Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Waiting on Wednesday #596

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

ROAR OF THE TIDES BY VERONICA ROSSI

Goodreads Description:

Roar of the Tides has been through it all. The staggering death of the girl he loves. The destruction of the only place he’s ever called home by harrowing Aether storms. Now, a year later, finally safe in an idyllic new land, his life should be back on track. Instead, he’s haunted by the memory of his beloved’s brutal murder by Sable of the Horns—until the day he hears a call for help that changes everything.

After fleeing from the tribe that held her hostage, Tempest of the Horns has been in hiding. She wants nothing more than to reunite with her brother, Sable, and return to her true home. When she sends out a distress call hoping to reach him, she doesn’t expect a stranger to answer instead.

When Roar and Tempest meet, their fate has already been sealed by lies and betrayals. But when they’re captured by a common enemy who plans to kill Roar and usurp Tempest’s ancestral lands, they’ll need to overcome old wounds and forge ahead as partners, proving that heroic feats can happen in the heart as much as on any battlefield.

Format: 440 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected Publication: March 21, 2023
Pre-Order: Amazon hardcover and Amazon paperback and Barnes & Noble and Kobo

Whoooops. I had not noticed that the release date for this book was so soon! Ah! It came out yesterday :) Gosh. I loved the Under the Never Sky trilogy so much. <3 I'm so excited about this new book about Roar :D Eee. I will, of course, have to re-read the trilogy first :) Later this year. And will have to figure out how to get a copy of this book first too. Oops. It was not easy to find, only found it on amazon. At least that is the only place I can get it from Norway. Hmm. Hoping to find it elsewhere :) But yes. Excited for this. <3
What are you waiting for on this haunted Wednesday?

Saturday, March 18, 2023

In My Mailbox #593

Not even sure how time is moving so fast lately. Gosh. It's almost May; almost birthday time, and vacation time, ahhh :D Can't wait. More about that at a later date. It's also almost April, which is taking up outdoor spa bath time, haha. I cannot wait for it. So so excited. Sigh. And so needed. But, yeah. Winter needs to go a little more away first. Which it does not seem like it will yet. How rude. But I did put up all my Easter ornaments/decorations this week :D Eeee. I love it so. And ahh. I read a book this week too :D A big one. I'm happy about that, especially since I loved it so much. Sigh. Hoping to start a new book soon. Fingers crossed. I'm just fully exhausted these days. Which sucks. But I'm still doing okay, somewhat :) This week I'm waiting on Greymist Fair :D And I shared my review of Lore. <3 I hope you are all doing well lately :)

A Day of Fallen Night. Oh. Oops. Waterstones edition. I have the other one; reading one day. Huuuge.
What Stays Buried. I'm hoping to read this stunning new middle grade book soon :D Sounds awesome.
Rule of Wolves. New US paperback edition has come out :) I need to read this newer series soonish. <3
Easter Chicken. Eee. Isn't this easter plush just too adorable? :D Ha! I love it. I love all my decorations.

More Instagram photos here. <3

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Review: Lore by Alexandra Bracken

I do not know where to start. This book was everything. I loved it so very much. I did always think I would like it, but I was unsure as well. Then I finally started it. And I loved it from the beginning until it ended. Even the ending was perfect. Sigh. Five stars for this most perfect book. The writing was fully great too. I loved it.

It is always hard to write reviews for books that I love so much. It is hard to find the right words. But I will try. As this book was so good. And I need everyone else to read and love this too. There wasn't a single thing that could have been better about this story. Okay, fine. I did want a little bit more heat in the romance, haha.

But it was so good. The romance was incredible. Not the focus of the story, but it was still there, and I still loved it to pieces. Yes, I do wish there had been more of it. But there did not need to be, because it truly was so beautiful. Sigh. Okay. I suppose I should start by describing the book a little first. This is a story that takes place in New York, our time. But it felt like fantasy as well, as it was also about Greek mythology, the old gods. Which I honestly do not know that much about. Only what I have read in a few other books about it, but it was enough to not be confused about anything in this story. I knew the characters, enough about them. And I loved the Greek mythology part of this book. It was very well done and fully interesting and exciting to read about.

In this story, the nine Greek gods have been punished. And so every seven years, for seven days, they are mortal. Forced to walk the earth and be hunted. There are certain people who know about it, some bloodlines. The hunters. For centuries they have hunted and killed the gods. If they kill one of the original nine, they take their power and become a new god themselves. Which means they will be hunted too. It was like an endless hunt for power. At the start of this book, there were not many of the original gods left.

This book begins right at the beginning of a new hunt, a new Agon. Where we meet Lore, the main girl. And oh gods, I loved this girl. I loved her to pieces. I think one of the reasons for why I loved this book so much was because of how very dark it was. It was not afraid of brutal things happening. And most of that had happened to Lore, to her family. Her parents, her sisters. They had died such a brutal death. And it was beyond heartbreaking to learn about, as we learn a little at a time. I also loved it so very much. Oh.

Lore has been without her family for seven years now. We slowly learn more about her, what she's been doing during that time. For the past three years, she took care of an old man, Gil. Now dead. He seemed adorable. She lived with him and Miles, who was her own age. And he was all kinds of awesome. I fully loved their friendship. They were great together. And I loved that he was there for her, despite not truly knowing who she was until the beginning of this book. I loved that he did what he could to help, always.

What I loved most about Lore was how very brave she was. Brave and strong. A little too angry, meaning she beat up people a bit more than she needed to, haha. But I did not mind that, as she had every reason to still be angry. She was broken. Yet not fully broken either, as she was so strong. But so angry. And just. Getting to know her story was the best. I loved that we got to know a bit at a time. Her family was the last of her bloodline. Everyone else had been killed before. They did not have much, unlike the other hunters.

When Lore was a child, she spent a few years training with a different bloodline. Where she met Castor. And oh. This boy was the very best. I cannot. I loved him the very most. And I really truly adored reading about their past together as children. How they trained together and protected each other. As Castor was sick. And Lore was certain he had died seven years ago as well. Until he shows up on this first day of the hunt, asking for her help. Another shows up asking for help too. The god, Athena. Which starts this story.

And oh, there is so much going on in this book. I do not know how to describe it. And so I am not going to. Will talk a little about how things happen, but will just share a bit more. Lore has been outside of the hunt and everything with that for years now. She has wanted to be free. But now she is getting dragged right back into it. Because of the new god of war and his plans on destroying things. She needs to help Athena and the others. And this is no easy thing. There is a whole bunch of fighting in this book. I liked it.

There is just so much about this book. The plot was huge. And I wanted it to be even more. I want more of everything, especially more of all the characters. I loved Lore and Castor the most. But I also adored Miles and Van and Iro too, somewhat, haha. I loved getting to know everyone. Athena too. She was way too complicated and full of secrets. This whole book had so many secrets coming out. And it was beyond exciting and thrilling. And pretty much killed me too. Shudders. But oh, how it was good. So many twists.

I am not sure what to say that this book is about. It is about Lore. And her trying to help save the world, trying to figure out who she is meant to be. A hunter, a normal person, something more. I just adored her. Even when she had a few moments of being wrong, haha. Mostly I just loved reading about Lore and Cas together. Their friendship from when they were young was the best. Getting to know who Castor was now was incredible, as he was not the same. And I loved that. It was so awesome. I loved how gentle he was.

I also loved every part of the plot as well. It was scary at times and just so good. I loved how dark this book was. How heartbreaking it was. And I loved how it ended, as there were hope as well. Of course, this hope did not come easy at all. And that was even better, haha. There was no real relationship drama in this story. And that may have been what I liked the most. They just were. And I loved that. Sigh. Now just wishing for another book, ha. Though there is no need for one. How rude. I just truly loved this story.

Lore was every kind of perfection. It was everything I want a book to be. Full of danger and anger and love. It was a book about the gods and their wrath. About all of the hunters hunting them down, wanting their powers. It was about getting to know the bloodlines and what they stood for, somewhat. And gods, I hated some of these people so very much. Shudders. They were the worst. But written so well. I'm just so happy with how much I adored and loved this story. It is a book I will read again. You must all read it too.

 

Waiting on Wednesday #595

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

GREYMIST FAIR BY FRANCESCA ZAPPIA

Goodreads Description:

The people of Greymist Fair know that the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and that they should never set foot off the road. But when a young tailor discovers a body on the road, her search for the culprit reveals even more strange and dark happenings around her town. From acclaimed author Francesca Zappia, Greymist Fair is a suspenseful and inventive murder-mystery inspired by the lesser-known fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. Greymist Fair will bewitch readers of Rachel Vincent’s Red Wolf, Liz Braswell’s A Twisted Tale series, and fans of Into the Woods.

Features chapter decorations by the author throughout, as well as a map.

Two roads lead into a dark forest. They meet at Greymist Fair, the village hidden in the trees, a place kept alive by the families that never leave. The people of Greymist Fair know the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and to set foot off the road is to invite trouble.

When Heike, the village’s young tailor, discovers a body on the road, she goes looking for who is responsible. But her quest only leads to more strange happenings around Greymist Fair.

Inspired by the original, bloody, lesser-known fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, acclaimed author Francesca Zappia crafts an enthralling murder-mystery that will keep readers turning the pages. Told from multiple points of view, with each narrative building on the crime discovered by Heike, Greymist Fair examines the themes of childhood fears, growing into adult responsibilities, and finding a place to call home amid the trials of life and death.

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover
Expected Publication: March 28, 2023 by Harper Collins
Pre-Order: Book Depository and Blackwells and Amazon

I think this book looks awesome and sounds exciting :D I just.. am not able to pre-order it. Hmph. It is not up for order on Blackwells. How rude. And too expensive everywhere else. So I won't be able to get hold of this book just yet, but hoping to be able to buy it one day :D As I think I would love this book a lot. <3
What are you waiting for on this magical Wednesday?

Saturday, March 11, 2023

In My Mailbox #592

I'm way too tired. I have not done all that much this week, just trying to take it easy. Still in pain, but finally got the pain in my jaw to be better, haha :) But exhausted and tired, always. Been playing a lot of mario kart with my nephew; love the new courses and being able to finally play birdo :D I do know what book to read next, so I'm happy with that. I did finish a book, but did that on sunday, so almost a week ago, haha. Just too tired to think of reading just yet. But soon, I hope. Got little mail this week. But that is more than okay, haha. I shared my review of The Wolf and the Woodsman :) And this week I'm waiting on Champion of Fate. <3 I'm still healing from corona two, weeks later. Sigh. I hope you are all doing better than me :)

Museum of Magic. At last bought this new book by Beth, via amazon. <3 Stunning :D Hope to read soon.
Funko Pop. Finally bought this adorable special Raya from amazon. She is way too cute and I love her :)

More Instagram photos here. <3