Show Us Your Books: August 2021!

September is here, but cool weather doesn't make it's way to Georgia until Halloween at the earliest, so we're still int he middle of summer if you ask me. If you ask Target, however, it is flannel and sweat shirt season and I keep overdressing for the weather. I actually managed to read a bunch in August! So let's dive in, shall we?

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. Believe me when I say small, I do believe I've made less than $25 in amazon affiliate commissions in the four or so years I've been an affiliate member.. 

The Lions of Fifth Avenue: This book follows the lives of two women at the New York Public Library. One in 1913, and her granddaughter in 1993. I really enjoyed this, there was history and cool stories and a mystery. There was one story line that, while you could see it developing, kinda felt rushed into, if that makes sense? If you've read it, let me know, I don't want to spoil anything! 

Legendborn: OH. MY. GOD. I really loved this one, Arthurian legends, drama, good ole boy's club, secret societies, magic, PLOT TWIST, this book has it all. Literally, my *only* complaint is that it ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger and I don't think we have an official pub date for book two. I highly recommend this if you're into fantasy! It's technically YA, but the author randomly has a character say "oh I forget that you're only 17" or whatever to remind you that they're kids. It's so good. 

Red Queen: I think I've mentioned before that sometimes I'll read a book and then I'll look at the reviews/see someone else post about it and it will change my mind on it after the fact? This is one of those books. Becca & I read it for our "book club" which is mainly an excuse to get together. Anyways, I saw someone who hated it and DNF'ed compare it to Hunger Games which, I can kind of see. I still really enjoyed the book, and will almost certainly finish the series. It does have some Hunger Games aspects to it, but also some magic, and betrayal! Plot twists! Love triangles! I texted Becca when I got to the plot twist because I couldn't believe I didn't see it coming. 

Dial A for Aunties: I impulse bought this book at the target after a few glasses of wine, and honestly it was worth it. It's a quick read, light and funny. I do think I cried at one point? But that might have been related to the wine. It's very funny and honestly I would watch the movie. I recommend it if you're looking for something light with hijinx! 

Ace of Spades: Starting to think maybe I should watch Get Out since I'm drawn to this type of stuff. Since I haven't seen Get Out, I'd say this has very big Pretty Little Liars meets Gosisp Girl energy. It was so good and I couldn't put it down, had to know who aces was and boy was I surprised! 

A Curse So Dark and Lonely: I think I gave this 4 stars on goodreads, but it's a solid 3.5. It's compelling and I wanted to find out if the curse would be broken, but like stripped down to the bare bones the way this was, Beauty and the Beast is a very creepy story. The MC mentions Stockholm Syndrome in like chapter three. It's creepy, the prince isn't that charming, and also like there's this whole toss away plot line of like.. 300 some odd women who have been kidnapped and they don't really know what happens to them at the end of the "cycle" and like. What. Also the MC has big "NoT LiKe OtHeR gIrLs" energy, which like, fine, but you don't have to tell me every chapter that you're not like other girls. So yeah, I don't think I'll be reading any further into this series.  

That's all for August, folks! I've already finished one book in September and I will honestly probably finish the second book before this post goes live. I'm on a roll and I'd like to keep it up. I'm playing a fall reading challenge bingo thing over on my bookstagram, if you want to play too! As always, linking up with Steph & Jana! Happy reading! 

Show Us Your Books: July 2021

BACK TO BACK MONTHS! Who is she? Will it ever happen again? Only the shadow knows. I did more reading in July than I expected to and tried (and failed) to take a fantasy break. I just can't leave it be.. So, without further ado, here's my roundup! As always, this post contains affiliate links meaning if you click through and make a purchase I will make a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. Please don't feel obliged to make purchases on my behalf, it really is a Very Tiny commission.

Half Sick of Shadows: FIRST OF ALL, did I mention you can finally pause billing on Book of The Month? I hated having to quit and rejoin and now I don't have to. Anyways this was a Book of the Month Pick that I read with Becca and you guys. I don't know. I think I gave it 3 stars? 3.5? It's told in a very confusing real time/premonition/past tense way. It jumps around and the ending felt VERY abrupt. I felt very underwhelmed with the ending. I don't know. 

The Other Black Girl: Do you ever share that you've read something and then a bunch of people go "oh I read this but it took forever to get going for me?" and then you're like "wait, was that my experience too? did I just power through?" That happened to me after I posted that I'd finished this one in one day. I think though that the slow build feeling is on purpose. I know it's been compared to Get Out, which I've never seen, but it did remind me of Stepford Wives which I think might be white lady primer for Get Out. Anyways, I loved it, read it in one day. 

Shadow and Bone

Siege and Storm

Ruin and Rising

I'm doing all three of these as ONE review because I can't remember where the story stops on each one but I DO need to warn you that the ebook is over at like 45% "read"on kindle. There's like 85 pages of like. book club notes and shit. But I liked this so much that when I finished the first one from the library and discovered the wait time for the next one that I ordered the "box set" for pickup at B&N that very same day. I think this is technically YA? I didn't really know how old the characters were supposed to be, but I really enjoyed it and am now trying to decide if I want to read the Six of Crows duology before watching the TV show, does any one know if I need to do that first? 

A Darker Shade of Magic: I did an excellent job taking a fantasy breather right? I mean two whole books this time around weren't fantasy. Obviously, this isn't one of those. This one was somehow fast paced and slow? I think having read Addie LaRue and Vengeful first helped me understand the way V.E. Schwab builds her worlds and does character development. I'm interested to see how the rest of this series goes though. 

Taken at the Flood (Hercule Poirot): OKAY I figured out a murderer in this one but NOT the twist at the end. So Agatha does it again! I feel like this one did have some jarring language in there, so evergreen reminder that Agatha's books were published "in a different time" some of them have been edited but not all, and sometimes it's a surprising like, positive sounding prejudice? Anyways, that's a warning that these books don't often come with and sometimes it catches me very off guard and I'm like "oh, right, people thought that was an okay thing to say in the 50s"

That's all folks! I mean I've already finished one book in August and I am absolutely tearing through Legendborn right now but I gotta save those to have content next month! As always, linking up for fun! 

Show Us Your Books: I Started This Post In March So It Would Be Ready for May

AND GUESS WHAT IT IS JUNE. Whatever y'all, I'm just doing my best out here. I have to stop setting myself up for failure. Spoiler alert: I fell into another series rabbit hole. I recently learned Becca PLANS her whole reading journey, is this something y'all do too? I'm an agent of absolute chaos. I just read whatever comes off of holds or if I come across something that bookstagram or this link up is raving about. I recently, accidentally, rejoined Book of the Month (referral link if somehow you've never tried BoTM.) Every time I do it, I read that you can skip a month and like, immediately forget that the reason I quit the time before was that you can skip a month but you can't skip being billed for that month. I'm not dying to read any of the books this month so I haven't decided what I'll do about it. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase then I will receive a tiny commission.

CRESCENT CITY: Y'ALLL. I loved this. The next one comes out my birthday week next year and I CANNOT WAIT like it's 7 months out but I've already preordered it. Holy Cow. It's ACOTAR meets modern day. Fae are still around causin' problems but now there are ARCHANGELS and shifters and OTTERS WHO DELIVER MESSAGES. Y'all. Just read it. It's steamier than ACOTAR, if you can believe it! I also will honestly be re-reading it before the second one comes out, I loved it that much. 

The Memory Collectors: I won this in a bookstagram giveaway from Elle and it literally arrived in the mail the day I finished Crescent City how perfect is that? This book has it all, magic, mystery, murder, Bad Guys, sister drama, I devoured this one too. 

Throne of Glass: After A Court of Silver Flames AND Crescent City I was honestly craving more Sarah J Maas. I'll admit it. So I dove into this series, which I've learned was her first ever and she started writing it when she was like SIXTEEN? Excuse me? I've been *talking* about writing my own book since before then but the closest I've come is being a half ass blogger here. (sorry y'all) Anyways, there are two things you need to know about this one: it takes forever to really get going, I swear the last 15% of the book is more interesting than all of the beginning parts put together, but knowing what I know, I stuck it out. You don't have to. Two: it ends on a damn cliffhanger so of course, being who I am, I proceeded to drop nearly everything and pick up a seven book series where each book is 700 pages. Will I get my goodreads goal this year? Only the shadow knows. 

TL;DR: I gave this one three stars I think? (rounded up, honestly, from 2.5 because the first half was so. slow.) Then proceeded to place holds on the rest of the series. I have a problem.

Vicious: Another series I'm hooked on. The next book wasn't free at the library yet, and it wasn't as demanding as ACOTAR (we all know that's A Court of Thorns and Roses right? I'm not using jargon that's completely foreign?) Again, magic and murder. I'm deep in a fantasy trench? I don't want to say rut because I'm enjoying it. This is the same author who wrote Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and this is a COMPLETELY different adventure. I genuinely enjoyed it, I have the next book on holds, but I keep pushing it off because of Throne of Glass.

The Labors of Hercules: Poirot has never been one for the classics but decides to complete the Labors of Hercules before he retires. Did I have the muses from the Disney classic, Hercules, singing in the back of my brain every time? Obviously. Did I enjoy little Poirot's adventures? Always. I think I read this one in like. Two days. Maybe one. It was fun and not quite a collection of short stories, but kind of? I'm working my way through all of the Poirot novels and I'm honestly trying to pace myself now, since you know Agatha isn't writing any more of them.... 

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2): And Here. We. Go. This one was better than the first, but still kind of slow in the beginning. I'm not sure if that's on purpose or not. I figured out the Big Secret before any of the characters did, but cannot for the life of me decide how we're supposed to be pronouncing "Chaol" I don't want to look it up, I've been pronouncing it like someone who doesn't know how to pronounce chaos. (Cha-Ol) but it makes me think of when they had Hermoine pronounce her name in the early HP books because none of us dumb Americans knew that name. haha. Anyways, this one has a bigger? cliffhanger than the first so you won't be at all surprised that my next book is

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3): This one was ALL GAS, no brakes and the speed that I wanted. It finally got all the way up to 5 stars because things are getting interesting and there are just more twists than I can predict. Also new characters! New kingdoms! New drama! Yay! When I finished this one I was left with a choice: be a patient and reasonable adult and wait for book number four to come off of holds, or be impatient and by the e-book. Can you guess what happened next?

If you guessed that I was impatient and went ahead and bought the e-book Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) you know me well. I want to be a person who plans my reading journey but I'm just not built like that. I can predict that if I like the first book I will read all of them and I will DEMAND adaptations on tv or something, but that's jut who I am. The weather was lovely on Saturday and I spent the entire day laying on the couch, reading this book. I finished it, and immediately downloaded the next one, which I did at least walk up to the Square with Albus to read at the bar for a little bit. 

So, as of this Monday morning, I'm still reading Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, 6) and slightly worried that I think there's only one book left in the series.  As always, linking up with Steph & Jana! Maybe this time I'll remember to add my link to the linkup, time will tell..... Tell me what you're reading and if I should add it to my ever growing but never shrinking TBR list. 

Show Us Your Books: Did I Finish My 2020 Reading Goal?

I have started and abandoned this post three different times now. So, if you're actually seeing it in April, it means I finally finished it. I started it in JANUARY. I'm outstanding at time management. Here is my original intro paragraph for February's Show Us Your Books Linkup haha.

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know the answer, but if NOT then drumroll please! I did it! By the absolute skin of my teeth too. Like December 30th. And now it's already February before I'm recapping so this will be a looooong one. Not making any "will totally be blogging more" in 2021 resolutions because *gestures broadly* but I am aiming to read 60 books this year. I was ahead of schedule after a productive January, but right now I'm reading Devil in The White City and good GOD is it slow. Anyways, linking up for Show Us Your Books with Steph & Jana and this post contains affiliate links, so you know, if you click through and buy a book I may make half a penny! 

December 2020:

A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Wings and Ruin

A Court of Frost and Starlight

I need y'all to know I tore through the ACOTAR books, ended up buying some because I didn't want to wait for library holds, and preordered the one that would come out in February. WHICH DID Y'ALL SEE THE NEWS? IT'S BEING ADAPTED FOR TV! I am so pumped. I recommend these to anyone who likes fantasy, it's such a cool world, don't let the maps and character charts intimidate you haha

The Year of The Witching : This was good, it's described as "The Handmaid's Tale for a new generation" (not that we really need that, when we're basically living in the early days of that world...) This was very entertaining and a little heartbreaking, but very captivating. 

Evil Under The Sun: Another Hercule Poirot, which I felt was almost cheating? To hit my goal? Then I remembered it was an arbitrary goal I had set and I loved the book anyways. This one I had a hunch who the murderer was, but only because I'd watched a different Christie novel  in movie form and it hinted the same level of Bad Guy. As always, totally recommend Hercule Poirot every time. 

January 2021:

A Splendid Ruin: This one kept me guessing, y'all. There are three very separate sections of the book. Features some outstanding gaslighting and story telling, lots of adventure and revenge at play.  I didn't see the middle twist coming at all. 

The Last of the Moon Girls: Hesitant Witches! Y'all know I'm a sucker for a witch who's hesitant to use her powers. This one falls into that vein, she doesn't want to take over the family farm, then her grandmother dies, she has to go back to settle the estate, and gets drawn back into her life before the big city. It's a little, cliche? Fits very well into the category it belongs to, but it's well written and a good story. 

Circe: I couldn't put this one down either. Circe loves her some mortals. I didn't know a lot of her backstory, only some of her part in the Odyssey, so it was cool to read about Circe herself. 

Atomic Love: I rage finished this one. I was predictable and terrible and the story didn't have the legs. I don't recommend it. It was my last BOTM. You can skip this one. 

Our Time Is Now: This book was timely as I read it during the Georgia Senate Runoff and it's relevant again now as the state legislature is passing sweeping voter suppression laws! 

The Duke & I - Okay, I read these because everyone was raving about Brigerton the TV show and I felt left out and like, there is a very specific plot point in this one that could have been completely left out or at the very least dealt with better. Not sure if they handle it better in the show, I haven't made it that far. I don't seem to have the attention span for TV (EXCEPT WANDAVISION, I had the time for that one) lately. BUT ALSO I low key hate how they did Daphne AND her older brother who's name starts with an A but escapes me now, because they were definitely better characters in the books than in the first two or three episodes. So.

The Viscount Who Loved Me: I liked this one better than the first one, but it was the last one for me. These are fine, and I thought they'd be more my vibe than they ended up being. Just not for me, but I did try to read the third one and... 

DNF: An Offer From A Gentleman: this felt like it was torn directly from Cinderella, I don't need another Cinderella in my life when Ever After and Cinderella Story and the one with Brandy all exist. Thanks. 

February 2021:

The Devil in the White City - I admit that I put this one on hold because I saw some suburban mom so mad about it being included on some high school reading list. (She was mad because she assumed it was about racism, not America's first serial killer and his MURDER CASTLE.) And good LORD does Erik Larson take forever to get to a point. I was honestly disappointed in this, it was a LOT OF information about the World's Fair, lightly seasoned with murder. I guess that's a dark take since it's non-fiction but like, come on. I was there for H.H. Holmes, not the budget committee's meetings with congress.

The Once and Future Witches: This one was CAPTIVATING, I couldn't put it down. It's set in Salem in a time where there used to be witches, and men are the worst. There's an overlap between the suffragette movement and how they didn't really want votes for all women, there's unfair labor practices, men who deserve to be turned into frogs. It's great y'all. 

A Court of Silver Flames: THIS IS MY FAVORITE ONE SO FAR. You need to read the other ones to understand it, but it just came out and I literally returned books I had borrowed without reading them so I could read it. It's definitely steamier. It follows Nessa & Cassian and tackles some mental health issues and survivors guilt and just like. The character development is incredible. I was so sad when it was over. I can't wait for the next one AND THE TV ADAPTATION. So pumped. 

March 2021:

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: Everyone loves this book, so I was scared I wouldn't. It is important to note that it takes forever to get going. It's very slow at the start, but I think that's on purpose so you're feeling some of what Addie feels. I don't know if I can describe anything else without it being a potential spoiler but y'all it's good, worth the hype.  

The Hollow (Hercule Poirot #26): This Poirot novel, I figured out the killer, but then all of the clues convinced me I was wrong, so I felt vindicated at the end haha. I hope that's not a spoiler. 

The Girl With The Louding Voice: I have a hard time with stories written in any kind of dialect, my brain works to hard to try to make it sound like I speak rather than letting me hear the accent, if that makes sense? So that made this one a little harder for me to get through, also the anticipation. You know something is coming but you can't figure out what and then BAM. The ending really made up for the long way it takes to get going.  

The Book of Lost Names: WWII here, this one had me SOBBING. Just sobbing. I haven't read a WWII novel in a minute because they're exhausting and lately I've been looking for more escapist stuff but whew. It's good, but I would skip it if you try to avoid books about WWII/The Holocaust. 

Currently Reading: House of Earth and Blood

FINALLY linking up for Show Us Your Books with Steph & Jana. I've missed y'all! 

Show Us Your Books - What I Read in October/November

Hello friends! I'd like to start this out with a dumb complaint: if you're sending me an email with an invoice in it, SEND THE LINK TO PAY THE INVOICE AS WELL. Why are you making me go search on your website for how to pay you? Help me to help you please. I'm feeling very irritated about all of these end of year bills I need to pay and how much work I'm having to do to pay them. Just take my damn money, good lord. 

OKAY so here we go. Let's round up what I read in November! I'm writing this on December 1st and it snowed last night (not okay) and I have 6 books to read to hit my Goodreads goal. Do y'all think I will make it? 

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click through them and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Y'all, I was Very Upset that they started out trying to get me to like President Snow. So if that's where you are in the book, keep going, it gets better. This was really good. It made me want to read all the books again, and I did end up watching the first movie after I finished it. It's a bit long, but what else do we have to do in the cold months anyways? I definitely recommend it if you enjoyed The Hunger Games. The Games are terrible but it was interesting to see how they really got to where they were by the 75th annual... 

Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A holiday murder mystery! Secret identities!  A granddaughter from somewhere warm and exotic! This one has it all! I know y'all know I've been working through the Poirot stories, and that I love them all. So once again, I didn't guess the murderer, Hercule scooped it! 

Conjure Women: I didn't understand the artwork on the cover of this book until I was about halfway through, and I thought that was really cool. I don't really know how to explain this one, so here's a blurb from Goodreads:

 Like her mother, Rue is an all-knowing midwife, healer, and conjurer of curses on the plantation of Marse Charles. Moving back and forth in time between the years before and after the Civil War, Conjure Women tells the story of Rue, the families she cares for, and the mysteries and secrets she knows about the plantation owner's daughter, Varina.

I enjoyed this because it didn't really follow the stereotypical bell curve most books do, if that makes sense. It wasn't like a slow build to a big climactic event then the wrapping up of a story. It felt more like a chunk out of the middle of a bigger story. I don't know if that makes any sense to y'all. There were big events and drama and mystery and a relatively "neat" ending if you will, but it was a very good read. I am doing a bad job of explaining it.  

Sad Cypress:  BACK to Poirot. We have three in here. Oh man. This one was good. It had a Very Christie twist, but only one you can see coming after it's happened. If you've been here for more than one reading recap, you'll be very familiar with my current task trying to read through every single Poriot novel. I'm making pretty good time, very excited to move onto Miss Marple once I'm done with our mustachioed friend. 

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: For some reason, goodreads was CONVINCED this was an audiobook, it was not, but I thought that was very weird. Anyways. This one was one where I thought I knew who the murderer was at the end of each chapter, which we know Agatha does on purpose. There were more twists and turns than normal in this one and I couldn't put it down! 

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot: I saw a meme the other day about how anti-racism work isn't self improvement for white people & doesn't end when you feel better about yourself. I understand why that was a meme, lookin' at you, white women voting for Trump, but at the same time thought "how do you ever feel better about yourself?" because everything I read and everything I learn and every new thing that I come to understand just makes me more mad. So, now that I've made this review about me, in true white lady fashion, I highly recommend this one. It's informative and connects the dots on a lot of things and made me feel more radicalized and more sound in my understanding of how feminism should work. 

They need feminism to recognize that everything that affects women is a feminist issue, whether it be food insecurity or access to transit, schools, or a living wage.

That's it! I have to read 6 books in December to hit my 2020 reading goal, so wish me luck! Linking up for Show Us Your Books! Tell me what you've been reading! Have you read any of these? I'm currently reading (er, devouring): A Court of Thorns and Roses and I've already borrowed the second book of the series because I am enjoying this one so much. 

Show Us Your Books: Summer?

Hi friends! It's been so long since I've sat down and written that blogger decided to change their interface! I honestly don't hate it. I'm sure it'll take some getting used to but I'm a grown up, I can handle change. I haven't felt like anything I could write lately would be worth reading. I have, however, gotten back into my reading rhythm, and spent more than one full weekend doing nothing other than reading. Yes, the weeds in the garden beds are out of control, how did you guess? I think a few posts are in order and we'll pretend like they're already in the pipeline. Specifically about how we somehow have a tomato forest in our garden and also more okra than you can shake a stick at. 

This post contains affiliate links. 

The Beekeeper of Aleppo: This one was kind of hard for me to finish because I could almost see what the ending was going to be? Without trying to spoil it, I can't really explain that any further.. It was a heartbreaking story from start to finish though, and I recommend it! 

The Price of Paradise: This one was one of the free amazon books you can get for kindle if your a prime subscriber? It was originally written in Spanish and translated over. It's a story about love and loss and revolution and it was so good. There were twists and turns and the mob and I really enjoyed the whole thing. Plus! I learned a lot about Cuba in the process!

The Victory Garden: I think this one was also a free amazon one? It's been a minute so I'm not sure. It was also a good read. WWII, y'all know I get stuck there quite often. Again, love, loss, war, my bread and butter it seems. As it goes with most of my reviews, I recommend this one too. It was somehow light and predictable even for a WWII novel, you know? Maybe that's silly. 

Just Mercy: This one also broke my heart. I learned a lot and plan to watch the movie soon ( I haven't had the attention span for a movie in quite some time...) This one will really open your eyes to the prison industrial complex, the school to prison pipeline, and the death penalty. I highly recommend it, but just know that you're probably going to come out the other end very angry. 

A Blade So Black: This was so fun! It's a new take on Alice in Wonderland and I couldn't put it down. The only reason I haven't finished the series (this is the first of said series) is because the library didn't have the other books available for eBook checkout and they've only recently reopened for curbside pickup. I tore right through this one, the characters are so fun and witty and I love a good re-imagining of Alice. 

The Vanishing Half: I also read this one in one single weekend. Like, started it on Friday evening, finished it on Saturday night. It tells the story of twins who choose to live completely different lives, and then the lives of their daughters. It's a really great story and I definitely recommend it too! I think it lives up to the hype.

A Discovery of Witches: OKAY GUYS WHY WERE YOU HIDING THIS SERIES FROM ME FOR REAL? I tore through this entire series and these books are all like 500 pages long. Couldn't put them down. Wasn't patient enough to wait for the second and third one to come off library holds so I bought them. Then I watched the entire first season of the TV show, followed by several hours on the internet trying to figure out when season two would be released (like everything else, it's on a corona delay)

Shadow of Night: I think this might be my favorite of the three, if I had to pick. In this one Diana & Matthew TIMEWALK and live in the 1590's in England. Time travel, witches, vampires, murder, bad guys, IT HAS EVERYTHING OKAY. Honestly. Which is part of why I was so bummed to find out the second season is delayed, because obviously I wanted some period drama to fill my days with. 

The Book of Life: I know this one is allegedly the last one in the series, but I think there will be more. At least I hope so. There's another book, Time's Convert that depending on where you read it is either #1 in the "All Souls" Series, or #4 in the Discovery of Witches. WHO KNOWS. There are a couple of story lines in this one that sort of get dropped? I'm hoping that just means they'll be picked up in future books. And a little bit of unnecessary unrequited love drama, but like, still very good. I still tore right through it, and honestly can't wait for more. 

Girl, Woman, Other: This one tells the story of several Black characters that eventually all tie together. It felt more like a collection of short stories with a chapter at the end tying them all together? I really enjoyed it but I did kind of forget about various overlapping characters until they were all tied together at the end. 

Time's Convert: BOOK FOUR! or book one of the universe series? Anyways, it focuses more on the story of Marcus and Phoebe and honestly I would read books about all of the lives of the supporting characters in this story universe forever and ever amen. This one is set after the first three, like in immediate succession so you definitely need to read the other three to really understand what's going on in this one (which is why I feel like it's more of a book 4 than a book 1, but I'm neither author nor publisher so what do I know?)

Dread Nation: BLACK GIRLS FIGHTING ZOMBIES. This one is the first of two books (see the second one as my next book, lol) Where the Dead rise up the day after the battle of Gettysburg and it re-imagines history if that happened. This story touches on all kinds of issues and involves our heroines straight up kicking ass and taking names. I really enjoyed both of these, and highly recommend!

Deathless Divide: I liked that this one sort of wrapped up the story. Like, there's a little bit of an opening at the end for there to be more books in the series? But it also ties up a lot of loose ends and things that usually frustrate me. It feels like the story is complete. More zombie fighting, a few Utopian towns that aren't actually Utopian, happily ever afters, and people not wanting to settle. It's a fun little series.

Murder in the Mews: BACK AT IT AGAIN WITH MY PAL POIROT! This one is a collection of like, five Poirot stories. I love the theme that people think they can pull one over on Poirot. He always figures it out! Those little gray cells my friends. I always enjoy a Poirot novel and sometimes when I get overwhelmed trying to pick a new read, as silly as that may sound. I love the format and I love watching characters try to outsmart him. 

Appointment with Death: Another Poirot novel! This time it's set in Jerusalem and involves an American family! We don't even really see Poirot until the second half of the book. I really didn't see the murder coming in this one. I know I say that almost every time but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Currently reading:  The Warmth of Other Suns. Also, in other personal news, we invested in an AIR FRYER and now are frying ALL THE THINGS. So please send me any and all of your tips, tricks, favorite recipes, etc. Finally linking back up for Show Us Your Books, I've missed everyone! 

What I Read In February & March

I don't know what the weather is like where y'all are but it has been raining in Georgia for what feels like my entire life. We'll have one MAYBE two days of sunshine and then just pouring rain. There's just a constant puddle in the driver's side of my Jeep (please send me all of your soft top leaking tips and tricks.) Lots of rain means lot's of time to sit on the couch and read. Someone asked me the other day how I have so much time, I realized it's because we cut cable and I'm overwhelmed trying to choose something to watch on TV, so instead I sit on the sofa and read. If you missed what I read in January, check that out here! It includes a book about the 1918 Spanish Flu which is now a thing we should all know more about.

So, that was my intro for the February post, which clearly I did not get posted. So hold on to your butts guys, this is going to be a double month post! I honestly thought I'd read more with the whole "social distancing" and "shelter in place" situations but I'm having a super hard time focusing on any specific task. Are y'all having that trouble too? I think it's just like my baseline anxiety is so much higher now that everything is out of whack. I just ordered tie-dye supplies, so that'll be a fun thing. Also we've been working on our victory garden, which I will absolutely be blogging about once we get everything in the ground. Without further ado, here are a bunch of books I've read since February!

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The Man In The Brown Suit: I picked this up at a used book store. Apparently finding Agatha Christie books at used bookstores is what I do now. This isn't even a Poriot novel, so at least I was branching out? This one got me. I thought I knew who the killer was, then there were twists and turns and at the very end I was right after all! I still don't consider it figuring out the murderer, because it didn't end anywhere like I thought it would. 

Killers of the Flower Moon: I had this on holds FOREVER. It was one where I kept forgetting it wasn't a work of fiction. Truth is stranger than fiction and this was wild and terrible and heartbreaking and I think you should read it. 

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek : I actually found this one from this linkup and where everyone was saying to read this instead of a bigger named author who almost certainly plagiarized it. I was so mad this one ended. I didn't want it to end. I would read like 6 more novels about this lady. I didn't know about the pack librarians OR that the blue people of Kentucky weren't a thing made up for this story. It was a wild ride and I loved it. I'm sorry I just used wild in back to back reviews.  

Ask Again, Yes: I had this one on my library holds for a while, long enough to where I'd forgotten why I requested it.  It reminded me a little of Little Fires Everywhere in a good way - the way the timeline was structured and the way it's told from multiple character POVs. I enjoyed this one and when I got to the end I went to turn (swipe) to the next page and realized I was at the end, literally said "oh, that's the end" out loud. I apparently could have kept reading about these characters forever. 

The Water Dancer: I enjoyed this story but I didn't at the same time? I felt like there was potential for so much more to have happened, I felt like the ending and everything was lacking, but it was an interesting story nonetheless. I have to say, I don't know if it was worth waiting as long as I did on the holds? Like, if it had been something I really wanted to read, not something that I had just put on hold and forgot about, if that makes sense?

The Sun Is Also A Star: I almost immediately forgot this was YA once I started it. You know how sometimes it can feel like it's specifically written for teenagers who think the worst thing EVER is not having a date to prom? Maybe it's sadistic, but I genuinely enjoy when kids take on adult problems in their own way. I like to see the kids do better than the adults, maybe because I was raised on Harry Potter. This story tackles some grown up stuff, but it's a fun read. I tore through it. Highly recommend.

Dumb Witness: Hercule Poirot strikes again! This one passed the time just fine, it's not one of the best Hercule stories, but it kept me entertained.

An American Marriage: This was an interesting story, it had more twists than a mystery novel, but it wasn't a mystery novel. I didn't really like most of the characters? I wasn't really rooting for anyone (well, Roy Sr. I liked him) but the ending wasn't really what I expected either. It took me a while to get through, partially because I can't focus and partially because I didn't really feel like I needed to get anywhere with this story? I feel like this sounds like a wishy washy review. I enjoyed the story but didn't feel strongly about any of the characters. It's well written, plenty of twists, worth the read.

His Dark Materials Trilogy: I somehow missed out on this trilogy as a kid? But I'm kind of glad I read it for the first time as an adult? I tore through the entire trilogy in a little over a week. I'm excited to watch the HBO Miniseries next. I loved this whole series, and I don't care if it's cheating to review them as one. I don't know that I could pick a favorite book of the three. If you're into fantasy and what not, I'd recommend it. It is a little dark, but I don't feel like that should surprise anyone since it's literally called "His Dark Materials" but that's just me. Traveling between worlds, daemons, witches, bears that talk, villains and anti-heroes, it's got it all!

Currently, I'm reading The Beekeeper of Aleppo, another book I put on my holds list from this linkup! I'm excited for another Show Us Your Books readathon this weekend, hope to see all y'all there!

Linking up with Steph & Jana for Show Us Your Books!