Given my struggle keeping up with my NetGalley ARCs, I have decided to do a check-in at the middle of each month to keep myself somewhat accountable. My feedback ratio has been atrocious. Although, I think it is at least partly due to me just starting out. It doesn’t take many approved books without reviews to send my rating plummeting through the floor.
Right now my feedback ratio sits at 38% with 6 feedback sent for 16 approved books. However, I don’t think that is completely accurate because there are 7 books, not 6, with feedback in my shelf. Has that happened to anyone else? It is really frustrating because I was excited to have my percentage above 40%, and then the seventh book disappeared from my ratio calculation. I’m still proud to have improved it from the 20% ratio I had just a few weeks ago, though. So, progress…right?
I’m going to do my best to stop requesting new books until I’ve made a little more progress on reading the books currently on my shelf. But there are so many books that sound interesting.
The books below are those currently needing to be read on my shelf. I plan to read and review the books in bold before the next check-in on June 15.
Child of Light by Terry Brooks | Publication Date: October 12, 2021 Flash Fire by TJ Klune | Publication Date: July 13, 2021 If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich | Publication Date: December 7, 2021 Into the Lightning Gate by Roberth Roth | Publication Date: June 7, 2021 The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw | Publication Date: September 7, 2021 The Sightless City by Noah Lemelson | Publication Date: July 20, 2021 Traitors of the Black Crown by Cate Pearce | Publication Date: September 22, 2021 Not My Ruckus by Chad Musick | Publication Date: February 16, 2021
How do you stay on top of your NetGalley ARCs? Are you successful at staying above the coveted 80% ratio threshold? Let me know in the comments!
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! The meme is hosted by Reading Reality.
Weekly Wrap-Up
This has been a pretty good week for me. I finished a couple new books that I enjoyed, and I picked up some new stuff from Barnes & Noble and the library. I also got approved for a new book on NetGalley, which I’m looking forward to reading. The first part of the week was heavy on reading because the weather was gloomy and rainy, but I’ve been able to spend a lot of time outside the last couple of days working in my garden, which has been fun. I should have some vegetables soon (fingers crossed). Overall, it has been a pretty successful week, and I enjoyed the books I read (The Lost Apothecary, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, & Dark Farm).
Author Request
I had another author request this week and received the book in exchange for agreeing to write a review. It seems like a neat paranormal YA book. So, I’m looking forward to reading it and giving you all my opinion. Thank you to the author for the request!
e-ARC Acquisitions
I only downloaded one new eARC from NetGalley this week. So, I once again balanced out what I was able to get read with new acquisitions.
Library Acquisition
I made another trip to the library this week. I placed this book on hold a few weeks ago and have been waiting rather impatiently for it. Unfortunately, all the copies were checked out…so, I’ve had to wait. I’m ready to see what happens next for Alina, the Darkling, and Mal. I’m actually starting this book today and am pretty excited about it.
Barnes & Noble Purchases
I tried to stay away from the bookstore this week. I swear I did, but I found myself right across the street for another reason. Then the car just went to Barnes & Noble all on its own, and it would have been rude not to go inside. So, I was able to pick up three new books I’ve been interested in getting. 🙂
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m satisfied with what I’ve added to my shelves this week, and I’m looking forward to reading it all. Have you read any of the books I picked up? If so, what did you think? Are any of these on your TBR? Let me know in the comments below!
First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!
Today’s First Lines:
“The boy and the girl had once dreamed of ships, long ago, before they’d ever seen the True Sea. They were the vessels of stories, magic ships with masts hewn from sweet cedar and sails spun by maidens from thread of pure gold. Their crews were white mice who sang songs and scrubbed the decks with their pink tails.”
Do you know which book this is from? Scroll down to find out!
Title: Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Goodreads Synopsis
Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
Thoughts & Comments
I’ve been waiting for this book from the library for the last few weeks because all the copies were checked out. So, I’m excited to start it. The first several lines don’t really seem to give much indication about the direction of the rest of the book, but it does show that the story likely picks up right where the last book left off. I’m ready to see what Alina and Mal get up to next, and I’ll be sure to let you all know what I think of the book when I’m finished.
Does this book sound like something you would like? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments!
Wizards, gods, monsters, reanimated dead things … and this is just the beginning.
A family of campers has been slaughtered and Sam Morgan from the government’s National Security Office is scouring the Six Hills for the killers.
In nearby Quorn, trainee fire officer Kane Gates struggles to come to terms with his own family tragedy. And now he has to battle the sinister sorcerer Wilfred Waite, who is bent on corrupting his brother and unleashing hell on earth.
When the headstrong Arika Livingston appears in Quorn to investigate reports of a dragon attack, Kane finds himself with a valuable ally. But what is Arika’s real agenda? And what is her connection to Sam Morgan and the Dark farm?
The horrors lurking beneath the Dark farm will bring the feuding brothers together and begin a chain of events that will threaten not only Dylan, not only our planet, but existence itself.
How deep into a world of horror will Kane descend to protect his family from evil?
Dark Farm is a supernatural adventure, a thrilling rollercoaster ride into a universe of wizardry, magic, horror, gods, cosmic terror and a looming apocalypse, that has at its heart the fragile relationship between two brothers.
Dark Farm – Book One in the epic series, Bringer of the Dark
In the far reaches of the universe, the primordial Kragn Z’garh Khrl’ur plots its long-awaited return to Earth. It has help from ancient cults, opposed for centuries by the might of a supernatural society, and now new and unlikely heroes are emerging to lead the final battle.
My Review
***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book. The following review consists of my honest opinions and reactions to the book.***
This book was a roller-coaster ride of family tragedy, wizards, zombies, and destructive gods. The pacing was often pretty intense despite the book being over 400 pages. I kept wanting to turn the page to see what would happen next. The plot was interesting and left me with a lot of questions and excitement about the next book. The story was ambitious and attempted to cover a lot of ground in one book, but, overall, I thought the author did a great job weaving the parts of the story together to create a gripping, cohesive narrative with fascinating world-building and engaging twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. That being said, parts of the story were repetitive at times, and I think there may have been a less circuitous way to reach the same outcome by streamlining the story some. I also would have liked to see the events of the first third of the book have more of a direct tie-in to the ending given how long was devoted to the family tragedy faced by the main characters at the beginning of the book.
I loved so many of the characters. The two brothers, Kane and Dylan, were both well-developed, and their backstory was explored in great depth. I enjoyed seeing their distinct personalities at play as they both coped with family tragedy in different ways. They also both experienced tremendous character growth throughout the story, which felt organic and true to the nature of each boy’s characteristics, as well as the situations in which they found themselves. The wizards in this story were also some of my favorite characters simply because they were so deliciously evil. I enjoyed every part of the story that had them in it because their perspectives were just so outrageously villainous. There weren’t any characters I didn’t like, but there were some secondary characters who had what should have been impactful moments, if only they had been utilized and developed more before that point.
The level of horror and grotesque imagery utilized in this book was superb. The author was able to help me create truly repugnant pictures in my head of the zombies and monsters, and I had a lot of fun doing it. I’ve seen elsewhere that the gods and monsters in this book are based on Lovecraft’s writing, but I did not need to read any of his work to understand or enjoy this story. It stands well on its own, and the reader learns about the gods, magic, and history of the world alongside the main characters at a steady pace as the book progresses.
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters and villains were fantastic, and the setting seems deep in lore, which is barely scratched by this first book. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, and I cannot wait to get my hands on future installments.
I’ve been a fan of Spider-Man for a very long time. I loved the animated cartoon from the 90’s and enjoyed all of the movies. I’ve always enjoyed his wit and humor and related to the nerdy teenage boy turned super hero story. However, I didn’t start reading Spider-Man comics until much more recently. I started picking it up towards the end of the last run in 2017. So, Spencer’s time writing the book is really all I know.
This event, Last Remains, was the culmination of a slow burn story seeded way back in 2018 with The Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #1. That issue, and many more since, hinted at a major villain pulling the strings of the things happening to Peter. I was surprised by the reveal of Kindred’s identity and am still somewhat confused on exactly how it is possible. I’m not sure if the confusion comes from something I missed about this character from previous comics or if the answers just haven’t come yet. I guess time will tell.
I enjoyed the darkness of the arc. It is not something I associate with Spider-Man when I think of the cartoons or movies. However, the things that happen to Peter in this story are terrible. It explores the idea of collateral damage from being a superhero very well. I never really stopped to think of the death and tragedy that has surrounded this character, but it seems there has been a lot, and Peter had to face it all here.
The art was really great. There are some very hair-raising scenes, and I found Kindred to be a super creepy villain. A couple scenes, in particular, have stuck with me since reading it, but talking about them would mean spoilers.
Overall, this arc was a good crescendo to the story told in this run of Spider-Man so far while also setting things up for the story of Kindred to continue. My main complaint would be the abrupt ending of the showdown between Kindred and the good guys. There was so much build-up and then it was over fairly quickly. However, I get the sense that may have been on purpose so that Kindred could move on to the next phase of his plan.
I rate this arc 4 out of 5 stars. Have you read Last Remains yet? What did you think? Are there any other Spider-Man runs that you think would help inform the events of this one? If so, let me know, and I’ll add them to my TBR.
In this addictive and spectacularly imagined debut, a female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them—setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.
Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.
One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose—selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.
In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.
With crackling suspense, unforgettable characters and searing insight, The Lost Apothecary is a subversive and intoxicating exploration of women rebelling against a man’s world, the destructive force of revenge and the remarkable ways that women can save each other despite the barrier of time.
My Review
This book defied my expectations. I picked it out thinking it would be a dark book about murder and betrayal filled with suspense and intrigue. While those things were present to some degree, the book was so much more. It was first and foremost about how to pick yourself up after a devastating breach of trust and move forward without being held down by the past or consumed by a desire for revenge. It tackled a few other powerful themes (overcoming trauma, oppression of women in the past and present, uncovering the truth of oneself and disentangling that truth from societal expectations) and did so poignantly. The prose was easy to read and well-written, and I enjoyed the author’s style of writing, especially the ease with which she helped me enter the internal world of these characters and their struggles.
This book consisted of two parallel stories, one happening in the 1790s and the other in the present. I loved the story of the apothecary living in the 1790s. The two main characters of this part of the story, Nella and Eliza, were well-developed, and I enjoyed seeing their friendship blossom. They were definitely an unlikely pairing, but the differences between the characters and how those differences affected their interactions was a big part of what made their story endearing. The backstory of Nella and her journey throughout the book were sad, yet riveting, and kept me hooked on the story. The ending was not what I expected, but I loved it. I think one of my favorite quotes from the book sums up Nella’s story so well:
Healing by way of vengeance. But no such thing existed; it never had. Hurting others had only injured me further.
The story of Caroline set in the present day was also interesting, but I didn’t like it as much as I did the story of the apothecary. It seemed to drag at times, and I found myself questioning how easily she found information and solved different parts of the mystery. Despite these drawbacks, I thought the adventure itself was a great device for the self-exploration present in her story, and I enjoyed feeling like I was solving the mystery of the apothecary alongside Caroline. I also related to the self-exploration aspect of her story and the ease with which one can lose oneself in the rat race of life and the expectations that others place on us. The distinction this book made between being happy and being fulfilled, and how one can be one without the other, really made me stop and think about my own life.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction who also enjoys reading about transformative stories. The characters feel like real people and undergo a lot of growth throughout the book. People just looking for a book with lots of murder and darkness will probably be disappointed, but there is some of that here as well. I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars.
Alex is a graphic genius who can create a superhero but does he have the courage to become one? Apple is the warrior princess who will fight to the death, but can she learn to listen to her heart?
They live in different worlds but are thrust together on the same quest. A quest to undo the Apocalypse. If they fail, life on Earth as we know it will end.
When Moon, a mysterious stranger gives Alex extraordinary powers, then drags him into her post-Apocalyptic world, he doesn’t know whether he’s dreaming or drugged. But, by the time he falls back into his own world, only he knows about the terror attack that’s about to trigger a global nuclear war. And in spite of the clock ticking down, no-one he turns to believes a word he says…
If you like epic adventure, featuring time-travel, action and romance, then you’ll love this new book by Trevor Morris.
My Review
***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book. The following review is composed of my honest thoughts and reactions to this book.***
NOTE: This review does contain some vague, minor spoilers.
I thought this book would be a great fit for me. The description included adventure, time-travel, action, and romance, which are all things I love to read. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a dud.
The premise of the book is very intriguing. I liked the idea of using art to travel through time, and the plot of needing to stop the apocalypse before it occurs was interesting enough. However, the book was not executed well. The story was confusing and almost nothing was explained. I really wanted to learn more about how the time travel was possible, but the explanations in the book were weak and vague and made it seem as though the author never really thought out the mechanisms for how it was supposed to work. The plot was also confusing and somewhat nonsensical. I had a difficult time following what was happening at many points in the book, and there were alternate plans and other plot points that seemed important but ended up going nowhere.
The pacing of the book was also a large problem, which I think contributed to the confusing nature of the story. The book is constantly jumping between different perspectives at a very frenetic pace. It seemed there was a different POV every couple of paragraphs. The story also often jumped abruptly in time and location, as well, and gave very few details to fill in the gaps. The pace and writing style contributed to a tense atmosphere within the novel, which I expected given the story is about rushing to save the world, but I think this could have been accomplished without the jumpiness and confusion it created.
The characters were not well-developed. I honestly felt that I knew just as much about the characters after the book as I did before I started reading it. Due to the book’s short length and quick pace, there was little room for delving into any of the characters with any depth. The focus was largely on the plot, which was the driving factor in this novel despite how confusing it was. I really wanted to see more internal reactions of the characters to get to know them more intimately. It didn’t help that many of them died shortly after they were introduced. I think I was supposed to care about their deaths, but I really didn’t care at all. By the end, I felt as though I wouldn’t have cared if they all died because I just did not feel connected to any of the characters. Also, as a side note, the romance in the book was sparse and extremely shallow and wooden, which is probably also a side effect of not feeling anything about the characters involved.
Despite the flaws of the book, there were parts that stood out to me as being pretty great. The author was very good at writing descriptive deaths. His description of someone being eaten alive by a pack of dogs left me with chills because of the imagery it had evoked in my head. I also really enjoyed the flight battle sequence and found it to be really engaging.
Overall, I didn’t really enjoy this book. It was confusing, jumpy, and lacking in compelling characters. However, people who enjoy a quick read filled with fast-paced action and can overlook the flaws and lack of explanations may enjoy it more than I did. Therefore, I rate the book 2 out of 5 stars.
Everyone within the realms of Epidalio and Zafiria is born with magic. However, it is also true that for every spell each and every magic-user casts, their innate abilities begin to slowly wane until their power is feeble and depleted.
True, that is, for almost everyone.
Princess Gaiane Asares of Zafiria is the result of a nearly perfect genetic union. Harnessing royal and magical lineage in her conception, the princess was born infinitely powerful and with no limits upon her magic. Sequestered in a lonesome tower as her strength is used against her will to conquer the land of Epidalio, she must find a way to fight against her captors.
Elsewhere within the realms, Leo—a commoner—was born with no magic at all. Except for her brain, wits, and her own anger, she must confront the circumstances thrown at her without the magical gifts that so many take for granted.
THE OTHER SIDE OF MAGIC is a diverse fantasy filled with action and adventure that is sure to pull you in and hold you fast through each twist and turn!
My Review
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my honest assessment of the book.***
The premise of this book sounded so fascinating. The magic system had me intrigued and the story of a princess designed as a weapon who escapes and turns on her captors, who also happen to be her parents, seemed really cool. But I did NOT like this book. It actually put me in somewhat of a reading slump because I dreaded having to read more of it. I hate DNFing books, but the only reason I finished this one is I wanted to give feedback via NetGalley to help improve my percentage there. If I had gotten this book from anywhere else, I would not have finished it.
As mentioned earlier, the idea for the story is a really good one, and the first chapter was gripping and set the stage well for a good novel. I did like the magic system, and the author described the use of the magic really well. However, one of the main problems with the book was the limited prevalence of magic throughout and a lack of depth regarding how magic functioned in this world. I really wanted more info about it and to see it used more often throughout the book. The story also took a quick downhill turn after the first chapter. The plot was rather predictable and not very interesting. Perhaps the most frustrating part for me is that even after reading I still don’t know why they created the super-powerful princess other than the nebulous need for more power and domination, which fell flat to me as a rationale.
The characters were also pretty flat, and some of them were so bad they made me want to quit reading. The princess, in particular, was annoying and whiny throughout the book. She was entitled and cried at the drop of a hat, which I wasn’t expecting since she was supposedly the most powerful person in the kingdom and a captive her entire life. Her character became marginally less awful as the book progressed but not much. I found the relationship between her and the other girl, Leo, to be rushed and not very believable. I love queer representation in books, but I like it to be done well. That being said, I did like the diversity in queer representation in this book; I just wish their relationship had been more believable. My favorite character in this book was Evandro. He was the most well-rounded and exhibited the most character development. I enjoyed his redemption story from fallen knight to hero, and his budding relationship with the fun Ampelio was also a highlight.
The story really had an opportunity to explore some very powerful themes, especially grief, the aftermath of trauma, and taking back power after being manipulated and abused. However, none of this was covered very well, with the exception of Evandro’s part of the story.
The worst thing about this book was the writing. It was choppy and clunky. The ARC I received is also the worst-edited copy of a book I have read in my life. It seemed like there were grammar or spelling errors in almost every other sentence. These problems made the book very difficult to read and repeatedly pulled me out of the story to try to figure out what the author was trying to say. I hope the final version of the book received several more rounds of edits beyond the copy I received because it desperately needed it.
Overall, this book was not an enjoyable experience. The unique magic system, diverse queer rep, and Evandro are the only things that keep it from being a one star book for me. Therefore, I rate it 2 out of 5 stars.
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! The meme is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality.
Weekly Wrap-Up
It has been kind of a slow and disappointing reading week for me. I finished two ARCs that I didn’t really care for and made some progress on an audiobook. Work took up quite a bit more of my time this week, as well, and I didn’t feel that great for a couple days. My sleep cycle has been way off for most of the week, which has left me exhausted. Although, I did enjoy celebrating Star Wars Day this week with a movie marathon and the premiere of The Bad Batch. If you like The Clone Wars, make sure to catch the new show on Disney+ because it is pretty much a direct continuation of The Clone Wars with the same animation style. Overall, the week wasn’t terrible, but I wish I had been able to get more done.
Author Request
I had another author request this week and received the book in exchange for agreeing to write a review. It seems interesting, and I like dystopian fiction. So, I’m looking forward to reading it and giving you all my opinion. Thank you to the author for the request!
e-ARC Acquisitions
I only downloaded two new eARCs this week. So, it balanced out with what I was able to get read. Both sounded interesting, and I am hoping they will be better than the two I read this week.
Library Acquisition
I also made a trip to the library this week. I placed this book on hold a while ago and was not expecting it so soon because it was still on order. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I got the notification it was ready for pickup. I’m reading it now, and it is pretty good so far.
Final Thoughts
I can’t believe it, but I didn’t go to a bookstore this week. I usually go on Tuesdays, but I spent that day watching Star Wars instead. So, I made no purchases this week. My wallet is very thankful.
Overall, I’m satisfied with what I’ve added to my shelves this week, and I’m looking forward to reading it all. Have you read any of the books I picked up? If so, what did you think? Are any of these on your TBR? Let me know in the comments below!
First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!
Today’s First Lines:
“As Wendy Darling pushed through the door, all conversation died and every eye focused on her. As she stood there, files stacked in her arms, the whispers started in hushed tones. The hairs on the back of Wendy’s neck prickled.”
Do you know which book this is from? Scroll down to find out!
When children go missing in the small coastal town of Astoria, people look to Wendy for answers.
It’s been five years since Wendy and her two brothers went missing in the woods, but when the town’s children start to disappear, the questions surrounding her brothers’ mysterious circumstances are brought back into light. Attempting to flee her past, Wendy almost runs over an unconscious boy lying in the middle of the road, and gets pulled into the mystery haunting the town.
Peter, a boy she thought lived only in her stories, claims that if they don’t do something, the missing children will meet the same fate as her brothers. In order to find them and rescue the missing kids, Wendy must confront what’s waiting for her in the woods.
Thoughts & Comments
I just finished this book not that long ago. I enjoyed it’s dark take on the Peter Pan story. The first lines kind of give the book away, but I like how they already start to build the mystery surrounding Wendy from the very beginning. Check out my full review of the book here!
Does this book sound like something you would like? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments!
