Hello, everyone! Today I’m participating in Let’s Talk Bookish. Let’s Talk Bookish is a bookish meme that was created by Rukky @ Eternity Books where each Friday, bloggers write posts discussing the topic of the week. Since April 2022, Aria @ Book Nook Bits has been the host of LTB, and she posts each month’s topics on her blog! This week’s topic is about reading nonfiction.
Read More »Hello, everyone! It’s Wednesday! That means it is time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. I’ll be answering the following questions:
Today I’m participating in Top Ten Tuesday, which was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each week there is a new theme/topic, and participants choose ten books that fit it.
This week’s theme is Books with Weather Events/Words in the Title/on the Cover. I’ve chosen to stick with weather words for this one because it was the easiest way to search for books. These are all books I’ve read and enjoyed to varying degrees. The covers link to the book’s Goodreads page if you’d like to learn more about them!
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Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing the latest from Alexis Hall, 10 Things That Never Happened. This one was a holiday romance set in the same world as Boyfriend Material that follows a different couple. It will be out on shelves tomorrow, October 17, 2023!
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Today I have the absolute privilege of participating in the cover reveal for the forthcoming final novel in The Cruel Gods series by Trudie Skies. I loved the first book in this series (my review) and have been meaning to read the second installment. I’ll be bumping it up my TBR now that I know the final book is on its way soon. 🙂
Let’s start things off with a little information about the book:
WHEN THE SAINTS FALL, THE SINNERS RISE.
Calamity has befallen the steam-powered city of Chime as the gods declare war on each other, choosing Chime’s streets as their battleground. Kayl has the means to end their reign for good and create a new world free from their whims. But recruiting an army against divine beings is no easy task, and as her allies fall one by one, Kayl is left to shoulder her burden alone.
Finally free from his own god’s shackles, Quen is bound in service to Chaos, who only wants revenge against Quen’s former master. Torn between his desire for vengeance and justice, Quen is no stranger to the gods’ cruelty and will do whatever it takes to see Kayl’s vision through—even if it destroys his soul.
To ensure a better future, Kayl and Quen must unite mortals against their makers and decide the gods’ fate before time itself comes to an end.
For the era of gods is over.The End of Time is the third and final book in The Cruel Gods series—a gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies’s website.
Trudie Skies has been living inside fantasy worlds ever since they discovered books, and they refuse to return to reality. Within Trudie’s daydreams you’ll find SPFBO and BBNYA finalist The Thirteenth Hour, a gaslamp fantasy described as obnoxiously British and best read with a cup of tea.
When not conjuring new worlds, Trudie spends their free time exploring the realms of indie books and video games, staring at clouds, and chasing after their fluffy companions.
Visit Trudie’s worlds at www.trudieskies.com
Without further ado, here’s what we’ve all been waiting for… THE COVER:
And here’s a look at all three books together. I love their aesthetic, and they look so great as a set. I really need to figure out how to fit book two into my immediate reading schedule. Seeing these beautiful covers makes me want to return to this story. 😁
Have you read any of the books in The Cruel Gods series? Are you excited to have a tentative release date for the final part of the trilogy? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!
Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing one of my most anticipated fall releases, Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig. Last year’s One Dark Window was an unexpected favorite of mine. You can find all my thoughts about it in my review. What did I think of the conclusion to the duology? Read on to find out!
In the dark, spellbinding sequel to One Dark Window , Elspeth must confront the weight of her actions as she and Ravyn embark on a perilous quest to save the kingdom—perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson’s The Year of the Witching.
Gripped by a tyrant king and in the thrall of dark magic, the kingdom is in peril. Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last—and most important—one remains to be the Twin Alders. If they’re going to find the card before Solstice and set free the kingdom, they will need to journey through the dangerous mist-cloaked forest. The only one who can lead them through is the monster that shares Elspeth’s head: the Nightmare.
And he’s not eager to share any longer.
***Thank you to Orbit Books and Angela Man for providing a copy of Two Twisted Crowns. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience. WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ONE DARK WINDOW.***
Two Twisted Crowns had some massive shoes to fill because of how much I loved One Dark Window. My expectations were sky high, and this conclusion to the duology met them. It had everything I loved about the first book, such as the card magic, lush writing, and the gloomy forest, but also had a distinct vibe that set it apart in some ways from the first half of the story. It is definitely not a standalone, though. So, it is imperative to read One Dark Window first.
The main thing that set Two Twisted Crowns apart from its predecessor was its distinct lack of Elspeth for a lot of the book. The Nightmare was now in control of her body. One of the things I loved most about the first book was the dynamic and banter between the Nightmare and Elspeth, which was missing from most of this story. The love story between Ravyn and Elspeth also came to somewhat of a halt since she was no longer in control of her body. Some readers may not like this change, but I was fine with it because of everything else going on in the story.
Two Twisted Crowns largely focused on Elm and Ravyn, with Elm’s story being intertwined with Ione’s. The plot was split between the two, with Ravyn going into the forest to track down the elusive Twin Alders card in order to save his brother and bring back Elspeth. Whereas, Elm had to stay behind in the castle and deal with the aftermath of his brother’s grave injuries, which foisted more royal responsibility on his shoulders. I was riveted by the plot of Ravyn’s quest, but I became much more emotionally attached to Elm’s struggles to overcome the trauma of his past and build a happier future for himself and the kingdom.
The main romance in Two Twisted Crowns did surprise me a bit because I didn’t expect the two characters to get together. At times, it did feel like their development as a couple was included because the brakes had been thrown on the relationship between Ravyn and Elspeth. However, I did like Elm and Ione together and found the progression of their romance and emotional connection to be believable. They had some great moments and brought the best out in each other, which I always love. They both had to come to terms with the horror Hauth (seriously, fuck that guy) wrought upon them, and I liked getting to learn more about Ione through Elm’s eyes along the way.
Two Twisted Crowns explored the importance of balance and the power in putting aside revenge to break long-standing, destructive cycles. It also hammered home the point that nothing of value comes for free and illustrated how a constant lust for ‘more’ can consume someone’s life to the point of devastation. Most interestingly, though, the story examined how trauma can change some people into monsters and others into great leaders filled with empathy.
The world-building in Two Twisted Crowns provided so much knowledge about the history of the kingdom and its magic. I loved getting to know the Nightmare better and understanding his motivations on a more personal level. I still really liked the magic system, and everything came together in this story in ways that made all the mysteries make sense.
Overall, Two Twisted Crowns wrapped up this story really well and cemented this duology as one of my favorites. I cannot recommend it enough for anyone who enjoys gloomy fantasy with a side of romance. The covers of both books really do a fantastic job of representing the vibe of the duology. So, if the cover speaks to you, definitely pick these books up. All things considered, I rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Have you read Two Twisted Crowns (or One Dark Window)? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments.
Hello, everyone! It’s Wednesday! That means it is time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. I’ll be answering the following questions:
Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing a popular recent release, Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This was the first book I’ve read by this author, and I was interested to see what all the hype is about.
Read More »Hello, everyone! Today I’m participating in Let’s Talk Bookish. Let’s Talk Bookish is a bookish meme that was created by Rukky @ Eternity Books where each Friday, bloggers write posts discussing the topic of the week. Since April 2022, Aria @ Book Nook Bits has been the host of LTB, and she posts each month’s topics on her blog! This week’s topic is about what qualifies as an all-time favorite book.
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I definitely self-soothed all the anxiety I felt in September with book purchases. lol. So, there’s plenty of great stuff in this haul. This is actually part two of my September haul. You can find part one here, which highlights all the books I bought in the first 12 days of the month. Without further ado, here are the ARCs, books, and library acquisitions I got my hands on in the latter part of September.
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