Saturday, September 7, 2024

In My Mailbox #670

Ohh. Been so very exhausted this week. Slowly healing from having had corona a few weeks ago. I still get so very exhausted from just little things. Like taking new photos for instagram this week. It killed me for days, ha. Had a hospital visit yesterday, which was so beyond exhausting. I slept for eleven and a half hours this night. Ha. So yeah. I'm still pretty dead. But I'm doing better, I think. I got all the mail this week, ack. Love it so much. <3 I finished reading my book last weekend. Will be starting a new one tomorrow :) I cannot wait. Two new blog posts. I shared my review of Release the Wolves :) This week I'm waiting on For She is Wrath :D Hope you are all doing well. <3 I still can't believe it is fall already. I want more heat :)

The Enchanted Lies of CĂ©leste Artois. I adore Ryan. This new adult book by her sounds pretty amazing.
Champion of Fate. Paperback edition has arrived. And it is gorgeous. Sigh. I loved this book so much :)
Funko Nordic / Funtastic Proxy. Thank you so much lovelies :D I love these princesses so very much. <3

Funko Europe. Help. Two orders. I could not stop myself, haha :D Love the two gorgeous journals. Had to get the new Stranger Things advent calendar; so excited about it. Love all the new The Lord of the Rings pop figures, eee :D New Pokemon. New mystery minis. Rare Princess, but rest are doubles. Sigh. Love my pins. And new Coraline :D Ahh! They are all gorgeous. I love them so. That little muppet is too cute :)

More Instagram photos here. <3

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Waiting on Wednesday #672

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

FOR SHE IS WRATH BY EMILY VARGA

Goodreads Description:

A sweeping, Pakistani romantic fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, where one girl seeks revenge against those who betrayed her—including the boy she used to love.

Three hundred and sixty-four days.

Framed for a crime she didn't commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved—and still can't forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to exacting that vengeance--a stolen djinn treasure--they execute a daring escape together and search for the hidden treasure.

Armed with dark magic and a new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her and her family, even though Mazin stands in her way. But seeking revenge becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse, especially when an undeniable fire still burns between them, and the power to destroy her enemies has a price. As Dania falls deeper into her web of traps and lies, she risks losing her humanity to her fight for vengeance--and her heart to the only boy she's ever loved.

Format: 400 pages, Hardcover
Expected Publication: October 29, 2024 by Wednesday Books
Pre-Order: Blackwells and Amazon US and Amazon UK and Waterstones

Another new author for me :) But I saw this book as a signed exclusive on Waterstones. And I could not stop myself from pre-ordering it, haha. I think it looks gorgeous. And sounds great. I'm hoping to love it :)
What are you waiting for on this wrathful Wednesday?

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Review: Release the Wolves by Stefan Bachmann

This was a book I learned about when I saw that awesome cover. And I couldn't help but get it. It also sounded just like a book for me. But oh, I ended up being very disappointed. Only two stars for this. I have a whole bunch of thoughts to share about this book. A quick read, which was a plus. Ha.

I shall start by mentioning that cover. One of the characters in the corner looks like a wizard. Which was a total lie, and is not an outfit that is in the book. And the tagline, the hunt begins at midnight. What. That does not fit with the book at all. I had no idea how old the main characters were. Weird.

I guess they were teenagers. But it was not mentioned how old. And at times the main boy felt like such a child, but in a bad way. I also feel more tricked by the cover. Seemed like there would be tons of monsters in this book. There wasn't. Only a few ones. But I will say that the monster parts were the parts that I liked most. Especially a scene at the start of the book, where a boy ends up tricked by the monster and a trap kills him. I liked that scene a lot, as it was brutal and made me think the book would be awesome. It was not. Yeah. I just felt so disappointed.. I truly had hoped to love it. But it was way too rushed. And the writing was not very good at all. I did not care for any of the characters. There was nothing to care about.

This book tells the story of Argo, a boy who comes from such a small village. He lives with his sister and their father. Whom is a mean drunk. His sister is sort of an outcast. Argo works at the smithy. His sister, Simna, knits. The book begins with Argo and some other kids going out on a hunt, to kill a stray monster that has been hiding for years. Except it was not old, but new. And more cunning. So one of them died. Simna's boyfriend. I felt nothing for this. Nothing at all. This book did emotions all kinds of wrong, sadly.

It could have been so much better. If it had any types of feelings included. But it did not. Sigh. I did not at all care for Argo. Even though he do spend a lot of this book crying. It just felt weird, considering we don't get to know anything well enough to actually care. This book takes place in a world that was changed by war ages ago. They are killed all the time, so their world is a small one. They aren't able to rebuild before most of them are killed again.  I thought this sounded so exciting. But it was sadly done too badly for me.

I just feel like this book could have been so much better. If it had been longer. If it had been written better. If it had more details, more about the world. If it had characters that I could actually care about. But it did not have these things, sadly. And it ended way too soon. This whole book was simply much too short. But I found the story of this world to be interesting. I liked learning more about why things were that way. But there was too little of this. Still. I liked the past, how they had been at war a thousand years ago and lost.

I liked learning more about how they were all almost killed again, about every century. How the monsters were just suddenly there, killing them all. How the monsters were of different types and sizes. I wished to know more about all that. But there was too little of it. Sigh. I wanted more about the trap in the marshes, as it sounded so very cruel and awesome. But no more information. Nothing more about the past. Or the future. This book was simply too short and had too little in it. I so badly wish I had loved this. But I did not.

The plot of this story is that Argo is now alone in village, after his sister left on a trip. He is getting a little suspicious about the elders of the village, about how things work. The bad guys were the Elduari. They came from across the sea. They were not like normal humans. They had some sort of magic. And they kill everyone who thinks about rebelling. And now they are after Argo. They kill his dad. Whom is never mentioned again, not once. Yeah. No feelings in this. I get that he was a drunk, but still. Zero emotions.

These bad guys are hunting Argo. He is running away, and ends up running with a girl, a monster hunter named Ana. Whom is actually a princess in disguise. She was supposed to be all badass and awesome. But I did not like her at all. I wanted to, but no. She wasn't written very well. And their sort of friendship was badly written all over. Sigh. I really wanted more from this story. And I'm not sure what else to write. Everything just felt off to me. It was not exciting enough or thrilling. It simply felt like a short story, to me.

I'm not sure what else to say about this book. Argo and Ana are running from the Elduari, whom wants to kill them. But then they want to kill them too. And take down their leader, I guess. Two very young people, thinking they are enough to change their entire world. Which could have been, had they been at least a little bit interesting. But they were not. Gah. I just wish I had cared more. But it was impossible. Release the Wolves sounded so exciting. But it was such a let-down for me. And I just wanted more of everything.

Saturday, August 31, 2024

In My Mailbox #669

I'm still fully exhausted. So going to keep this short. I'm better from having gotten corona two weeks ago, but I'm still dead, ha. I still get ruined from just doing the smallest thing. I'm hoping it will pass soon. Plus side, I started a new book yesterday. A short one. And planning a bigger one next week. I'm excited. Just also trying to take it easy, hoping to heal fast. I got some very lovely bookish mail. <3 And will be getting aaall the pop figures next week. Oops. This week I'm waiting on Heir :) Hope that you're all doing well. <3

The Girl With No Reflection. Fairyloot YA August book. <3 Curious about this one; book is all new to me :)
Long Live Evil. Fairyloot Adult August book :) I'm curious about this one too. It does sound pretty great.
The Thirteenth Child. EEEE! Thank you so much to PRH International for this free ARC gift. <3 I love it more than anything. Gods. I cannot wait to read this one. It looks perfect. So thankful. So happy. Eee :D
Clementine and Danny Save the World (and each other). Thank you so much Livia for signed copy. <3
Under the Surface. Both excited and nervous about this book. I have wanted this for so long now, haha :)
Lady Macbeth. And now got the US hardcover edition :) I think I must read this one soon. Hope to love it.
My Salty Mary. This one sounds all kinds of awesome. Forever behind on this series, but excited for this.

More Instagram photos here. <3

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Waiting on Wednesday #671

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

HEIR (Heir Duology #1) BY SABAA TAHIR

Goodreads Description:

Prepare for the action-packed, ruthless, and romantic new fantasy from the #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award winning author Sabaa Tahir about love, legacy, and vengeance.

An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hot-headed mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her tribe for an unforgiveable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who speaks to the earth, air, and water to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But then, she falls for a charismatic and inconvenient fugitive who keeps getting in her way.

QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire, nephew of a famed and venerated empress, but he’s loathe to pick up the mantle when his aunt steps down. As the son of the most hated emperor in the history of his people, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir masterfully interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with the burdens of power, the treachery of love and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed. Get ready for a dark and breathless journey that will captivate readers and that may cost these young people their lives―and their hearts. Literally.

Format: 512 pages, Hardcover
Expected Publication: October 1, 2024 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pre-Order: Blackwells and Amazon US and Amazon UK

I got curious about this book when I saw many people wanting it. So I decided to pre-order it. And only just recently read the summary. It sounds great. But then I read a review. And this is a somewhat sequel series to An Ember in the Ashes? Ahhh. I haven't read those books yet. Oops. But I will. One day :) But I also then realized I couldn't read this book until I have read those. Ack. Still, keeping my pre-order of it :)
What are you waiting for on this treacherous Wednesday?