Review: Wardens of Eternity by Courtney Allison Moulton

I don't even know where to begin with this book. When I saw the gorgeous cover I simply had to read this. I was lucky enough to be sent a stunning ARC of it and I could not wait to start reading. But gosh, how fast this joy turned to dread. Since this book was nowhere near as good as I thought it would be. I'm disappointed.

And so I have to give this book one star. Simply because I spent most of my time reading it hating it. Which makes me both angry and sad. This book looks so special and sounded good too. But it was not. And I have so much I wish to share about it all. Minimal spoilers for the story. Just sharing everything else I disliked. Ack.

I wish my review could be positive. I wish I had a bunch of good things to say about this book. But I do not. I pretty much hated it from start to finish. Which breaks my heart a little bit. This whole book was such a mess. There were things that could have been great. But I did not feel like any of it were done well enough at all. Which brings me to my worst problem with this whole book. The writing. I could not stand it for one moment even. It was so awful. Every single thing was described like crazy. This girl seemed to be able to tell everything about a person or a thing by just looking at it. And every thing was described. All the time. It was maddening. I had such a hard time focusing. Because there was so little story; only descriptions. And they were not good at all.

This book tells the story of Ziva. She was abandoned by her parents when she was three years old. She was raised in an orphanage. Spending all her time alone, no friends, no family. I actually really liked the beginning. Reading a little about Ziva and the poor life she had growing up. But that didn't last long. Sigh. The book takes place in 1939. There are mentions of the nazis. Which did not fit in at all. And it was fully silly to read about. Ugh. They were also barely there; supposedly interested in Ziva and her powers. Ha.

Ziva was treated as an outsider her entire childhood, because of her not being white. She did not know where she came from, who her parents where. She only knew that she looks different. And that she might be from Egypt. I liked Ziva a lot in the first pages of the book. But then the book really started and I could not care less about her. I tried to love her. But I felt nothing at all for these characters. They had no spark. No personality. I think it must be because of the terrible writing. Made it impossible to feel for any of them.

This book mentions magic. That Ziva have had magic for as long as she can remember. Her hands have sparks. It was weird. And this magic was never really explained. Ziva gets attacked by ancient Egyptian creatures. With two teenagers saving her. And they see that she is the lost girl they have been looking for all their life. Ha. And she is special. She has the soul of a thousands of years old Egyptian queen. Only she can bring her back to life again, to save them all from the germans and war. Yeah. It was odd. Sigh.

These two teenagers tell her to come with them, to learn about herself and her past. And as they look just like her, and so beautiful, she just leaves with them. Without saying goodbye to the two people she knew. Without returning a library book she had just gotten to loan. Without getting any of her stuff from her small apartment. That was simply weird. And bothered me for ages, haha. She just left with them. First to their hideout or whatever. Then from New York to London. Then later to Cairo as well. They were all very rich.

But yes. The magic. She learn she is part of a group with special powers that all know magic. She begins training with them, learning to read hieroglyphs. And she learns everything super fast. She's awesome at fighting and doing magic after just a couple of days. Yeah. Not realistic. She was skinny and starved. She should not have been able to fight for a long time. She shouldn't have been able to remember everything so fast either. Also, she learns new magic spells in one day. And knows them all. What. It made no sense.

And she calls them all her family. The two teenagers she just met. And she is falling in love with the boy, Sayer, right away. Of course. The writing was so awkward that it was impossible to ship these two. She trained for a few days. Off page. Then they sort of go into battle and she's amazing at it. Of course. Then there were the immortals. Because of course an Egypt story must have gods as well. Which could have been great. But they were thousands of years old and acted worse than teenagers. It was just awkward.

There isn't much for me to say about this book. It is about Ziva travelling with these new people she just met to try bringing a long dead goddess back to life. Most of the book was all about descriptions of things. It was not good. Sigh. The almost romance was just bad. The ending of this book was even worse. What. Dramatic and beyond silly. I simply did not care one bit for any of these characters. But I wanted to. The setting was so interesting and I wanted more. But it was not done well enough at all, not for me, at least.

I shall not say much more about this book. One star, because I did not like it at all. It bothered me from start to finish. I wish I had loved it. But I didn't. The Egypt customs and such could have been amazing. But the writing did not make it seem so, sadly. Wardens of Eternity was such a disappointment to me. I wanted so much more. But I tried to like it, and I did finish it. Curious to know what others think. Thank you so much to Harper360 UK for sending me a free ARC to read and review. I'm sorry I hated this one.

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Waiting on Wednesday #433

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

THE QUEEN'S ASSASSIN BY MELISSA DE LA CRUZ

Goodreads Description:

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Caledon Holt is the Kingdom of Renovia's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he's the Guild's most dangerous member and the Queen's one and only assassin. He's also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow--to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians.

Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts--to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt.

When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they'll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they'll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen's Secret series.

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: February 4th 2020 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pre-Order here and here

Oh, help. I'm getting an ARC of this gorgeous book. And I was so excited about it. Then I went to put this book up here. And I went to the reviews on goodreads. Ha. Sobs. Many negative ones. And now I am so worried. I really really want to love this book. It looks stunning. And sounds good too. So hoping some of the reviews I read will not bother me, haha. Either way, I will be reading this, and I'm truly excited for it :)
What are you waiting for on this secret Wednesday?

In My Mailbox #429

This week have gone by so fast. Gosh. I only managed to read one book, ack. But that makes it a total of six books read this month. I am so happy about this. Might be able to read one book more, eee. I'm just unsure if I will have the time for it. Ack. About to spend many nights with my sister, so will be exhausted and have so little time, haha. But I shall try. Got this gorgeous ARC below that I'm excited about reading next. I worry about it. But it looks so gorgeous. Sigh. So I'm hoping to love it lots, eee. Anyway. I'm always exhausted. And pain all over. But I'm good. I got a new bed this week. Taller, so I have room underneath it, finally. I love it so far, haha. Only two blog posts, and two books in the mail. But that's okay. The books are gorgeous. Ahh. Love. This week I'm waiting on We Free the Stars. I shared my review of Kalahari :) Hope you are all doing well. <3 I'm getting there. Somewhat. It is slowly getting lighter outside. Finally :D

Wonder Woman: Warbringer Graphic Novel. Eee. So excited to read this version soon :D Loved the book.
Wardens of Eternity. Oh gosh. Thank you so much Harper360 :D EEE! Cannot wait to read this gorgeous.

More Instagram photos here. <3

Review: Kalahari by Jessica Khoury

I finally had the chance to read this gorgeous looking book. Have adored books by Jessica for years. Still I had somehow not read this one by her until now. I ended up enjoying this story a whole lot. But there were also so many things about this book that was not for me. And so I'm giving this three stars. Good, but no love.

I feel unsure about how to write my review this time. I have a few positive things to mention. A little bit negative. And yet I really did like this book. It simply wasn't perfect to me. It was too dramatic and too full of cliches. But I so liked the setting. I did like the plot as well. The writing was good, but had trouble caring for anyone.

This book takes place during winter in Kalahari. Which means it is still pretty hot since it is a semi desert. There are mentions of animals living in this place. Local people somewhere. And how it all looks. I liked that a bunch. The setting of this book was pretty stunning. It tells the story of Sarah. She and her father have this small camp in the middle of this place, researching animals and such. This book begins with them having just agreed to take on five teenagers from around America for two weeks. They will get funded for their research by doing this. But taking care of five city teenagers is no easy thing. Especially not with Sarah's father taking the only other person with them, Theo, along to hunt for poachers just minutes after all of these teenagers arrive.

Which means Sarah must entertain them all by herself. Her dad should be back by nightfall. But he does not arrive. So they set out looking for him. Which is how this story begins. With Sarah searching for her dad. Finding their friend dead her father missing. With six teenagers now out in the desert looking for him. With them instead being hunted by something else. Their camp got destroyed. And so they were without any water or food and only had a car for a few miles. Which means they're all walking through the desert.

Okay. Honestly, I don't know how to write this review of mine. I'm trying. But this book was not easy. I did like it a lot. I liked learning about the desert and some of the animals there. I liked how they were hunted by a silver lion and those hunting for the lion. I enjoyed the story about the virus and trying to find a cure. Some things were a little too easy at times, but I liked it even so. It is a story about these teens trying to survive the desert. Trying not to be found. But gosh, how they argued all the time. Ugh. Not good at all.

And another thing that bothered me was that it was never mentioned how they used the toilet while out in the open for days. They argued about everything else. I feel like it should have been mentioned. And how much they must have smelled, out in the heat with no showers for days too. But no mention of that either. Hmph. Still. It was an interesting story to read. And I have written so little about what happens. But it is all I'm going to write about it. The story was good but sadly not that good. I enjoyed this, though. Somewhat.

This book is a three star for me simply because I did not care enough. I liked Sarah. I liked the teenagers around her. But I did not love them. I did not really care what would happen to them either. It is supposed to be a book about grief at times. I did not feel that at all. I did not even care one bit about this romance. Ack. Sure, they were kind of cute, but it was a bit too weird and sudden for me. I wish I could have gotten lost in the writing, but I did not. And gosh, all the cliches. I could not handle it. They were so bad at times.

With the teenagers around Sarah. The typical barbie and ken, the rich couple above everyone, that they all hate. The smart girl that everyone ends up calling a nerd. And the funny guy that is not very funny at all and whom they all just tolerate. And of course the handsome boy who falls for the main girl right away. It was a little too much for me. Ack. I liked reading about them all. I did. But my gosh there was so much drama and arguing and I did not like that one bit. So yeah. It was a bit too much. Still. I enjoyed the plot.

Kalahari is a story about teenagers in the desert. About a deadly virus and them trying to survive. Sarah and her new friends are being hunted by people wanting to kill them. They learn more about a virus that has been unleashed. And I very much liked learning about this virus. A bit too easy to find out the cure, though. But the virus was every kind of interesting even so. It made every animal and human turn silver. Which also drove them mad within days. Though I did not love Kalahari, I still think you should all read it.

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Waiting on Wednesday #432

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

WE FREE THE STARS (Sands of Arawiya #2)  
BY HAFSAH FAIZAL

Goodreads Description:

Zafira is the Hunter, braving the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those who defy his autocratic father, the sultan. She must hide her identity. He mustn’t display compassion. But when both embark on a quest to uncover a lost magic artifact, Zafira and Nasir encounter an ancient evil long thought destroyed—and discover that the prize they seek may be even more dangerous than any of their enemies. In We Free the Stars, Zafira and Nasir must conquer the darkness around—and inside of—them.

Hardcover, 464 pages

Expected publication: July 7th 2020 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)

Pre-Order here and here

I'm pretty curious about this second book :D I did like the first one, I just did not love it. Ack. And so I'm a little nervous about this sequel. I'm hoping it will be better for me than book one was. It do look gorgeous, though. And sounds interesting too. And so I'm hoping so very much that I will end up loving this book :)
What are you waiting for on this dark Wednesday?

In My Mailbox #428

I have been reading so much lately. Eee. I'm so happy about that. I have read three books this past week. Five books this month. Most I have read in a long time, haha. My health still sucks. I'm still so exhausted. And so far behind on everything. But I'm reading. And I want to read more. Eee. Which is also a feeling I haven't had in a long time. Sigh. Hoping it will last :) So anyway. A little bit gorgeous mail this week, eee. And new blog posts too. I shared my review of The Institute :) This week I'm waiting on Bridge of Souls :D Shared my review of Set Fire to the Gods :) And my review of The Girl from Widow Hills, eee. <3 I hope you are all doing well. I'm hoping to read more this coming week and finally catch up a bit online too, ha :) I'm also just waiting for daylight to come back fully. Tired of all these dark photos, ha. A few more weeks.

Heart of the Moors. I have wanted to buy this for ages. Had to get it :D I love the Maleficent movies so.
Furious Thing + Unbecoming. Eee! Thank you David Fickling Books :D I won these from their advent calender over on instagram. Which was awesome. And ahh! Such a lovely tote bag too. I love it all so.
Cats + Frozen 2. I had to buy these two soundtracks, eee. Loved Frozen 2 tons. Haven't seen Cats yet.

More Instagram photos here. <3

Review: The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

I feel beyond certain that this is my favorite adult book by Megan. I mean, I love all her books. But this one was even more thrilling and even more twisty. I completely loved it. And so I cannot help but give it five stars. There was one thing I wish there had been more of, but gosh, how badly I loved this book. It was truly good.

Honestly, this book was everything I had wanted it to be. I have been a fan of Megan and her books for so many years now. Of course I had to read this newest book by her as soon as I could. And so it made me beyond happy to get accepted to read it early via Edelweiss. Simply devoured this book. Loved every moment.

There is much I wish to share about this book. Yet so much that I cannot share about it. Ha. I will not share the twists. But oh gosh. How much I adored this. It might have taken some time before it got really twisty, but I did not mind at all. I loved getting to know this main girl and her life. As always Megan has the most perfect writing. I loved every part of it in this book. Easy to connect and read. This story was all kinds of twisted. And I so enjoyed every moment of it. Eee. There is a murderer to catch. And it is kind of impossible to know who committed this murder. There are several persons it could be. Which I very much enjoyed, haha. I liked getting to know these characters. I liked that this book took place in a cute small town. I loved the writing and the setting.

This book tells a story of past and of present. It is told from the point of view of twenty six year old Olivia. With a few words of interviews and news from twenty years ago before each new chapter. Which was all kinds of exciting. Olivia have lived in this small town for a little over two years now. She work at a hospital in charge of some things there. I truly liked getting to know her life and what she did. She lives alone in a remote place, with only one neighbor, who lives right next door. I loved this old guy. He was so awesome.

There was so much to get to know about Olivia. Like the fact that her name was not really that. She was born Arden. She changed her name and moved to get away from the media. Twenty years ago she went missing for three days. Found at last in a storm drain, clinging to life. She still cannot remember anything about those days. But everyone had a story to tell about it. Her mom wrote a book. She did every kind of interviews to get money. But Olivia wanted none of this. And so when she could, she moved away from it.

Getting to know the story of what happened twenty years ago was the best thing. There were some truly amazing twists. Which I so loved beyond words. I mean. I didn't even guess the biggest twists at the end. What even. Which was so thrilling. But then there was also the present day. With Olivia sleepwalking, like she did as a child, and ending up tripping over a dead body in her garden. Which means there was a big investigation. Which was thrilling to read about, haha. There were beyond many twists to this whole story.

I will not say much more about this book. But gosh, I loved all of it so very much. This story was exciting and thrilling and I just cannot deal with how much it messed with my mind, haha. It was so good, though. Loved getting to know Olivia. I loved getting to know her few friends in this town. There is mention of an ex, whom I did not like one bit, ha. But her friends were all kinds of great. Though she kept so much from them all, kept them all at a distance. But she got better at that. Well, I think she did. I liked her friends so.

The reason for why I was a little unsure about this book was the romance. Or, well, the lack of romance. I so shipped Olivia and Bennett. Sigh. They work together at the hospital, and they have known each other since she moved there. And are such good friends. And could be more. There are a few small hints about it, but nothing happens. Ack. I wanted it to, so badly, haha. But still. This book did not need romance. And I loved it so without it too. But yeah. I really did ship Olivia and Bennett the most. He was simply adorable.

The Girl from Widow Hills was everything I could have wanted in a book by Megan Miranda. Full of twists and shocking truths coming out. A bit of suspense and danger. A little about friendships and how to deal with keeping secrets from them. I loved everything about this book. It was just as exciting as I wanted it to be. Just as stunning as I knew it would be. Megan simply writes incredible books. Sigh. And so this book was honestly my favorite of her adult ones. Not sure about her YA books, hmm. But it was still so perfect.

Huge thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for approving my request to read and review this one early via Edelweiss. So happy I was able to read it already, haha. Feels like I had already waited forever. And it isn't even out until June. Which means that now I must wait even longer for new books by Megan. How rude. I so very much love her writing and her stories. Cannot wait for more books by her. If you still have not read anything by her then you are seriously missing out. YA and adult, all so completely perfect.

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Review: Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch & Kristen Simmons

When I heard about this book I knew I had to read it. As it looks stunning and sounds great too. I haven't read any books by Sara yet, but have read books by Kristen for years. This book written by both of them was written very well. I liked the writing a whole bunch. But sadly only a three star for me, as I had a few issues.

Which does break my heart a little, as I wanted to love this book a whole lot. But I did enjoy it very much. I just did not love it like I wanted to. The writing was great. The world it was set in was so exciting and I liked the characters. I simply wanted to feel more for them all. I wanted a little more from the world and everything.

This book tells the story of Ash and Madoc. It tells the story of six gods ruling the world. Fighting their wars using human gladiators to do it. I liked reading about all the different gods and how they ruled their cities. We only get to meet two of the gods in this one. But, well. Although I found them interesting, I also thought they were a bit less. I wanted more. I grew bored fast. Oops. Which was the same for me with Ash and Madoc. I adored them both. But I loved neither of them. I simply wasn't able to connect. Sure, they both have losses in their life in this book. And I was supposed to feel this grief with them. But I felt nothing. Ash loses her mother in the very beginning of the book. And I felt like she barely thought about her, barely felt any grief. It was, well, odd.

We do get to know these two characters a lot, though. I did adore them both, despite not loving them, ha. Ash lived in the city of the fire god, having the powers of fire. She was a fire dancer, before her mother died. Which I liked reading about. She has a few friends, but they were all her mother's age, so they did not really count. I liked getting to know them, though. I liked how they cared for Ash. Whom I found to be a sweet girl, yet nothing special for me. Sigh. She was a great fighter, though. Strong, brave and loving.

Then there was Madoc. We learn about how his father cast him out when he was only five years old, how he first tortured him at times, trying to get his powers to come. But they never did, so he just turned him out. Madoc found a new family a couple of years after. And I liked getting to know his new siblings, Elias and Cassia. They were pretty sweet. But yeah. Madoc was supposed to have a heartbreaking back story. But I barely cared. Sigh. Which just makes me sad. As I liked Madoc a whole lot. He was pretty adorable.

But despite not loving these characters I was always interested in knowing what happened next with them all. I did want to know what would happen with the plot, with the gods and the other gladiators. But I also did not care the way I wanted to. I wasn't excited much in this book, which hurts my heart a little. I wanted to love it. But I just did not. There were a lot of fighting and gladiators and all of that. And I barely cared at all. Sigh. Might be because I'm not that interested in gladiators. Maybe. Either way, it wasn't really for me.

This book was about Ash and Madoc. But also about the gods ruling and having their wars. How the gods did not really care for their people, how they did not care for the poor. It tells the story of Ash and Madoc both having to fight in their newest war, a fight which will end up a fight to the death for two people. And they are on opposite sides in this war. Ash have the power of fire. Madoc could have the power of earth, but he did not. But he does have some other kind of power. Unknown, but that gets stronger all the time.

So this book was about Ash and Madoc meeting. About a very, very small romance maybe happening between them. I did ship them together, but not really all that much, sadly. Aw. It's about Madoc learning about his unknown powers. It is about the gods fighting for power. And about Ash trying to find a way to kill the gods. Which should be impossible. There was a lot of gladiator fighting in this story. Kind of good, but I sadly did not care that much. But for those that do, it will be amazing to read about, I am sure of it.

Set Fire to the Gods was sadly not everything I had hoped it would be, but it was still such a great read. And I did enjoy reading it from beginning to end. I only wish it had been a bit more. Still. It was a fantastic first book. And I am so curious about what happens next, because that ending was left very much open. Huge thank you to the publisher for the auto approval on Edelweiss. So glad that I had a chance to read this book early. Also, that cover is beyond gorgeous. I do think that you should all read this book as well.

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Waiting on Wednesday #431

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

BRIDGE OF SOULS (Cassidy Blake #3) 
BY VICTORIA SCHWAB

Goodreads Description:

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows...
Unless it's the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while traveling for her parents' TV show.

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colorful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet in the latest book in this New York Times bestselling series.

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: September 1st 2020 by Scholastic Press

Pre-Order here and here

After I just read and pretty much adored book two, Tunnel of Bones, I simply cannot wait for this third book. Eee. I can't wait to know what happens next with Cassidy and Jacob. And also maybe wishing for this ghost boy to turn human again. Oops? I want it badly, though. Sigh. So excited for this third book :)
What are you waiting for on this haunted Wednesday?

Review: The Institute by Stephen King

This has been my very first book by Stephen King. It was such a great book. Sigh. It is the first book I own by him. When I read the summary some months ago, I could not resist buying it. And now I do not regret it for one second. This book held me captive from beginning to end. Which so wasn't always a good thing, ha. Sobs.

Because this story was every kind of heartbreaking and evil. Yet I loved every minute of it. Giving it four stars, as I wish parts of the ending had been different. But other than that, it was perfection. It ruined me. And I don't think I will forget about this book for a long time. I'm also not sure my heart will ever recover from the scares.

I was a little unsure when I started this book. When I saw that it was about five hundred pages long and with small writing. Which means it would take ages to read, ha. But I started it. And found the beginning to be all kinds of boring, as it begins with the story of forty two year old Tim. Which truly was not all that interesting at first, but I grew to love this man. But even though his story was mostly boring, it was also important. And he only got his point of view for less than fifty pages. Once everything happened from Luke's point of view I had trouble to make myself stop reading. And so I finished this book pretty fast. Which I don't regret at all. Because every part of this story captured my mind and heart. And ruined both, ha. But I loved it so despite that. So very good.

This book begins with the story of Tim. With him walking away from his old life and settling at a very small town in the middle of nowhere. We only get to know him a little, but I liked him and the town he ended up in. But then the story truly begins, when it jumps to the point of view of Luke. He is only twelve years old. We get to learn a little about him and his life. He is super smart, way more than an average person. He is taking the test to go to college early. He has loving parents and some good friends too. A pretty good life.

But this does not last. We get to see him kidnapped. His parents both murdered. Then we see him wake up in a room that looks almost exactly like his own. But it is not his home. And he is all kinds of freaked out. When walking out of his room he meets other kids around his own age. They were all kidnapped too. None of them know what happened to their parents. But they all know why they were taken. As each of the kid has a small power; mind reading or making things move. None of them has a very strong version.

But all were taken. And this place is not a safe place to be. Luke learns fast what goes on in this institute. The kids have their own bedrooms and a place to eat, watch tv and they get to go outside in a playground too. But this is a prison. They are not allowed anywhere else. Then there are all the experiments. I would say that all the kids are tortured. They are given soso many shots. Forced to do humiliating things. If they don't behave, they get beaten. If they do behave, they get tokens for special treats. All of it was so wrong.

The way they were all experimented on. Shudders. I will not write any more of it down, because it is best to read about it yourself. It was kind of exciting and interesting to read about, but so very horrible. And so heartbreaking to read about too. These kids were broken down. Luke was smart, but this did not help him much. Not until another kid showed up, tiny Avery. He was ten, but seemed so much younger. He was so small. But had such a great power of mind reading. Which was pretty amazing to read about. Adored him.

So much of this book is about the institute and how they treated Luke and his new friends. How goddamn awful all the adults are and how very many of them enjoyed hurting the kids. No sexual abuse, thankfully, but it was still abuse and still horrible to read about. I wanted all of these kids to be okay. But so so many of them were not. Gosh. I wish the book had ended a little differently. It was a good ending for sure. But I wish there had been way fewer deaths and more punishments. Ha. But still, I loved it. Only wanted more.

There is much I could write down about this book. I truly doubt I will stop thinking about it for a long time. Which is a good thing, because this book was all kinds of incredible. Just, hard to read. I said it was about Luke being at the institute, but it is also about him and his friends trying to escape. Which I wish they all would. It was also about three different sections of this place. Which was completely awful to read about but written so well too. Also, I really liked the few scenes in the old town. It was a pretty great little town.

I liked that this book had parts of our world included. It was set less than two years ago. I liked how parts of it seemed important to everything that is going on here. I simply enjoyed how Stephen included certain things from our life too. I felt like it was done well. I also very much liked his writing. At least in this book. It was so good. And so I am pretty sure I will be reading more books by him. Just need to figure out where to start, haha. I love the IT movies, but do not think I will ever read that book. Hmm. But maybe some day.

I simply have to say that The Institute was everything I wanted it to be. Even though I had no idea what it would really be about. It ruined my heart most of the time. The ending was so bittersweet but so good too, which just hurt even more. The Institute is a book that will make you think about how our world is now as well. And I think that everyone should read this story. It was so evil but so good and so important as well. And I am beyond thrilled that I read this book. Will for sure be reading more books by Stephen King soon.

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In My Mailbox #427

I feel happy about this week. I managed to read two books, eee. And have my next read planned too. I'm excited. I also got way way way too much mail this week. Ahh! Help. But loving it all to pieces, haha :D I also bought myself a new camera; Canon EOS 2000D. An upgrade from my EOS 550D. It is almost the same, just better quality. Now just waiting for daylight to come back so I can take some gorgeous photos, haha. It's too dark. Ugh. Just a few weeks more. I shall survive. I also watched a few movies this week too, which I'm happy about as well. But oh, mom is having some health scares, which is not good at all. Fingers crossed, please. Anyway. A few new blog posts. This week I'm waiting on The Girl from Widow Hills :D I shared my review of Tunnel of Bones :) And my review of Fall for Anything. <3 I enjoyed both books and it made me want to read more, finally. Hoping it will continue this way :D Happy weekend. <3

Clockwork Angel. Oops. I got the signed version via Waterstones too, haha. But a little disappointed, ack.
The Magnolia Sword. Oh, such a stunning AUS paperback version :D I loved this book to pieces. Sigh.
Kingdom of Souls + A Treason of Thorns. Eee! Thank you Rezanne for trading with me. <3 I love them.
Carry On book cover. Thank you Alyssa for helping me get this special cover art book jacket, eee. Love.
The Guinevere Deception + Skylark + Steeltide + Gravemaidens. Ahh! Oh gosh. All such stunning ARCs. Sigh. Thank you the most to Alyssa for trading with me. <3 I'm in love with each and every one of them.
Hollow Dolls. EEE! Thank you to Sourcebooks Kids for sending this to me via Alyssa :) I love it so much.
All the swag. AHH! I got all of this from Alyssa too; who helped me with US pre-orders :D So much love.
Pop Figures. Ahh! A big order came in, haha. More IT. Stranger Things. Harry Potter. Love them so. Sigh.
Harry Potter pens. I couldn't stop myself from ordering these from Gamestop. They are simply gorgeous.

More Instagram photos here. <3

Review: Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

I have been meaning to read this book for years. I have been a fan of Courtney for ages, yet I had not read her very first books. I'm working on it. So glad I finally read this one. As I pretty much adored everything about it. Four stars, but it was almost perfect. And I enjoyed this book very much. Which I am so happy about.

What I love most about books by Courtney is how she is able to make all of her girls seem so real. They are all kinds of broken. But so strong. I love how she makes me love all of them, despite their flaws. Her characters are always so exciting to get to know. And her stories are always heartbreaking. Hmph. Yet so hopeful.

Which this book was too. But gosh, it was sad at times. But not all of the time. I simply loved getting to know seventeen year old Eddie. She was all kinds of adorable. Broken, but fierce. Unsure about her life at the moment. But trying her best. This book tells the story of her. How her father committed suicide a few months ago. How she had no idea he was unhappy or why he would do such a thing. She has been broken ever since it happened. And her mother has been too. Though her mom might have been worse. Which was hard to read about. But felt so real too. My heart was aching for them both. This is a book about grief. About a girl trying to learn why her father would choose to leave her. It is a heartbreaking story. Not personal to me, but emotional.

There is so much going on in this book. But not all that much for me to right about, as I felt like this story was pretty short. So I will not say that much about it. Eddie is trying so hard to find out why. Things are tense between her and her best friend, Milo. Whom I loved to pieces. Her life isn't as easy and simple as it was before. And all she wants is to figure out why. Why her father would just leave them like that, with no explanation. I liked learning more with her, even though she did not learn all that much. So very rude.

Eddie ends up meeting a boy three years older than her, Culler. She is attracted by him right away. Which I didn't support at all, haha. But I also did not blame her one bit. Culler was an old student of her dad; her father was a photographer and Culler is too. And so Eddie is dying to spend more time with him, to learn more things about her father. They go on a road trip together. Which I also so did not approve of. Hmph. But it was also pretty interesting to read about. I simply loved reading about the life of Eddie. I adored her.

Giving this book a four star because of the romance. Ack. I shipped Eddie and Milo so very hard. But this book was more about Eddie falling for the new guy, Culler. Which broke my heart a little. As I did not like this Culler guy at all. Oops. And I adored Milo to pieces. Sigh. Okay, he wasn't perfect, but he was perfect for Eddie. And she was perfect for him. And although this was not the romance book I had wanted, there were still some hints. And the ending was pretty good. I am pleased about that. Only wanted more, haha.

I do not have much more to say about this book. Fall for Anything was a story about a girl grieving for her dead father, trying to find answers. We learn much about her friendship with Milo, which I loved to pieces. I only wish there was a second book only about them, ha. I'm so glad that I finally read this book. And so glad that I enjoyed it a whole bunch. I so cannot wait to read even more books by Courtney. Only need to read her first two books to be complete. Excited to read them. You must read everything by Courtney too.

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Review: Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

I was a little nervous about reading this second book. As I did not love City of Ghosts like I had hoped to do. But I still wanted to read this second one. And I'm glad that I did so. Because this book ended up being a four star for me. I found it to be adorable and exciting too and a little creepy. Which I am so thrilled about.

Especially when reading my review of book one my main reason for not enjoying it was the writing. And in this second book I had no issues with the writing at all. Almost no issues. I was able to enjoy this book from beginning to end. Which I'm pleased about. As it was a pretty excellent book to read. Also so very haunted.

I shall not write too much about this story, as the book is not all that long. It's short and easy to read, which I liked. Okay, yes, I still wish these books had been even longer, with more details, but this time I was lost in this story and did not mind too much. Like book one, this one is told from the point of view of Cassidy. She travels around with her mom and dad, as they are filming a paranormal series. And so they visit all kinds of creepy haunted places. This time it was Paris. Which I found to be pretty exciting. I liked reading about all of the different places and I very much enjoyed the catacombs. Those were the most exciting and a little creepy. I simply enjoyed this setting a whole lot, which surprised and pleased me. I had truly wanted to enjoy this sequel.

This series is about Cassidy and her ability to see all the dead. Her best friend is a ghost. Although most ghosts cannot travel past the veil, he can. And I completely adore Jacob. I only wish that he wasn't dead. Ugh. He was interesting, though. And so adorable. We learn his death story in this book. Honestly, I had expected more drama from it, ha. Instead it was just simple and sad. But good too. I honestly just adore Jacob and his friendship with Cassidy. They are the best of friends. Also, she has the most adorable cat.

Because Cassidy has the ability to see the dead she also feels like she has to help them move on. Which she often does. Though this time, it is not so simple. And this ghost turns out to be a poltergeist. A small boy causing all kinds of trouble and hurt. Which was even more exciting to read about, ha. And learning his story was the saddest thing. So heartbreaking. But so good, which is why I enjoyed this book so very much. I simply very much liked reading about Cassidy and Jacob spending time together, hunting ghosts.

There is not much more I wish to say about this book. I did not fully love it, but I enjoyed it a whole bunch. Tunnel of Bones was more than I thought it would be. And that makes me so happy. And now I just can't wait for the third book. Curious to know what will happen next. Even though I did not like book one all that much, I very much liked this second book. And so I recommend that you read them both. As this second one was such an adorable ghost story with great characters and good writing too. You must read this too.

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Waiting on Wednesday #430

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

THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS BY MEGAN MIRANDA

Goodreads Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest—a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick—comes a riveting new novel of psychological suspense about a young woman plagued by night terrors after a childhood trauma who wakes one evening to find a corpse at her feet.

Everyone knows the story of “the girl from Widow Hills.”

Arden Maynor was just a child when she was swept away while sleepwalking during a terrifying rainstorm and went missing for days. Strangers and friends, neighbors and rescue workers, set up search parties and held vigils, praying for her safe return. Against all odds, she was found, alive, clinging to a storm drain. The girl from Widow Hills was a living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book. Fame followed. Fans and fan letters, creeps, and stalkers. And every year, the anniversary. It all became too much. As soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and disappeared from the public eye.

Now a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden goes by Olivia. She’s managed to stay off the radar for the last few years. But with the twentieth anniversary of her rescue approaching, the media will inevitably renew its interest in Arden. Where is she now? Soon Olivia feels like she’s being watched and begins sleepwalking again, like she did long ago, even waking outside her home. Until late one night she jolts awake in her yard. At her feet is the corpse of a man she knows—from her previous life, as Arden Maynor.

And now, the girl from Widow Hills is about to become the center of the story, once again, in this propulsive page-turner from suspense master Megan Miranda.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: June 23rd 2020 by Simon Schuster

Pre-Order here and here

Oh my god, how badly I need this book in my life. Sigh. I completely adore Megan Miranda and I love all of her books. And I simply cannot wait to be swept away by this new adult book by her. Eee. It's going to be all kinds of perfect. It sounds so exciting already and I simply cannot wait to read this precious. Ahhh.
What are you waiting for on this suspenseful Wednesday?

In My Mailbox #426

HAPPY NEW YEAR :D Hope you are all doing well. This holiday was all kinds of awesome for me. I have been so busy this past week. Gosh. Still daily playing Lego Harry Potter with my nephew. <3 Exhausting. But loving it. We are almost done with year 5-7 as well :D This week I finished both seasons of Dark on Netflix. A weird German tvseries. I enjoyed it so. But not sure I liked any of the characters, haha. Finished my last book of 2019. But haven't read a new book so far this year. Oops. Soon, I hope. Been very busy having had to pack up some of my things, as there must be some changes in my place until May, maybe. Uuugh. I'm exhausted and hurting all over. Hmph. But okay :) This week I shared my Best Books of 2019 :D Eee! And my review of Hollow Dolls :) This week I'm waiting on Rebel Spy. <3 Hoping for more energy.

My Plain Jane. Stunning paperback edition of this book :D I adore these Jane books. I can't wait for more.
Undying. Pretty new paperback edition :D I cannot wait for more books by these wonderful authors. <3
The Raven King. Oh gosh. Thank you so much Fountain Bookstore for this suprise personalized :'( <3
Stranger Things pop. Oops. Another pop from this series, haha. I couldn't help but get Alexei too :D Love.

More Instagram photos here. <3

Waiting on Wednesday #429

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

REBEL SPY BY VERONICA ROSSI

Goodreads Description:

A reimagining of the story behind Agent 355--a New York society girl and spy for George Washington during the Revolutionary War--perfect for fans of Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key and the novels of Julie Berry.

Rebellious Frannie Tasker knows little about the war between England and its thirteen colonies in 1776, until a shipwreck off her home in Grand Bahama Island presents an unthinkable opportunity. The body of a young woman body floating in the sea gives Frannie the chance to escape her brutal stepfather--and she takes it.

Assuming the identity of the drowned Emmeline Coates, Frannie is rescued by a British merchant ship and sails with the crew to New York. For the next three years, Frannie lives a lie as Miss Coates, swept up in a courtship by a dashing British lieutenant. But after witnessing the darker side of the war, she realizes that her position gives her power. Soon she finds herself eavesdropping on British officers, risking everything to pass information on to George Washington's Culper spy ring as agent 355. Frannie believes in the fight for American liberty--but what will it cost her? Inspired by the true "355" and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.

Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected publication: June 23rd 2020 by Delacorte Press

Pre-Order here and here

Happy New Year :D First post of the year. And gosh, such a perfect book to be waiting on. Sigh. I very much adore Veronica. Eee. And I am thrilled that she has a new book out :D I cannot wait to read Rebel Spy. I think it sounds all kinds of exciting and awesome. Also, gosh, it looks so very gorgeous. Sigh. <3
What are you waiting for on this rebel Wednesday?