Week of February 15

The Gates (#1 in the Samuel Johnson series) by John Connolly – 320 pages

As 11 year old Samuel is trick or treating 3 days early to “show initiative” he comes across his neighbors opening the gates of hell. Life gets a little complicated for a while as Samuel tries to stop the end of the world. This book reads a little like Harry Potter mixed up with Terry Pratchett. I loved it! Samuel is a hoot, funny and entertaining. 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn—432 pages

Ummm wow! This is a crazy ride through the lives of some messed up people. Lots of twists and turns along the way to have you doubting what you thought you already understood.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James—352 pages

This was slow to start but really finished well. A girl is intrigued by the disappearance of her aunt in 1980’s upstate New York and goes to the town to investigate. She ends up working at the same motel as her aunt and starts to unravel what happened to her there. Throw in some ghosts, murder, lies, and subterfuge and you have a spooky, fun read. 

The Hit (#2 in the Will Robie series) by David Baldacci—432 pages

I love Will Robie! He is an assassin with a heart, even though he thinks he doesn’t deserve one.  In this installment he is tasked to take out a fellow assassin who has supposedly went rogue but Will has his doubts. And when his gut tells him to check things out he follows his instincts. It’s worked before for him and turns out that he was right this time as well. Now he has to figure out how to find a solution that lets him live through it. 4 Stars! 

Read by Salena Morgan

The Princess Pact by Melanie Cellier

Cheesy. But I'm here for it.
Are the relationships underdeveloped. Yeah. Do I fall for them anyway? Yeah.
Rafe's cool. I thought the twist was going to be something different (because his name starts with an R, so like) but.. We good. 
280 Pages

Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams

ok but she released this book about a pandemic and quarantining and stuff...during the pandemic.

My brain kept thinking of the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
And the line "it's not a war, it's not a rapture" from Paramore's Ignorance. 
Zeke. fajdfkljsfk;a

Danny sfkdjlska;j

Just...

I want to get on my soap box about indoctrination and brain-washing and jklfds and how that isn't God. But I'm just gonna sit here and stan for Agnes.
432 Pages

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

I wish I could unread this disturbing book about a 15 year old student and the predator-teacher that destroyed her life. You don’t need the details here, but this was one of the most disturbing, sad, frustrating books I’ve ever read. This has a lot of positive reviews and I understand that it is an important story that needs to be told, but it’s probably 75 pages too long and the ending was a letdown. I read it, because I thought it was important and I didn’t want to betray the subject matter.

373 Pages

Read by Robin Westphal

The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

I typically don’t read middle grade books, but this audiobook came as a recommendation from my daughter, who’s also not a middle grader anymore! This is a mix of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and little Series of Unfortunate Events thrown in. In other words, GREAT fun and characters that you can really become attached to. Looking forward to listening to the others in this series.

465 Pages

Read by Robin Westphal

The Hunter and the Mage by Kaitlyn Davis

....you can't just name a guy Patch...
Malek. No. Bad. That. Is. NOT. Healthy. Mental. Health. I'm going to hit him with a wooden spoon and have zero regrets about it. jfdsklajfkslaj  I just wanna strangle him.
I love Xander.
Did I see this coming. The prophecy yes. Do I think I know the rest of it and the twist. Yes I do.
WHY ISN'T THE THIRD BOOK OUT YET.
I'm still worried about the ending of this series (yes we're only halfway through....I have the anxiety)
564 Pages

Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen

MY LORD (Lan Fan from FMA)
I'VE WALKED THIS LONELY ROAD--Inserts all the Green Day gifs
jsfkdjdflkj the tension..the chemistry
I mean that's one way to give everything to your people....
Ohhhhhhhh that's how it connects. Also like
jdfhkahfjkhdfjkhjkflahd
Guys guys guys.... I need the next book.  Really bad. 
480 Pages

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

Summary: "Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come."

Alright, I don't understand this cover or the title, because neither do this book justice!!! Also, I think fey in this instance means something other than 'faerie."

It was everything I've ever wanted in a romance novel - it portrayed so many of my favorite tropes so well! I wish I could erase it from my brain and read it again and again. 

373 pages

goodreads | MOBIUS

Battle of Brothers: William and Harry–The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult

Battle of Brothers: William and Harry–The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult by Robert Lacey

Princess Diana raised her sons, William and Harry, to be the closest of brothers. However, they have grown into very different men. Royal historian Robert Lacey examines the boys' relationship over the years, from a childhood where they leaned heavily on each other to their current estrangement. 

386 pages. 

How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan and Joanna Shupe

Summary: "Christmas magic is in the air... From the ballrooms of London, to abandoned Scottish castles, to the snowy streets of Gilded Age New York, four bestselling authors whip up some unforgettable romance...with a little help from some enchanted shortbread."

• "Meet Me in Mayfair" by Tessa Dare
• "The Duke of Christmas Present" by Sarah MacLean - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so good!
• "Heiress Alone" by Sophie Jordan - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
• "Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe

After reading Julie's review, I knew I needed some romancey comfort reading! I enjoyed the heck out of it!

392 pages

goodreads | MOBIUS

The Princess Fugitive by Melanie Cellier

ok so I'm glad they cover the hair color.
Alexa play lost in the woods
Ok, so.....God and sin allegories. I can dig.
Hey look... It's them!
Ok so the trials.. I'm here for that.
Look at all this tooth rotting fluff.
352 Pages

Evermore by Sara Holland

Again, I can't remember the things.

Oh yeah.

Oh look at this ship.
Ok ok ok... I can get behind this. (like how the characters relate to each other and their pasts). Tbh I was expecting another ship...or three..but ok. 

I still love the magic system. 
368 Pages

Eden Conquered by Joelle Charbonneau

Me trying to remember all of the people and the plot points, even though it's only been like...two weeks since I listened to the first one.
At least my boy is learning 
And I'm, as always, suspicious of literally everyone.
ummmm...is...ummm...
ok we good. I was concerned a certain thing was gonna happen, but nah.
432 Pages

Wings of Ebony by J. Elle

Ok but Miss Leola reminds me of Mama Odie.
Go off Rue. Go off.
I liked that romance wasn't a central focus in the book, and it was about friendship and family and like...dealing with racism.
368 Pages

The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen

Summary: "She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead. 

Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He's way out of Corey's league. 

Also, he's taken."

Hockeyyyyyyyyy. Hartley is a hearthrob. Corey is cool. 

The main character being a Pittsburgh Penguins Puffins fan and obsessed with their handsome captain? RELATABLE.

274 pages, Kindle edition

goodreads | MOBIUS

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

Ummmm....you can't go to Sunday Mass on a Friday night...Saturday night, yes. Friday no.
Me trying to keep all of the girls straight.
Children. Children. Just speak. Use your words. Communication.
WHY IS EVERYONE ON THE ROOF... GUYS.
And yup.
496 Pages

The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis

....I'm getting Ariel and Eric vibes...but also...she's like Rapunzel.
So my brain is just thinking of the scene in the Princess Bride where the guy is analyzing the fight with the footprints. 
Play "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" from the Broadway Little Mermaid soundtrack.. but add some angst.
guys.. guys..nope..aaaaand.. yup.
WHAAAAT THE fjklsdfajkLj
WHAT WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT sfjkdahfjkdsa
....why isn't the second book in audiobook form in easy access...come on..
502 Pages

Fangirl Volume 1 by Rainbow Rowell and Gabi Nam

Soooooooooooo I love Fangirl....so having it manga/comic form is super cool.
Still not how I picture Levi but like.....I picture him like the guy from the youtube scene. 
Ok so I love that it shows the progress of the manga like an Archive of Our Own heading. 
216 Pages

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

Spanish Inquisition
....Keep your secrets
Ok so pirates and fjkdlsjfklsajfklsajfklsajfdklajkljl
WHAT KIND OF CLIFFHANGER IS THAT.
496 Pages

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston

....why do I have a feeling this is going to be a ginormous love triangle....ok cool. we cool....
Lunar Chronicles vibes. 

I'm the lost princess
I really hope he's not Rasputin...and if he is, he's like...not a creepy baddie....
You can't just make a guy a ginger in a retelling of Anastasia and not expect me to like....oh look..hmm

.....Alexa play the Anastasia soundtrack...either one.. I don't care. 
Alexa play the Incredibles soundtrack where Mr. Incredible is snooping through the bad guy's computer
WHY ISN'T THE SECOND ONE IN AUDIOBOOK ANYWHERE.
496 Pages

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Am I keeping track of the sock colors....yes... Aaaaaaaaand it didn't do the pattern I wanted.

sjkdlafjklsjfkljdklajkflj The concept, y'all. 
Luci is cool. 
400 Pages

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

 

I had high hopes for this one. Southern charm mixed with vampires?! Awesome. But it was sooooo slow. The vampire did not feel as threatening as I wanted him to be and I wasn't very impressed with the climax. There's a giant slump in the middle and I wanted to scream at many of the characters. And it started out so good too!

Pages: 404