up to find a kidnapper. They run into more than they bargained for and must solve an 8 year old assassination attempt in order to find the current perpetrator.  Baldacci doesn’t disappoint if you are looking for a good mystery with lots of action and great characters.

Window on the Bay by Debbie Macomber—432 pages

An empty nester picks up her life and tries to incorporate some of the dreams from her youth. Being an empty nester myself this book hit close to home. Fun and bittersweet, it made me want to get “back out there” myself. J

Read by Salena Morgan

A Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

Aaaaaaaand there goes my ship....
meh
560 Pages

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

This was fantastic! It took some twists and turns that I was not expecting in the best ways. Does it have some plot problems? Sure. I easily overlooked them as I raced through. Worth the read if you are into creepy houses, horror, some gore, and a good mystery. 

Pages: 301

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

Whelp....I mean...that's one way to look at life and it's meaning...
YAAAAAAAAS THEY FINALLY REFERENCED SWORD ART ONLINE. FINALLY
Oh my gosh the John Hughes world. 
We stan Artemis. 
Me and my Lord of the Rings corner
384 Pages

Magyk by Angie Sage

...I am, as always, suspicious when someone says that someone died.
Being introduced to a specific character with a certain name. I mean....The series name has "Sept" in it...which means...seven

I'm not saying I have a ship...but I have a ship....
608 Pages

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

I am so stressed out and worried for the children.
Like this whole situation is giving me a panic attack...All of the tension.
Ok but all of the Mean Girls vibes. With some Heathers and Pretty Little Liars thrown in. 
All of this hazing is giving me anxiety...
Not saying I called it, but I called it.
Hey look. There's the title.
336 Pages

All These Monsters by Amy Tintera

Ok but the phrase "someone has it worse" Honey no....that is not how trauma works.
....my instincts...they popping..
Hey look at that gaslighting.
And I knew. I knew I could scope out characters.
I wanna be like "Babe, Clara who hurt you"....but we all know...it was her dad.
I wish we had more monster lore. But you know. Whatevs.
Hey look...the title tie in.
464 Pages

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant

Hears the name "Eponine" ..... LES MISERABLES
...Istg if this ends likes Les Mis.... I'm just stressed because I took a class on the French Revolution and I can't.

"like a suicide into the Sienne" ...really
Me trying to find the other characters. d
THE CHAPTER TITLE. istg
....sfjkdafklsajfljasfljsa;f
416 Pages

Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer

Ok but they are so cute... like.... I have all the warm and fuzzies. 
I'm going to go fall and cry in a corner because cute nice boys.
Quint is adorable and I love him and I would die for him. Too pure.
Prudence I love you. You are my spirit. I mean minus the....yeah it's fine.
What I would give for a storm.....Ahem....I mean...
It had Freaky Friday vibes, and some Last Song vibes (but without all the Nicholas Sparks heartache).
It was cute, it was fluffy, it was soft. Cute baby animals, cute boys. Sign me up. 
400 Pages

Week of January 19- Salena

Showdown in Mudbug by Jan Deleon (#3 in the Ghost-in-law series)—291 pages

Another fun romp through Mudbug and New Orleans. This one includes the FBI, a hacker on the run, and the mob.

 

Buried Bones (Sarah Booth Delaney #2) by Carolyn Haines—368 pages

Old secrets and a new tell-all book create chaos for the residents of Zinnia Mississippi. Sarah Booth is asked to find the manuscript when it goes missing. Not as good as the first installment but not a bad read. I will be giving the 3^rd title a chance at some point in the future. 

 

Shakespeare’s Landlord (#1 in the Lily Bard series) by Charlaine Harris – 336 pages

Not real impressed with this one.  This was pretty depressing and the characters were weak. The relationships between them all were really superficial. I probably won’t be trying book #2.

 

The Whisper Man by Alex North – 400 pages

Wait…. What! There is a moment about halfway through the book when you think everything is coming to a head and you understand what is going on and then… wham! You are left wondering what the heck just happened. If you enjoy a good murder mystery with some twists and turns give this one a try.

 

Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen—352 pages

Time travel with some interesting twists. I really enjoyed this story and the glimpses into a not so distant future world. How far would you go to protect your child? Some things were predictable yet not boring. Great read!

Read by Salena Morgan

Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer Armentrout

"Dean was much like Sam" ...really Jennifer...really...must you?
fjdklsajfkdajfkljafklsaj d my ship
...YA has conditioned me to think that whenever a boy insults a girl and says "he was pretending" to read it as "I'm lying to protect you because I love you".....that's not problematic at all....
And here I thought the cure for hangovers was greasy food. 
Flower and Bluebell. All of the crying emojis.
I love Roth. I know we know this. But I love him.
480 Pages

The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab

Schwab makes me so anxious because she wrecks me with her stories.
Ok but like...Hunger Games vibes of the mom and the sisters. And then the Rise of the Guardian (Dreamworks) vibes and Hocus Pocus vibes.
...I'm just gonna be over here crying....because I love them. They're perfect for each other and I can't... I don't have the strength.
320 Pages

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

My Catholic butt seeing all these deadly sins personified.
I mean I didn't like her, so I'm not really upset.
So my brain is just thinking about the differences between jealousy
and envy...because envy is rooted in resentment (Fr. Mike)
"I even wrote it down in my diary"
See this is where I wish I knew Latin...
My Fullmetal Alchemist butt thinking of all the deadly sins personified...except we missing a few...
448 Pages

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

yes I know it's January and I'm listening to a Christmas book. shhhhh
Ok but the Grinch references "wonderful, awful idea" "thought up a lie and thought it up quick" and maybe a reference to the Lindsey Lohan Parent Trap with "peppermint and tobacco"
And all of the warm and fuzzies. 
416 Pages

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

...why do I have a bad feeling about this? Like..I have a feeling that this book is going to hurt me...a lot. 
Ok so the magic is cool.
Also I don't like this chick who's being mean.
Why am I not surprised that he's the boy she likes....And now I'm worried about the other ships.
448 Pages

Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Crosby

Pure adrenaline from start to finish!  This book is as face paced as getaway driver, Beauregard "Bug" Montage, the main character. I loved the action and characters, but had to suspend believe due to some simplified plot fillers.  It is a great audiobook and I’d listen to anything narrator Adam Lazarre-White read. 

304 Pages

Some January Reads

Go Team Venture! The Art and Making of The Venture Bros.

I have loved The Venture Bros. for years and I finally got this companion book for Christmas. It's awesome, has great pictures from the show and insights on each episode.

Pages: 376

 The Sun Down Motel

Ghosts, murder, mystery??!! Everything I love in one book!

Pages: 327

The Kind Worth Killing

Holy crap, twists and turns everywhere!!! I don't even want to reveal too much here since it would take away from all the surprises. Let's just say it's an awesome retelling of Strangers on a Train. 

Pages: 311