State of the ARC [41]

 

State of the ARC is a monthly meme hosted by Avalinah at Avalinah's Books and Sarah at All the Book Blog Names Are Taken! It's an opportunity for readers to catch up on their long overdue ARCs, but right now I'm using it to keep up with my upcoming ARCs instead. It helps me stay organized!

Midnight on the Celestial by Julia Alexandra (3/3)

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle (3/10)

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner (3/17)

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying, #1) by Ilona Andrews (3/31) *review

Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones (3/31)

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer; Tamara Moss (4/7)

Bloodsinger (The Fire That Binds, #2) by Juliette Cross (4/9)

Morsel by Carter Keane (4/14)

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai (4/14)

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West (4/14)

Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe (4/14)

Every Version of You by Natalie Messier (4/21)

Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce (4/28)

Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez (5/12)

First and Forever by Lynn Painter (5/12)

Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth (5/12)

Strange Familiars (The Seamere College Duology, #1) by Keshe Chow (5/19)

The Final Target by Nora Roberts (5/26)

Man of My Dreams by Olivia Worley (6/2)

Winner Takes All by Emily Martin (6/23)

The River She Became by Emily Varga (6/30)

Witch Season (Broken Coven, #1) by Julia Blanco (6/30)

I think the pub date for Every Version of You was moved back to July, but I'm seeing inconsistent release dates for it. I'm going to leave it in April for now, and will adjust it once I have a more definitive answer.

What are you reading right now? Are any of these on your TBR? Let me know!

The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues, #1) by Alwyn Hamilton 🎧 Max Meyers, Colin White, Karissa Vacker, and EJ Lavery

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora "Nora" Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money—and all the magic—in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there's a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora's aunt. When Lotte's absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she'd abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother's death wasn't random—it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

While the dangers of the Veritaz competition threaten each of the Holtzfall girls, and the stark class differences turns political outrage to terrifing violence—the new cousins must fight to stay alive, no matter what.

Incredible tests, impossible choices, and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.

The Notorious Virtues was a really interesting story with a unique concept, but I definitely think it was longer than it needed to be. The pacing dragged in places, which was a bit of a bummer since we didn’t get as much worldbuilding or character development as I would have liked. The story alternates between several POVs — Lotte, Nora, August, Theo, and even a few secondary characters — but unfortunately none of them felt especially fleshed out, and I think that hurt the overall story a bit.

I still ended up giving this one 4 stars, although if I’m being completely honest it probably lands closer to a 3.5 for me. I’m not sure I would have made it as far if I’d been reading a physical copy, but the narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story to life and giving the characters more personality.

The ending does set up the next book really well, even though it leaves us with quite a few unanswered questions. I have a feeling the regular folk are about to learn what the Holtzfall family’s protection really meant when it came to their safety and wellbeing. I think people forgot the original story and only saw the Holtzfalls as power-hungry elites who refused to share their wealth.

Things definitely needed to change, and even Lotte and Nora seemed ready to see what that might look like — but I don’t think they anticipated some of the events that transpired. It will be interesting to see how they come back from everything that's happened, and what their new world will look like when they do.

Bride (Bride, #1) by Ali Hazelwood

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

It’s been ages since I read a vampire or werewolf story, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I picked up Bride. It’s been popping up everywhere lately, and I’m happy to say it absolutely lived up to the hype! Misery and Lowe were such fun characters to read about, and I loved watching their relationship slowly take shape. No one expected them to work — even their biology seemed incompatible — yet they defied the odds and learned to love one another despite their differences.

My one real frustration was Lowe’s secrets regarding Misery. He allows her to believe things that aren’t true and never really corrects her assumptions, even when it’s clearly hurting him. He trusts her with Pack secrets — literal life-or-death information — but somehow doesn’t trust her with something that directly involves her? Dude, come on. I didn't buy his justifications, and his hurtful denial didn't feel fair to Misery.

That said, Misery was easily my favorite character. She’s supposed to be this cold, unfeeling Vampyre, yet she clearly cares deeply — especially when it comes to her foster sister and Lowe’s niece. She doesn’t process emotions the same way Humans and Weres do, but she’s nothing like her father or the other Vampyres she grew up around. I really loved her personality and the unique way she sees the world around her.

Overall, I had a great time reading this one. I loved the main characters (though I would have appreciated a bit more development from some of the secondary ones), and several of the twists genuinely caught me off guard. The ending also did a great job setting up the next book, and it definitely left me curious about where the story will go from here. If you enjoy paranormal romance with memorable characters, this one is definitely worth checking out! (★★★★☆)

The Sunday Post [85]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

We had a very busy weekend! I took a personal day on Friday to celebrate my son’s birthday, and the kids loved getting to skip school for the day. We ended the evening with Stations of the Cross at church, followed by a meal where everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to him. On Saturday, we tried a new nacho place that was delicious! We couldn’t decide what to order, so we ended up splitting three dishes so everyone could try more than one.

The first picture is their version of Jalapeno Poppers (so spicy!), and the second is their Strawberry Cheesecake Nachos (amazing!). I also had to take a picture of the bathroom because the wallpaper was so unexpected!

 

After dinner we went bowling and had a blast! I also managed to squeeze in a quick trip to the thrift store on our way home (my husband and son weren't as excited by this, but they were good sports).

Previous Posts on the Blog

• Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
• Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
• The Sunday Post [84]

What I'm Currently Reading

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle

Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1) by Callie Hart

What I Plan on Reading Next

Paper & Blood (Ink & Sigil, #2) by Kevin Hearne

Candle & Crow (Ink & Sigil, #3) by Kevin Hearne

What I'm Watching

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End gets better and better the more I watch it! Sein just joined their party and I love the new dynamic. I'm worried his path my diverge from theirs for awhile, but I'm hoping they decide to join him before continuing on. 

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 5 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 20 / 100
• Physical TBR: 2 / 25
• NetGalley: 33 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 1 / 20
• Beat the Backlist Challenge: 15/50

I'm really happy with my progress so far! I wasn't able to post as often this week, but that's okay! I'm still chugging along and visiting blogs whenever I can. ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis (via Goodreads): From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel the world after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board The Susannah and set out on an adventure. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, college best friends Brittany and Amma. The two women say they want to travel off the beaten path. But like Lux, they may have other reasons to be seeking an escape.

Shimmering on the horizon after days at sea, Meroe Island is every bit the paradise the foursome expects, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. But what they don’t expect is to discover another boat already anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. The owners of the Azure Sky, Jake and Eliza, are a true golden couple: gorgeous, laidback, and if their sleek catamaran and well-stocked bar are any indication, rich. Now a party of six, the new friends settle in to experience life on an exotic island, and the serenity of being completely off the grid. Lux hasn’t felt like she truly belonged anywhere in years, yet here on Meroe, with these fellow free spirits, she finally has a sense of peace.

But with the arrival of a skeevy stranger sailing alone in pursuit of a darker kind of good time, the balance of the group is disrupted. Soon, cracks begin to emerge: it seems that Brittany and Amma haven’t been completely honest with Lux about their pasts––and perhaps not even with each other. And though Jake and Eliza seem like the perfect pair, the rocky history of their relationship begins to resurface, and their reasons for sailing to Meroe might not be as innocent as they first appeared.

When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive.

Reckless Girls was an okay read for me. I found the murder mystery aspect a bit confusing at times, though the alternating timelines between past and present — and between different characters — did help me better understand who they were and why they made certain choices. Still, the overall plot felt convoluted and not as well executed as it could have been. Some of the deaths were poorly explained, and the motivations behind them weren’t entirely believable.

I did enjoy the remote island setting and the tension of trying to figure out who was behind the killings, but the characters do very little exploring while they’re there. They make a few trips onto the island, but mostly stay on their boats or in the water. I felt like everyone should have been more suspicious of strangers, but no one seemed to care that they were isolated with people they barely knew.

Unfortunately, the ending left a lot to be desired. It felt like it ended without truly ending, leaving too much up to the reader’s imagination. Lux’s choices also seemed out of character, even considering everything she had been through. After such a promising start, I was expecting more. (★★★☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Good Spirits (Ghosted, #1) by B.K. Borison

Synopsis (via Goodreads): He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm.

"Do not mistake me for a good man. I am not here out of some misplaced sense of honor or duty. I demand your attention and I desire your affection."

I am absolutely smitten with Good Spirits! It's definitely my new favorite holiday read, and I plan on re-reading it every Christmas for the foreseeable future. I fell in love with Harriet and Nolan, and I adored watching their friendship bloom into something more. They're both good-hearted people who truly deserve happiness, and I thought Borison navigated their emotions and circumstances really well. 

Harriet is always putting everyone else before herself — whether that’s her family or her friendly neighborhood mailman who can’t seem to deliver packages to the correct address. She constantly makes herself smaller to keep the people around her comfortable. She doesn’t think she deserves love, yet she’s always striving for acceptance. It takes Nolan bulldozing into her life for her to finally begin seeing the value she offers to the people — and the world — around her.

Nolan is my new favorite Irishman. I adored his personality and the way he couldn’t help but be drawn to Harriet and her ever-present enthusiasm. At first, I was convinced her clutter and over-the-top Christmas attire were going to give him a stroke — but they eventually grew on him, as did the girl they belonged to. When he started carrying candy canes on his person just in case she needed a “fix,” I completely melted. His stoicism was no match for Harriet’s unrelenting positivity.

This was my first book by B.K. Borison, but it definitely won’t be my last. The second book in the series, Grim Tidings, releases in September, and I already can’t wait to get my hands on it. (★★★★★)

The Sunday Post [84]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

I wish every weekend were a three-day weekend! I feel like I actually get to rest and reset, while still getting everything done that I need to (grocery shopping, cleaning around the house, dog baths, etc.). It’s amazing what one extra day can do. I’ve also been doing a lot of baking and have a few new recipes I want to try! Please share any bread suggestions - that's my current fixation. 

We went to the library this week (for emotional support) and I grabbed A LOT of books. I'm going to pause on my ARC reads this week to tackle this stack before they're due back. A few of them are books I received for review on NetGalley ages ago and never got to, so I will still be making some progress on my goals. 

 

Work was better this week. Friday was a little rough (I blame it on being the 13th). We didn’t have a Valentine’s Day party, but I did let them exchange cards at the end of the day. One student brought handmade cards, and another student made fun of them for it. Kids can be so mean sometimes. 😔

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, my husband got me delicious cupcakes! We ate them all in a single day. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but if you’re twisting my arm, I’d say the red velvet was best.

Previous Posts on the Blog

• Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli
• Roses Are Red, Books Are Better - Top Ten Tuesday [21]
• Organizing Titles: A Reader's Dilemma 
• The Sunday Post [83]

What I'm Currently Reading

Bride (Bride, #1) by Ali Hazelwood

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

What I Plan on Reading Next

Paper & Blood (Ink & Sigil, #2) by Kevin Hearne

Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1) by Callie Hart

What I'm Watching

If you haven't watched Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, I simply cannot recommend it enough! It's quickly becoming one of my favorite anime, and one I already know I will be rewatching again in the future. The story and characters are so, so good. 

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 5 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 18 / 100
• Physical TBR: 1 / 25
• NetGalley: 32 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 1 / 20
• Beat the Backlist Challenge: 13/50

I decided to also participate (unofficially) in the Beat the Backlist Challenge, so I added it to the list. I'm really happy with where I'm at goal-wise and have been enjoying most of my recent reads! I have a short work week this week, so I'm hoping that also means more time for books. ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!