Feburary 2024 Wrap Up

Here is what I read, posted, won, received, and bought in February.

As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them.


Books I Read:


Books Reviewed:

Of Hoaxes and Homicide by Anastasia Hastings—review here

The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi—review here

The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden—review here

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman—review here

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett—review here

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada—review here

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jennifer Hollander—review here

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden—review here

The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond—review here

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher—review here

Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks—review here

The Guest by B.A. Paris—review here

The Trouble with You by Ellen Feldman—review here

Nowhere Like Home by Sara Shepard—review here

Ill-Fated Fortune by Jennifer J. Chow—review here


Books I got from NetGalley:


Books I got from Authors/Indie Publishers:


Giveaway Winners


Books I bought:

Hers, Untamed by Anna Adler

Prince Prelude by Claudy Conn

Aaibhe-Shee Queen by Claudy Conn

Prince in the Mist by Claudy Conn

Shielding Gillian by Susan Stoker

Mr. Right is a Myth by Melina Druga

The Bakery on the Cove by Eliza Ester

Death is in the Details by Heather Sunseri

The Trouble with Witches by Kristen Painter

Body Shot by Kelly Jamieson

Love Me Today by A.L. Jackson

Escorting the Billionaire by Leigh James

Liability by Renee Dahlia

My Ex-Boyfriend’s Dad by Sofia T. Summers

Take Two by Libby Waterford

Ruthless Reign by Aleatha Romig

Virgin and the Bratva by Sylvie Haas

Brutal Billionaire by Laurelin Paige

Seven Perfect Days by Francesca Vespa

Pretty Remarkable by Lacey Black

Life Among the Tombstones by H.R. Boldwood

Fashion and Passion by Michelle McCraw

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan: Book 1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: February 6th, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Thriller, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Queer

Series: Shadow of the Leviathan

The Tainted Cup—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A Holmes and Watson-style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett

In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.


First Line:

The walls of the estate emerged from the morning fog before me, long and dark and rounded like the skin of some beached sea creature.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Medium but does increase to fast during crucial scenes.

POV: 1st person (told from Dinios Kol’s POV)

Series: The Tainted Cup is the first book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series.

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes of body horror, murder, death, gore, violence, injury and injury details, animal death, classism, chronic illness, medical content, death of a parent (off page), fire and fire injury, gaslighting, alcohol, pandemic/endemic, ableism, blood, war, bullying, genocide, physical abuse, grief, vomit, and drug use. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Tainted Cup. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: The Tainted Cup is set in and around the city of Talagray in the country of Tala.


Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

When a high imperial officer is murdered by a tree erupting from his body, Investigator Ana Dolabra is called in to investigate. Instead, she sends her assistant, Dinios Kol (magically altered to take in and remember everything), to assess the crime scene. But, the murder of the imperial officer soon isn’t the only one. People of all classes are dying of trees erupting from their bodies. Called back to Talagray, Ana and Din are soon embroiled in an investigation that takes them from the front lines of a battle against sea leviathans to the gentry folk who run the city. With the death toll mounting, Ana and Din are in a race against the clock to find out who is killing these people and why. But the answers that they uncover will shock them.


Characters:

The main characters in The Tainted Cup are Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol (Din). Several secondary characters regularly appear, but the author keeps Ana and Din as the book’s main focus. I found them interesting. I was fascinated with Din’s magical alteration—he can remember and recall anything he has heard, read, or seen (also called a Sublime). The deeper into the book I got, the author revealed more about both Din and Ana. I also loved the relationship that they had. It was one of mutual respect which shone the most at the end of the book.

The secondary characters were interesting, adding extra depth and insight to the storyline. I will warn everyone, though, that the author is not very attached to his secondary characters and does kill a bunch off. So keep that in mind when reading, and don’t get too attached to the secondary characters.


My review:

I was excited when I checked my email and saw I had gotten a widget for The Tainted Cup. I loved the author’s Foundryside series and wanted to know when he would publish a new book. In the past, I have been disappointed by books that I get my hopes up for, and because of that, I temper my excitement a little. But, once I got reading, I allowed my inner fantasy geek to scream with joy. Why? Because this book was excellent!!!

The storyline of The Tainted Cup was very intriguing. It starts with a gruesome murder and takes off after that. The author kept the murder (and soon, murders) in my focus. The storyline is very complex and has a ton of layers to it. Once one layer was peeled back, another was there. That multilayering of the storyline added to my enjoyment of it.

The mystery angle of The Tainted Cup was excellent. Not only did I not see who the killers (there were two) were, but I did not expect the book to go in the direction it did. That twist at the end threw me and turned everything upside down. And guess what, I loved it!!

The fantasy angle was terrific, too. I had questions about the sea monsters and why they were trying to get further inland. The author never explained it, but the explanation should appear in upcoming books. I am also sure it is something super simple (breeding grounds/intelligent creatures/who knows).

The end of The Tainted Cup was interesting. Again, the twist took me completely by surprise. The author did wrap up the murder storyline in a way that left me satisfied. But he left so much more open, and I look forward to seeing how he expands upon them in upcoming books.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Robert Jackson Bennett for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Tainted Cup. All opinions stated in this review are mine.


If you enjoy reading books similar to The Tainted Cup, then you will enjoy these books:


Other books by Robert Jackson Bennett

Feburary 2024 TBR

NetGalley:


Indie Authors/Publishers

Bookish Travels—January 2024 Destinations

I saw this meme on It’s All About Books and thought, I like this!! So, I decided to do it once a month also. Many thanks to Yvonne for initially posting this!!

This post is what it says: Places I travel to in books each month. Books are lovely and take you to places you would never get to. That includes places of fantasy, too!!

Bon Voyage!!

Please let me know if you have read these books or traveled to these areas.

Countries I visited the most: England, United States, Austria, Germany, Scotland, Italy

States I visited the most: Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois, New York, Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey, California

Cities I visited the most: London, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles


Greece


United States

South Carolina (Rutledge)
Wisconsin (Shaky Lake)
Colorado (Golden), North Carolina (Tavistock)
Texas (Hamchet)
Illinois (Chicago)
Wisconsin (Safe Haven)
California (Los Angeles, San Marino), Texas (Houston)
New Jersey (Princeton, Hoboken), New York (New York City), Puerto Rico (San Juan), Maryland (Baltimore), Illinois (Chicago)
New York (Ridgewater, Syracuse)
Colorado (Aspen), Illinois (Chicago)
North Carolina (Rome)
New Jersey (Middletown), Washington D.C.
Illinois (Chicago)
Oregon (Portland)
California (Los Angeles)
California (Los Angeles, Bel Air, Beverly Hills)

England

Penton
London, Nottingham
Cambridge
Bellehaven Bay, London
Kent, London
Devon, London, Cornwall
London, Gravesend
Surrey, Solihull
London, Whitechapel

Austria

St. Liesl, Leoburg
Vienna

Faerie Realms

Borderlands, Grunesauge, Court of Silva Lupi

Gorseland


Scotland

Isle of Skye

Chile

Cochamo Valley, Santiago

Ireland

Dublin

Wales


Brazil

Brasilia

France

Paris, Bordeaux

Norway

Oslo

Italy

Milan, Venice, Florence. Arona
Sicily (Becchina)

Spain

Xabia

Cambria

Oath, Southern Boroughs, Central Boroughs, Western Borough, Avalon Bluff

Afghanistan

Bagram

Germany

Ramstein Air Base, Landstuhl
Bonn

Canada

British Columbia (Vancouver, Richmond)

Gravendale


South Korea

Incheon, Seoul

Empire of Khanum

Daretana

January 2024 Wrap Up

Here is what I read/posted/won/received/bought in January.

As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them.


Books I Read:


Books Reviewed:

The Doom of Odin by Scott Oden—review here

The Ball at Versailles by Danielle Steel—review here

On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe—review here

Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman—review here

Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley—review here

Slumber of Silence by Brett Salter—review here

Unlikely Justice by Reily Garrett—review here

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Alison Saft—review coming September 14th, 2024

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri—review here

The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes—review here

Northwoods by Amy Pease—review here

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins—review here

Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham—review here

Phantom Reunion by Reily Garrett—review here

Wanted by Amy Kulp—review here

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Other Lands by Heather Fawcett—review here

It Takes a Rake by Anna Bennett—review here


Books I got from NetGalley:


Books I got from Authors/Indie Publishers:


Giveaway Winners


Books I bought:

Dare You by Quinn Marlowe

A Sinner at the Highland Court by Celeste Barclay

A Hellion at the Highland Court by Celeste Barclay

The Wonder Within by Gwen Martin

Prey Drive by Jen Stevens

Snowed in for a Second Chance by Heather Scarlett

One Cold Heart by K.J. Kalis

Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart

Game Changer by Stacey Lynn

The Summer Proposal by Vi Keeland

He is…Creed by Lisa Renee Jones

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

Books & Bribes by Lucinda Race

The Duchess of Drury Lane by Janna MacGregor

Puffin Bay by Annie Dyer

The Price of a Promise by Ember Leigh

Room for Improvement by Jessica Gregory

The Bad Luck Wedding Dress by Emily March

WWW Wednesday: January 24th, 2024

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme Sam hosts at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Here is what I am currently reading, recently finished, and plan to read from Thursday to Wednesday.

Let me know if you have read or are planning on reading any of these books!!

Happy Reading!!


What I am currently reading:

The next high concept horror novel from NYT bestselling author Christopher Golden.

Across Italy, there are many half-empty towns, nearly abandoned by those who migrate to the coast or to cities. The beautiful, crumbling hilltop town of Becchina is among them, but its mayor has taken drastic measures to rebuild—selling abandoned homes to anyone in the world for a single Euro, as long as the buyer promises to live there for at least five years. It’s a no-brainer for American couple Tommy and Kate Puglisi. Both work remotely, and Becchina is the home of Tommy’s grandparents, his closest living relatives.

It feels like a romantic adventure, an opportunity the young couple would be crazy not to seize. But from the moment they move in, they both feel a shadow has fallen on them. Tommy’s grandmother is furious, even a little frightened, when she realizes which house they’ve bought.

There are rooms in an annex at the back of the house that they didn’t know were there. The place makes strange noises at night, locked doors are suddenly open, and when they go to a family gathering, they’re certain people are whispering about them, and about their house, which one neighbor refers to as The House of Last Resort. Soon, they learn that the home was owned for generations by the Church, but the real secret, and the true dread, is unlocked when they finally learn what the priests were doing in this house for all those long years…and how many people died in the strange chapel inside.

While down in the catacombs beneath Becchina…something stirs.


What I recently finished reading:

Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar, it’s clear he’s the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure…before he disappears without a word.

Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she’s enrolled for the semester. And he’s not just any student. He’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world—and he’s strictly forbidden from dating.

When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.


What I think I will read next:

Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis are faced with their most perplexing case yet when a double homicide investigation leads them to stolen identities and long-buried secrets worth killing for in this riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Los Angeles is a city of reinvention. Many come to start anew, to strike it big. Many kill the person they once were, the person they left behind. And in turn, someone else can turn around and kill them, too—permanently.

A housekeeper enters a secluded, upscale home and discovers two bodies floating in the The heir of an Italian shoe empire and an unknown woman. The house is untouched, but a “double” in Bel Air certainly makes this case stand out from the usual. 

No forced entry means this could have been an inside job. After all, the woman floating in the pool is revealed to be Meagin March, a married neighbor from down the street, who lives in an even more opulent and sprawling mansion. Married woman having an affair? That’s a perfect motive.

But not everything is as it seems. At her wedding, Meagin had no family and a tip from Meagin’s mother-in-law raises their suspicions. Who was she, exactly?

Learning the truth about this mysterious woman—uncovering her identity and motivations—will take Alex and Milo on one of the most  shocking journeys of their careers.

A Holmes and Watson-style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett

In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.

A determined mermaid, the powerless son of a magic-wielding line…two worlds never meant to collide

In spite of being a nameless orphan, Merletta is determined to win the prestigious rank of record holder. And she has no intention of letting a little thing like universal disdain stop her.

Lord Heath knows nothing of mermaids, but coming from the noble House of Dragonfriend, he’s no stranger to magic. Except, in spite of having a dragon for a best friend, Heath is the only magic-less member of his family. Not that he covets the power around him. All he wants is to defuse the growing tension between the power-wielders and their royal cousins.

These two worlds couldn’t be further removed…until Heath’s search for solutions takes him to the forgotten island of Vazula. Now the kingdoms of both land and sea are set on a new current, one which will carry both Heath and Merletta beyond the limit of everything they thought they knew. Because with someone underwater trying to do much worse than push Merletta from the program, and someone on land targeting Heath’s family, the insurmountable barriers keeping Heath and Merletta apart might just be the least of their problems.

A Kingdom Submerged is the first book in The Vazula Chronicles, a YA fantasy series of four installments, which should be read in order. In addition to irritatingly inscrutable dragons, the series features a clean slow burn romance between a mermaid and a reluctantly magical human. If you enjoy adventure, fantasy, mystery, and hard-won happily ever afters, discover the world of The Vazula Chronicles today!

He’s hunting me, and there’s nowhere to run. East Berlin, 1963. I thought I understood the consequences of trying to flee to the West. Death. Imprisonment without trial. Instead I’m being hunted by the most dangerous man in the city, secret police officer Reinhardt Volker. Now I’m his prize, no longer a traitorous factory girl but his elegant and pampered secretary. He wants to possess me, body, soul – and heart. I’ll do anything to get away from him, but first that means getting closer. I want to feel only hatred for my captor but beneath his uniform I discover a man with a past as scarred as Berlin’s. And if I don’t escape him soon it will be too late. A full-length dark romance by Brianna Hale

July 2023 Wrap Up

Here is what I read/posted/bought in July.

As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them.


Books I Read:

ARC from Crooked Lane Books
Non-ARC from author
Non-ARC from author
Non-ARC from author
Non-ARC from author
Non-ARC from author
Kindle purchase
Free Kindle purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
KU Purchase
ARC from Crooked Lane Books
ARC from Meryl Moss Media Group, Rosewind Books
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey
ARC from St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin
Non-ARC from Author
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
ARC from St. Martin’s Press
ARC from Sourcebooks Fire
ARC from Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine, Del Rey
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell
Free Kindle purchase
Free Kindle purchase
Kindle Purchase
Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam
ARC from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Non-ARC from author
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books
ARC from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Books I got from NetGalley:

ARC from St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin
Wish granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Delacorte Press
Wish granted from Sourcebooks Fire
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey
ARC from St. Martin’s Press
ARC from St. Martin’s Press
Wish granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell
Limited time Read Now from St. Martin’s Press
Invite from author via his publisher–Level Best Books
Arc from St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin
ARC from Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Books I got from Authors/Indie Publishers:

ARC from author
Non-ARC from author

Giveaway Winners

The Bridge to Magic by Alex Thornbury


Books Reviewed:

Carving Up Reily by Paul Flanagan—review here (4 stars)

Playing with Fire by Flora McGowan—review here (4 stars)

The Voinico’s Slayer by Sallie Cochren—review here (4 stars)

Death By a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue—review coming September 5th, 2023

One*Life: Ameno by Blaze Dendukuri—review here (3 stars)

The Master of Demise by Nadija Mujagic—review here (4 stars)

Under Central Park: The Amulet’s Secret by D.W. Spinola—review here (4 stars)

Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve S. Sardoff—review here (4 stars)

Dark Horse by Ann Hunter—review here (4 stars)

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center—review here (4 stars)

A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert—review here (4 stars)

Macarons Can Be Murder by Rose Betancourt—review here (3 stars)

My Goodbye Girl by Anna Gomez—review here (4 stars)

Thief Liar Lady by D.L. Sonia—review here (4 stars)

Play to Win by Jodie Slaughter—review here (4 stars)

Against the Odds by Ann Hunter—review here (4 stars)

Take the Honey and Run by Jennie Marts—review here (4 stars)

The Block Party by Jamie Day—review here (4 stars)

Have You Seen My Sister by Kirsty McKay—review coming September 5th

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia—review here (4 stars)

Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review by Tehlor Kay Meija—review here (4 stars)

Blind Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Webb—review here (4 stars)

The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair—review here (4 stars)

The Celine Bower Story by Carly Brown—review here (4 stars)

The Madwomen of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein—review here (4 stars)


The StoryGraph Reading Challenges:

June:

Scavenger Hunt (A book that was turned into a show/movie you haven’t seen): The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

PopSugar Reading Challenge 2023 (A book about a forbidden romance): Painted Love by Lacy Embers

2023 TBR Toppler (A book under 200 pages): Berkley Street by Ron Ripley

2023 Monthly Themes (June to the Moon: Sci-fi): The Liberty Box by C.A. Gray

2023 Reading Challenge (A retelling of a classic story/myth): Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

2023 ABC Challenge (F): Forever Black by Sandi Lynn

Romanceopoly 2023! (Read a contemporary romance by an author you haven’t tried before): Father Figure by James J. Cudney

2023 TBR Prompts (Shortest book on my TBR): Thirst by Graceley Knox

July:

Buzzword Reading Challenge 2023 (“Weather-related words: weather related words in the title: rain, storm, snow, clouds, sky, sunshine, hurricane): Stormcall by T.A. Marks

2023 Sami Parker Reads Title Challenge (A book that has a day of the week in the title): That Monday Girl by Julie Johnson

Cover Scavenger Hunt 2023 (Sky): Unbound by A.R. Shaw

The StoryGraph Reads the World 2023 (Pakistan): A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

The StoryGraph’s Genre Challenge 2023 (A fantasy novel written by an author of color): The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Beat the Backlist 2023 (an author writing under a pseudonym): What Doesn’t Kill You by Jo Ho

Scavenger Hunt TBR Book Challenge (find a book with the same amount of pages as the last book and read it): Woman Scorned by Shannon Heuston

Scavenger Hunt (A book that was translated from another language): Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

PopSugar Reading Challenge 2023 (A book with “girl” in the title): The Fireproof Girl by Loretta Lost

2023 TBR Toppler (A book over 500 pages): The Yellowstone Conundrum by John D. Randall

2023 Monthly Themes (Books in the Heat: Book takes place in the summer or someplace hot): What Happened at the Lake by Phil M. Williams

2023 Reading Challenge (A Yellow Book: Cover or Title are Yellow): A Worse Secret by Harvey Church

2023 ABC Challenge (G): Girl with No Fingerprints by Mark Bailey

Romanceopoly 2023! (friends to lovers): Anything for Love by Lola St. Vil

2023 TBR Prompts (Longest book on my TBR): The Needle House by Robin Roughley


Books I bought:

Stalks of Gold by Celeste Baxendell (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Mirrors of Ice by Celeste Baxendell (accidental Kindle purchase)

Dead Before Dinner by Kat Bellemore (free Kindle purchase via blog post)

Death on Deck by Verity Bright (free Kindle purchase via blog post)

Protecting Fiona by Susan Stoker (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Open, Honestly by Bill Konigsberg (free Kindle purchase via Goodreads)

His Baby Proposal by Ivy James (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

This Much Is True by Tia Louise (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Ruined & Redeemed: The Earl’s Fallen Wife by Bree Wolf (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Burden of Proof by Julie Anne Lindsey (free Kindle purchase via blog post)

MacFarland’s Lass by Glynnis Campbell (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Finding Faith by B.E. Baker (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Resisting Chase by Sharon Woods (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Dance with Deception by Tracy Goodwin (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Saving Noah by Kaci Rose (free Kindle purchase)

Four Cold Months by K.J. Kalis (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Whiskey Rebellion by Liliana Hart (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Watch Your Back by Stacy Claflin (free Kindle purchase via blog post)

Sweet Distraction by Lainey Davis (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Dirty Player by Stacey Lynn (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

October 2022 Wrap Up

October was a busy month for me reading/writing reviews. I finally feel that I am getting back to where I was preCovid!!

Here is what I read/posted in October.

As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them.


Books I Read:


Books I got from NetGalley:


Books I got from Authors/Indie Publishers:


Books Reviewed

Nightmares & Daydreams by Dominic J. Anton (review here)

The Lost Son by Aidan Lucid (review here)

The Man without Shelter by Indrajit Gara (review here)

Fleshed Out by Rob Ulitski (review here)

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner (review here)

Steel Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann (review here)

The Last Huntress by Lenore Borja (review coming November 1st)

Alias Emma by Ava Glass (review coming November 2nd)

Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett (review here)

A Broken Clock Never Boils by C.J. Weiss (review coming November 3rd)

A Sliver of Darkness by C.J. Tudor (review coming November 8th)

Locklands (The Founders Trilogy: Book 3) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: June 28th, 2022

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, LGBTQIA+, Science Fiction, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Queer, Magic

Series: The Founders Trilogy

Foundryside—Book 1 (review here)

Shorefall—Book 2 (review here)

Locklands—Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | IndieBound | Indigo | Kobo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

A god wages war—using all of humanity as its pawns—in the unforgettable conclusion to the Founders trilogy.

Sancia, Clef, and Berenice have gone up against plenty of long odds in the past. But the war they’re fighting now is one even they can’t win.

This time, they’re not facing robber-baron elites, or even an immortal hierophant, but an entity whose intelligence is spread over half the globe—a ghost in the machine that uses the magic of scriving to possess and control not just objects, but human minds.

To fight it, they’ve used scriving technology to transform themselves and their allies into an army—a society—that’s like nothing humanity has seen before. With its strength at their backs, they’ve freed a handful of their enemy’s hosts from servitude, even brought down some of its fearsome, reality-altering dreadnaughts. Yet despite their efforts, their enemy marches on—implacable. Unstoppable.

Now, as their opponent closes in on its true prize—an ancient doorway, long buried, that leads to the chambers at the center of creation itself—Sancia and her friends glimpse a chance at reaching it first, and with it, a last desperate opportunity to stop this unbeatable foe. But to do so, they’ll have to unlock the centuries-old mystery of scriving’s origins, embark on a desperate mission into the heart of their enemy’s power, and pull off the most daring heist they’ve ever attempted.

And as if that weren’t enough, their adversary might just have a spy in their ranks—and a last trick up its sleeve.


First Line:

Are you ready? whispered a voice. Berenice opened her eyes.

Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett

When I first tried to read Locklands, I had difficulty getting through it. Not from a lack of wanting to read it, I wanted to see where Berenice, Sanica, and the rest of the gang ended up after the events of Shorefall. I ended up DNF’ing at around 30% because I couldn’t wrap my head around some of the events that had happened or were happening in Locklands. I picked it back up because it was one of three books I had DNF’d this year, and I didn’t want to end the year on that note. While I struggled to read through the first 30% of the book, the book smoothed out and became enjoyable.

Locklands is book 3 in The Founders Trilogy. This book is not standalone; you must read the first two books before picking this up. The author goes into what happened in the first books but not in depth. I had a hard time following this book at first.

Locklands takes place around eight years after the events of Shorefall. A lot has happened in those eight years, but the most notable is that people used scriving to connect. Born out of the scriving are conscious entities called The Cadences. They are helping Berenice and her people fight a war against Tevanne. But they are slowly losing the war. Berenice realizes that the one person (or being, if you want to be technical) who could help them is being held captive and tortured by Tevanne. He is Crasedes Magnus, the hierophant and son of Clef. But can or will he help? Or will everything that they are fighting for be in vain?

I wasn’t a big fan of Berenice when the book first started. She came across as dull. As the book continued, I understood that she was anything but that. She was brave and willing to do anything to ensure her people were safe and get the job done. By the end of the book, I loved her. Her sacrifices did help her people in the future.

Clef had a considerable part in this book. A good chunk of the last part of the book is based on his human memories. He was still the sarcastic, wise-ass key he always was, but it was tempered by what he remembered. My heart broke for him during specific memories, but I also got very angry with him. It was his actions that made Crasedes who he was.

Crasedes didn’t show up until after Berenice rescued him. He was different from the egotistical man that the author featured in Shorefall. What he experienced in Tevanne changed him. It changed him so much that he was willing to work with Clef and Berenice to nullify Tevanne. Of course, he did have some tricks up his sleeve, but for the most part, he was pretty straightforward with what he wanted and was going to do.

Surprisingly, Sanica didn’t have a massive part in most of the book. With her physical changes, I could understand why she wasn’t out fighting on the front lines. But, towards the end, it was revealed what Sanica had to do and man, did she deliver!!

I loved the Cadences. Greeter and Design were my favorites. I loved reading about their interactions with Berenice and how they talked to her. They were also very instrumental in what happened at the end of the book.

The storyline with Clef and Crasedes (and ultimately Tevanne) broke my heart. As a parent, I could understand why Clef chose to do what he did. But as a person, I was horrified by it. Also, I will never be able to look at butterflies the same way. Again, the author revealed another sad thing.

The storyline with the war, Tevanne, Crasedes, the Cadences, Sanica, and Berenice, was well written. The author did a fantastic job of not only building up to the grand finale but explaining why it went the way it did.

The fantasy angle was one of the best ones I have ever read. The author perfectly outlined the use of scriving for pathing, the creations of the Cadences, and even Tevanne’s usage of magic/scriving. It sometimes frightened me, but it kept my attention wholly on the book.

There was a slight romance angle in Locklands. The relationship between Sanica and Berenice was relationship goals (seriously). They were utterly in love with each other, but they also understood that there was something bigger than themselves going on. So, yes, my heart broke when certain events happened.

The end of Lockalnds was interesting. I say interesting because I didn’t expect the book to end as it did. It surprised me.

I would recommend Locklands to anyone over 21. There is moderate to graphic violence, mild sexual situations, and language.


If you enjoyed reading Locklands, you will enjoy reading these books:

Bookish Travels—September 2022 Destinations

I saw this meme on It’s All About Books and thought, I like this!! So, I decided to do it once a month also. Many thanks to Yvonne for originally posting this!!

This post is what it says: Places I travel to in books each month. Books are wonderful and take you to places you would never get a chance to go. That includes places of fantasy too!!

So….enjoy!! Please let me know if you have read these books or traveled to these areas (other than the fantasy….lol).


Here’s where I traveled in September:

United States:

Jackson County, somewhere in the Midwest or South/Portland, Oregon/Chicago, Illinois/ Louisiana/ Midwest
San Jose/Napa, California
Danville Heights/Sandry Lake, Unknown state
Denver, Colorado/Chicago, Illinois/Morganton, North Carolina
Denver, Colorado/NYC, New York
Denver, Colorado
Emerald Springs, Historical West (maybe Montana??)
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Shadow Geirolf Pack Land, unknown state
Harleyville, unknown state
Seaton Falls, Michigan
Los Angeles, California
New York City, New York/Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Greece

Greek Islands, Santorini

Mozambique

Lourenco Marques

Portugal

Libson, Madeira

South Africa

Johannesburg, Durban

United Kingdom

London, England
St. Pirran’s Island, Cornwall, England
London/Chelsea, England

France

Marseille
Paris

North Atlantic Ocean

The Bermuda Triangle

Zargothia

Little Zargothia

Russia


Persian Gulf/Pacific Ocean

USS Abraham Lincoln, aircraft carrier

Grattiara

City State of Grattiara

Sea

Durazzo Sea

Giva

Givan Islands