Simone and Her Books

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  • Pub Day Picks // February 16, 2021

    Happy Pub Day! Can you believe February is already close to being over? Wild, isn’t it? But that happens when this is the shortest month of the year. Luckily, this pub day is probably being dubbed SJM day for her latest release, but I’m more excited for some other books publishing today. Let’s take a look at them.

    A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas

    I was more excited about this book a few months back, but now I’m thinking I might be over Sarah J Maas all together. However, if you’re a fan of the ACOTAR series and want to see what Nesta and Cassian’s story is going to be like, this might be the book for you.

    Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

    The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

    Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

    Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other’s arms.

    The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

    I’m not usually a fan of thrillers, but when it’s a thriller with a bit of SFF thrown into it, then you grab my attention. Plus, I’ve heard wonderful things about Sarah Gailey that’s intrigued me to read their novels.

    The Echo Wife is a non-stop thrill ride, perfect for readers of Big Little Lies and enthusiasts of “Killing Eve” and “Westworld­”

    Martine is a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research. She’s patient and gentle and obedient. She’s everything Evelyn swore she’d never be. And she’s having an affair with Evelyn’s husband.

    Now, the cheating bastard is dead, and the Caldwell wives have a mess to clean up. Good thing Evelyn Caldwell is used to getting her hands dirty.

    Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

    Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college.

    In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future.

    When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along.

    Ashley Schumacher’s devastating and beautiful debut, Amelia Unabridged, is about finding hope and strength within yourself, and maybe, just maybe, falling in love while you do it.

    The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

    Any time there’s a new book from Becky Chambers, there’s a small bell that goes off inside my head. It tells me “READ ME IMMEDIATELY” and I do. And every time I’ve read a book by Becky Chambers, I never regret it. If you’re a fan of space operas, quirky space crews, and a whole lot of love, then you’ll like this one.

    With no water, no air, and no native life, the planet Gora is unremarkable. The only thing it has going for it is a chance proximity to more popular worlds, making it a decent stopover for ships traveling between the wormholes that keep the Galactic Commons connected. If deep space is a highway, Gora is just your average truck stop.

    At the Five-Hop One-Stop, long-haul spacers can stretch their legs (if they have legs, that is), and get fuel, transit permits, and assorted supplies. The Five-Hop is run by an enterprising alien and her sometimes helpful child, who work hard to provide a little piece of home to everyone passing through.

    When a freak technological failure halts all traffic to and from Gora, three strangers—all different species with different aims—are thrown together at the Five-Hop. Grounded, with nothing to do but wait, the trio—an exiled artist with an appointment to keep, a cargo runner at a personal crossroads, and a mysterious individual doing her best to help those on the fringes—are compelled to confront where they’ve been, where they might go, and what they are, or could be, to each other.

    First Comes Like by Alisha Rai

    I reviewed this book last month, but it’s this month that it’s finally in the hands of readers. I’m so excited for you and I really loved this story about two people who meet under strange circumstances and make it work.

    The author of The Right Swipe and Girl Gone Viral returns with a story about finding love in all the wrong inboxes…

    Beauty expert and influencer Jia Ahmed has her eye on the prize: conquering the internet today, the entire makeup industry tomorrow, and finally, finally proving herself to her big opinionated family. She has little time for love, and even less time for the men in her private messages—until the day a certain international superstar slides into her DMs, and she falls hard and fast.

    There’s just one wrinkle: he has no idea who she is.

    The son of a powerful Bollywood family, soap opera star Dev Dixit is used to drama, but a strange woman who accuses him of wooing her online, well, that’s a new one. As much as he’d like to focus on his Hollywood fresh start, he can’t get Jia out of his head. Especially once he starts to suspect who might have used his famous name to catfish her…

    When paparazzi blast their private business into the public eye, Dev is happy to engage in some friendly fake dating to calm the gossips and to dazzle her family. But as the whole world swoons over their relationship, Jia can’t help but wonder: Can an online romance-turned-offline-fauxmance ever become love in real life?

  • Stuffed Peanut Butter and Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

    Stuffed Peanut Butter and Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

    Over the weekend, I wanted to make a yummy Valentine’s Day treat. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make, but my friend gave me a recipe for these very special rice krispie treats stuffed with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and drizzled with chocolate.

    Rice Krispie treats are one of recipes I love making when I’m on a time crunch or not in the mood to take out all the measuring cups. The recipe is very customizable and you can use a variety of ingredients. In the past, I’ve made mint chocolate krispies. I’ve even experimented with browned butter. I’ve decorated with sprinkles for sugary crunch and even replaced the krispies with Fruity Pebbles, which is a sugar bomb FYI.

    But peanut butter and chocolate krispies is something I’ve never made and this recipe is sweet, salty, crispy, and decadent. Each piece of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup you get is so rich while set against the crispy rice.

    On top of that, this is one of my first dessert recipes I used from social media. I’ve tried recipes from influencer chefs before, but never a dessert. I’m glad I picked this one because some of these dessert hacks make me wonder if it’ll actually taste good. This, my friends, actually tastes good. Coupled with a little afternoon oolong and a good book and you’ll find yourself eating way more than you should have eaten.

    You can find the recipe at @dessertbae on Instagram.

  • “Heart to Heart” Crocheted Bookmark

    “Heart to Heart” Crocheted Bookmark

    This Valentine’s/Galentine’s Day, I was working on a little gift for my friends and wanted to make a little something handmade for them. While thinking about what to make, I grabbed a few balls of leftover yarn in various shades of red, picked up my crochet hook, and tried to make some crocheted hearts.

    I looked around for a crocheted heart pattern. When I came across the one by The Painted Hinge, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. It has some super easy steps and these hearts can easily be used in a garland or as a fun addition to a crocheted shawl or blanket pattern. I could even see these used for a baby mobile! All credit to The Painted Hinge for creating the pattern and sparking my imagination!

    I first started out with the plan to make a garland to go around my bookshelf, but I realized I didn’t have enough yarn to make several hearts in various colors. So instead, I decided to make them into little bookmarks. How else can you celebrate the love for your current read? For connecting the hearts, I just did a simple crocheted chain for about 50 stitches and then sewed the pieces together. I will admit, the backs of these little hearts aren’t the prettiest.

    But I absolutely love the way these came out! I pressed the bookmarks between the pages of the book to flatten them out a bit and I’m just smitten!

    I do want to mention that I’m not the best crocheter in the world. I’m not a professional at all with the hobbies I do; I just do them because I love to do them and create beautiful little pieces I can adore for years. But, I thought these would be great gifts for my girlfriends this Galentine’s Day and perhaps friends in the future.

    I hope you enjoy making these as much as I loved doing it!

  • Legendborn by Tracy Deonn // Book Review

    Legendborn by Tracy Deonn // Book Review

    When Instagram raves about a book, it’s hard not to give into the hype. Influence is strong over there and when people are telling you to read a specific book because it was incredible, it’s hard to ignore. This goes double when friends who don’t have a bookstagram account are telling you to read the book as well.

    To be honest, I have a vague understanding of Arthurian legends. I know about King Arthur and the Round Table, Merlin, the Guinevere and Lancelot debacle, and Excalibur, but I don’t remember much else. But you don’t need to remember everything because this book turned those stories on its head. And it gets a definite twist.

    Here’s More About the Book

    After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

    A flying demon feeding on human energies.

    A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

    And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

    The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

    She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

    My Thoughts

    I really enjoyed this one. I felt like Tracy Deonn really took her time to write this story and putting together this beautiful world that exists within the real world. It’s obvious from the way it’s written that a lot of research went into it. Everything from how King Arthur made his way to the Americas to even Bree’s family lineage all the way back to enslavement were well executed and breathed a real feeling into it. While King Arthur might be legend, this story really brings that legend to life.

    The real world components of being a young Black girl living in the American South and going to UNC – Chapel Hill felt very realistic, which is really nice because sometimes with urban fantasies, it’s like the characters live in some sort of vacuum. I loved that the real world was still very much real despite the Arthurian legends coming true. Bree had to face scrutiny and discrimination because of the color of her skin and her background. You can see that she has her guard up for some people, but when she takes her guard down, she’s loyal and sensitive and the fact that she’s struggling with her mom’s death really hit me in the heart gut.

    It also dealt with grief, which as a young person asks a lot of questions. I love that Bree mentioned her “before” and “after” version and how after-Bree can sometimes lash out or cry while thinking about her mom. It felt like her mother was very much a part of the story despite her not actually being there. I can only imagine trying to go through this by herself. She has her dad and her best friend, Alice, there by her side, but I completely understand that there are some things you have to go through alone. I wanted to just hold her hand and be there for her as she did it.

    But let’s talk about the actual Arthurian tale. I liked how Tracy Deonn created this magical lineage for the Knights of the Round Table. And I loved the whole secret society component. I’m a huge fan of secret societies in schools, so when I read this one had one, I was totally in love with the book! It then blew me away by having a competition for squire positions and scions! I love complex magic systems and while it does take me a second to figure it out, once I figure it out I love it. It always surprises me when YA Fantasy books don’t go deeper into the magic worlds or the world building, but I felt like Tracy Deonn put a lot of care and work into the magic as much as the rest of the story.

    For most of the story, I couldn’t figure out how the legend connects with Bree’s magic. One’s this really old tale from Western Europe that made its way to America through the colonies while the other was created in America while through the struggles of enslavement. Even the mention of root magic vs. aether made me think that maybe they’re not connected. That was until they were and that reveal probably made the most sense. OMG! When it finally comes together (and it will. Trust me), it just made sense.

    There were some YA tropes that I wasn’t a huge fan of. Things like how Bree just accepted this Arthurian world existing below the grounds of her university. I also wasn’t a fan of the weird love triangle vibes between her, Nick, and Sel, but I also figure this is a nod to the original love triangle in the story despite the fact that there was no Guinevere bloodline. And the pacing was a bit off for me. However, these tiny little things are really me nitpicking because the story makes up for all of it.

    This story was emotional and beautiful. While it reads like a YA story, it didn’t lack in heart and beauty. I absolutely loved the characters in the story, how inclusive it was, and the big surprises waiting for you at the end. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Arthurian tales, secret societies in school, the chosen one, competitions, and coming-of-age.

    You can find Legendborn on Bookshop.org

  • Pub Day Picks // February 9, 2021

    Happy Tuesday and happy Pub Day to all the great books coming out today. It’s another great Tuesday for book releases and the books publishing are some of my highly anticipated reads. It always makes me excited when I’ve been anticipating books for months and they’re finally out in the world. What are you excited is publishing today?

    The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

    When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.

    Angrboda’s story begins where most witches’ tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding love.

    Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin’s all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life—and possibly all of existence—is in danger.

    With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond, Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she’s foreseen for her beloved family…or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age.

    A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

    If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

    If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

    For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

    But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

    Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

    When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants.

    The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

    Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

    But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

    Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.

    Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.

    The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold

    When a deadly Fly Flu sweeps the globe, it leaves a shell of the world that once was. Among the survivors are eighteen-year-old Nico and her dog, on a voyage devised by Nico’s father to find a mythical portal; a young artist named Kit, raised in an old abandoned cinema; and the enigmatic Deliverer, who lives Life after Life in an attempt to put the world back together. As swarms of infected Flies roam the earth, these few survivors navigate the woods of post-apocalyptic New England, meeting others along the way, each on their own quest to find life and light in a world gone dark. The Electric Kingdom is a sweeping exploration of love, art, storytelling, eternal life, and above all, a testament to the notion that even in an exterminated world, one person might find beauty in another.

    Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard

    Award-winning author Aliette de Bodard returns with a powerful romantic fantasy that reads like The Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle in a pre-colonial Vietnamese-esque world.

    Fire burns bright and has a long memory….

    Quiet, thoughtful princess Thanh was sent away as a hostage to the powerful faraway country of Ephteria as a child. Now she’s returned to her mother’s imperial court, haunted not only by memories of her first romance, but by worrying magical echoes of a fire that devastated Ephteria’s royal palace.

    Thanh’s new role as a diplomat places her once again in the path of her first love, the powerful and magnetic Eldris of Ephteria, who knows exactly what she wants: romance from Thanh and much more from Thanh’s home. Eldris won’t take no for an answer, on either front. But the fire that burned down one palace is tempting Thanh with the possibility of making her own dangerous decisions.

    Can Thanh find the freedom to shape her country’s fate—and her own?

  • The Difference Between Reading a Book and Promoting a Book

    The Difference Between Reading a Book and Promoting a Book

    I’ve been wanting to talk about book promotions for a really long time. As a bookstagrammer and blogger, I get a lot of books for free. I request some advanced readers copies, but sometimes books just show up on my front door. In the past, I’ve made an effort to try and incorporate these books into my reading life. I would add them to my TBR which is great because I get to read the latest before anyone else does and share my thoughts on whether or not you should read the book too.

    But as time went on, I started getting more books than I can manage. I was putting together these massive TBRs with 25 books in them just so that I can make sure to read the books before they all publish. Add a little Netgalley and some other random books that show up and we’ve got more books to read in a month than there are days in the month.

    The stress of reading started to take over. I would put in as many tiny hours as I possibly could to read as much as I can. I would turn on productivity apps and limit my social media to ensure I wasn’t spending it all on the “wrong” things. And even when I sacrificed my TV time at night and sleep, I still couldn’t finish this mountain of books. There are also books that I have no interest at all reading and I was adding them to my TBR because I felt like I had to read and review it.

    However, something dawned on me a while back that I didn’t realize; I don’t have to promote every single book I receive. I was reading one of the press releases publishers send with your book. It covers what the book is about, their marketing plans, how we can contribute to promoting the book, and one of the lines at the very end of the note said “we hope you consider covering this book next month on your blog.”

    I was thinking about this phrase because in my mind, that means something. It means that publishers are sending you books hoping with absolutely no guarantee that you’ll share this book. They hope that you’ll dedicate a place on your page. Despite it being a hope, it’s not an obligation. You don’t sign a contract to promote this book. They’re not even expecting a review.

    What that says to me is that I’m the owner of my page. Whatever content I put on my bookstagram account, my blog, it’s all up to me because I’m the owner and creator. If I don’t want to cover a book, I don’t have to. If I find something too controversial, I don’t post it. I am the commander of my bookstagram feed and so what I cover on my page is a reflection of what matters to me. So what marketing teams and publicists are hoping is that the book they’re sending your way is something worth your space. They know they can’t dictate to you or force you to promote something, which means there’s a small chance to not promote the book.

    That was when I realized that promoting books and reading books are two different things. Reading books should be the books you want to read. These are the stories you’ll be exploring throughout the month and they can encompass everything. The sky’s the limit with what you want to read.

    Promoting a book is a different story. It doesn’t have to be a book you will read, but a book you’ll be showcasing at some point during the month. It can be a book stack. It can be a spotlight with a synopsis on what the book is about. You can just talk about your excitement for the book, you don’t have to actually read it. Also, most books I post on my page are done for free. I’ve only been paid to promote 2-3 books in my life and they were books I happily read and utterly enjoyed and would recommend to folks. But most of the time, you’re doing this for free. And if it’s for free the only thing you’re giving publishers is a little bit of space on your page.

    And there’s nothing wrong with promotion. As the old saying goes, any press is good press, so even if you don’t get the chance to read the book, giving it a little shout out on your page is more than what these publicists and marketing teams were hoping for. For me, I like to really discern what I put on my page. Obviously everyone knows I’m into science fiction and fantasy books, but I always ensure that what I’m reading is always quality. I like big books, books written by marginalized voices, and books written by women. I think that reflects pretty well on my page and I do a lot of work to ensure my TBRs and reading life reflects that as well.

    So this month, I put together two lists of books; the books I’ll be reading and the books I’ll be promoting. This way, it doesn’t feel like I have 30 books to read in 28 days, but a reading list that’s manageable and a promotion list to give these authors a little space on my page. I can’t believe I wasn’t doing this before. Granted, I hope to eventually read the books I promote.

  • The Project by Courtney Summers // Book Review

    The Project by Courtney Summers // Book Review

    I wanted to read something different than I normally read, so I picked up The Project by Courtney Summers. I had read Sadie from Courtney Summers a few years ago and remember really liking it, so I wanted to see if this one would be just as good. While it didn’t read like a thriller, it did leave me with a lot of things to think about. If you need a thriller story that will test your understanding of the human psyche, then this is the book for you!

    Here’s More About the Book

    Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo’s sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there’s more to the group than meets the eye. She’s spent the last six years of her life trying—and failing—to prove it.

    When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its leader, Lev Warren and as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can no longer tell what’s real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn’t know if she can afford not to.

    My Thoughts

    Alright, I’m going to try and do this without spoiling the book. I wasn’t surprised at all by the big reveal towards the end of the book, but it did tie so well into the rest of the story. Truly, this story really blew me away with how suspenseful Courtney Summers laid out the book, but I was also so intrigued by The Unity Project, the mental state of all the characters, and how someone could be enticed to join what feels so obviously a bad idea.

    I was expecting this book to be a thriller with a central villain and a central main character that was targeted by said villain. However, I got a completely different book. Yes, it was suspenseful and it did have some thriller-y components to it, but I felt like this book was much darker than just a villain coming out to get you. If you’re looking for a more traditional thriller book, this isn’t going to be it. Instead, it’ll make you think. It’ll make you wonder who truly saves you when you’re having a rough time with life.

    The first part of the book reads like your typical thriller. There’s a dual timeline; one present and one past timeline that’s slowly making its way to the present. The way that it’s written gives you that suspenseful feeling because of the marked time moving forward. There’s also very little information. It was also written in dual narratives; Lo and Bea. Lo’s narrative is the present one as she uncovers more about what’s happening in the Unity Project while Bea’s is the past one as she shares her side of the story. There were a few threads you had to follow along like Lo trying to get this story about The Unity Project while also looking for her sister. There’s also her sister’s story and where that leads. But then you also have Arthur who lost his son to the Unity Project and how he wants someone wants to expose the group. And on top of that is all the mist hiding the secrets behind The Unity Project. While some threads did seem to fall off, others did carry through the rest of the book and really painted this intriguing picture.

    For all intents and purposes, it sounds like The Unity Project is just another cult trying to prey on young people who’ve experienced trauma in their life. It’s based on Christianity, but also renounces religion because Lev Warren, their leader, believes himself to be the savior of humanity. Throughout the novel, there’s a lot of references to God and Christianity and how if you do good, then you’ll be able to walk the same path, except the path is with Lev Warren. It wasn’t too heavy on the religion, so if you’re not a fan of religious stories, then this won’t bother you. However, it is a topic that comes up a lot.

    I thought it was interesting how this plays out and I appreciated Lo’s perspective to keep you as the third party instead of having you fully believe that Lev Warren is God. I can see the appeal for folks to join The Unity Project, but as you continue through the book and you slowly see the reveal it suddenly becomes less enticing. In fact, by the end of the book, I had my hands in fists.

    What I found interesting is that the enemy here isn’t any one specific person. Yes, you can say that Lev is this bad guy, but Courtney Summers really makes you question that as well. We, as outsiders, all think that cults are bad. Every cult that’s existed in American history has ended in some terrible way and it turns out their leaders are borderline insane. But this book explores the other side of being in a cult and that makes you think. If so many people believe in what he’s saying and find comfort and solace in his help, then how can he be such a bad person?

    I found myself asking this question throughout my read. I loved that Courtney Summers gets into this and makes you question the widely adapted belief that cults are bad. But they help people. They give people purpose. They help those who need help and save those from a world that hasn’t been kind to them. This was so obvious at the end. When everything is said and done (trying to avoid spoilers here), how the folks from The Unity Project reacted to what happened really made me pause. You would think that a place that does bad things would ultimately be happy to escape from it, but these folks weren’t and that was the most interesting part.

    I truly appreciated Courtney Summers for writing a thriller that stepped outside the box of what a typical thriller is supposed to look like. She definitely kept the suspense going and while I felt there was a lull in the middle of the book, I was never not hooked to this story and what happens at the end.

    I received a gifted copy of this book from Wednesday Books. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.

  • Pub Day Picks // February 2, 2021

    Pub Day Picks // February 2, 2021

    Happy February everyone! I was surprised when I looked up the February books and noticed there’s a ton of new titles and many of them publishing today. Today, I’m presenting you with ten books that are publishing today that I’m excited about. They range from popular fiction to science fiction to alternate histories and even one about monarchy in America! I cannot wait for some unforeseeable future date where I finally read these all. Lol, I’m just another book collector adding more books to my reading pile. Here it goes:

    The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America’s most defining eras—the Great Depression.

    Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

    In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

    The Project by Courtney Summers

    I just finished reading The Project last night. It was atmospheric, suspenseful, and the ending was definitely something that felt too real to be read. I’ll be writing up my review of this for later in the week, but it really captured my attention, kept my attention, and then totally surprised me by the end.

    Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo’s sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there’s more to the group than meets the eye. She’s spent the last six years of her life trying—and failing—to prove it.

    When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its leader, Lev Warren and as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can no longer tell what’s real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn’t know if she can afford not to.

    All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace

    Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.

    No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she’s lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.

    To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything―but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.


    Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

    While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat’s rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam’s cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.

    But when it comes to light that Prince Taam’s death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war… all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.

    Much Ado About You by Samantha Young

    At thirty-three-years old Evangeline Starling’s life in Chicago is missing that special something. And when she’s passed over for promotion at work, Evie realizes she needs to make a change. Some time away to regain perspective might be just the thing. In a burst of impulsivity, she plans a holiday in a quaint English village. The holiday package comes with a temporary position at Much Ado About Books, the bookstore located beneath her rental apartment. There’s no better dream vacation for the bookish Evie, a life-long Shakespeare lover.

    Not only is Evie swept up in running the delightful store as soon as she arrives, she’s drawn into the lives, loves and drama of the friendly villagers. Including Roane Robson, the charismatic and sexy farmer who tempts Evie every day with his friendly flirtations. Evie is determined to keep him at bay because a holiday romance can only end in heartbreak, right? But Evie can’t deny their connection and longs to trust in her handsome farmer that their whirlwind romance could turn in to the forever kind of love.

    Muse by Brittany Cavallaro

    The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he’s created to showcase the might of their province, St. Cloud, in the World’s Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape.

    Claire’s father is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift, granted to him by his daughter’s touch. He’s kept Claire under his control for years. As St. Cloud prepares for war, Claire plans to claim her life for herself, even as her best friend, Beatrix, tries to convince her to stay and help with the growing resistance movement that wants to see a woman on the throne. At any cost.

    When her father’s weapon fails to fire on the fair’s opening day, Claire is taken captive by Governor Remy Duchamp, St. Cloud’s young, untried ruler. Remy believes that Claire’s touch bestows graces he’s never had, and with his governing power weakening and many political rivals planning his demise, Claire might be his only and best ally. But the last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone else’s muse. Still, affections can change as quickly as the winds of war. And Claire has a choice to make: Will she quietly remake her world from the shadows—or bring it down in flames?


    What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

    I was really excited for this one because it has that mix of horror and fantasy that I’m always excited to read.

    Rose Szabo’s thrilling debut is a dark and thrilling novel about a teen girl who returns home to her strange, wild family after years of estrangement, perfect for fans of Wilder Girls.

    Eleanor Zarrin has been estranged from her wild family for years. When she flees boarding school after a horrifying incident, she goes to the only place she thinks is safe: the home she left behind. But when she gets there, she struggles to fit in with her monstrous relatives, who prowl the woods around the family estate and read fortunes in the guts of birds.

    Eleanor finds herself desperately trying to hold the family together — in order to save them all, Eleanor must learn to embrace her family of monsters and tame the darkness inside her.

    Exquisitely terrifying, beautiful, and strange, this fierce gothic fantasy will sink its teeth into you and never let go.

    A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel

    Showing that truth is stranger than fiction, Sylvain Neuvel weaves a sci-fi thriller reminiscent of Blake Crouch and Andy Weir, blending a fast moving, darkly satirical look at 1940s rocketry with an exploration of the amorality of progress and the nature of violence in A History of What Comes Next.

    Always run, never fight.
    Preserve the knowledge.
    Survive at all costs.
    Take them to the stars.

    Over 99 identical generations, Mia’s family has shaped human history to push them to the stars, making brutal, wrenching choices and sacrificing countless lives. Her turn comes at the dawn of the age of rocketry. Her mission: to lure Wernher Von Braun away from the Nazi party and into the American rocket program, and secure the future of the space race.

    But Mia’s family is not the only group pushing the levers of history: an even more ruthless enemy lurks behind the scenes.

    A darkly satirical first contact thriller, as seen through the eyes of the women who make progress possible and the men who are determined to stop them…

    This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria

    I’ve been excited about this book since I heard about it and not only does it publish today, but I also got a copy of it in the mail. I’m quite ready to get into this one this month!

    Orphaned and forced to serve her country’s ruling group of scribes, Karis wants nothing more than to find her brother, long ago shipped away. But family bonds don’t matter to the Scriptorium, whose sole focus is unlocking the magic of an ancient automaton army.

    In her search for her brother, Karis does the seemingly impossible—she awakens a hidden automaton. Intelligent, with a conscience of his own, Alix has no idea why he was made. Or why his father—their nation’s greatest traitor—once tried to destroy the automatons.

    Suddenly, the Scriptorium isn’t just trying to control Karis; it’s hunting her. Together with Alix, Karis must find her brother…and the secret that’s held her country in its power for centuries.

    Muted by Tami Charles

    A ripped-from-the-headlines novel of ambition, music, and innocence lost, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Jason Reynolds!
    Be bold. Get seen. Be Heard.

    For seventeen-year-old Denver, music is everything. Writing, performing, and her ultimate goal: escaping her very small, very white hometown.

    So Denver is more than ready on the day she and her best friends Dali and Shak sing their way into the orbit of the biggest R&B star in the world, Sean “Mercury” Ellis. Merc gives them everything: parties, perks, wild nights — plus hours and hours in the recording studio. Even the painful sacrifices and the lies the girls have to tell are all worth it.

    Until they’re not.

    Denver begins to realize that she’s trapped in Merc’s world, struggling to hold on to her own voice. As the dream turns into a nightmare, she must make a choice: lose her big break, or get broken.

    Inspired by true events, Muted is a fearless exploration of the dark side of the music industry, the business of exploitation, how a girl’s dreams can be used against her — and what it takes to fight back.

  • Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar // Book Review

    Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar // Book Review

    I thought this book was such a dreamy story. It made me feel like all my magical dreams were coming true. Star people who live up in the heavens and a young girl who finds out she’s got a destiny much bigger than her dreams of college and dating. Also, it’s own voices with some great additions of Hindu mythology mixed it.

    Here’s More About the Book

    This gorgeously imagined YA debut blends shades of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust and a breathtaking landscape of Hindu mythology into a radiant contemporary fantasy.

    The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be “normal.” But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star’s help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago.

    Sheetal’s quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family’s champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens–and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all.

    Brimming with celestial intrigue, this sparkling YA debut is perfect for fans of Roshani Chokshi and Laini Taylor.

    My Thoughts

    I think the biggest component I loved about this story is its writing. The writing was poetic and brilliant. I found myself highlighting a lot of sentences that were just beautifully written. I loved the incorporation of Hindu mythology and the idea that Sheetal is a star princess who goes up to the Heavenly Realm and finally sees her mother for the first time in years. I loved that level of nostalgia that Sheetal had for her mother and the happy memories between them.

    I also loved exploring this world. It was vast and beautiful with tons of imagery and atmosphere. I loved the addition of little things like the food they ate and even the silver of Sheetal’s hair. My favorite part was probably the night market where you can buy enchanted items and be your true self for a little while. It always makes me happy to read fantasy that has roots in the real world because it makes me believe even more that there is magic in reality.

    Sheetal was definitely a character I could relate to; if my father was sick and I heard the call of the stars in my head, then I would do exactly as she did. It’s a lot of worry and fear surrounding that, but also a lot of gumption, which I always love in a great female character. I also loved that Sheetal was a bit self-deprecating. She didn’t have it all together, but it also didn’t come off as a stereotypical twitty girl who stumbles on her own feet and apologizes for everything. She was strong, capable, and a little more grown; which was a nice touch.

    I will admit that it did have its shortcomings. And I could get upset about how this book didn’t deliver to my standards, but at the same time I just loved reading this. It’s contemporary fantasy and you can get upset that Sheetal is young and acts pretty young for her age, but at the same time I felt like Shveta Thakrar really captured what it felt like to be a young person who had to take on a lot of responsibility.

    But it wouldn’t be a review if I didn’t talk about them, so I’ll bring them up here. The story moved like many YA fantasy books do; slow at the beginning and then a race towards the end. I loved the depictions of this star world where the gods lived, but it felt like there was a lot of set up and not enough story. There was one major event that we were reading up to, but it was held off for the entire book. The rest of the story was Sheetal preparing for the event and the stuff that happens around it. That’s fine, but it read slow. And then the last 50 pages is where all the action takes place.

    There were too many threads all spread out throughout the story and it felt like a checklist to make sure to cover them all. There was the relationship with Dev, there was the missing marionettes, there was having to learn all of the star culture before the ascension. Then there was the ascension, the performance, her father being sick and needing star blood. I felt like the beginning of the book established a pretty straightforward plot, but then it meandered all over the place to cover one theme or another.

    Speaking of, there felt like a lot of different themes packed into this book. I’m a fan of themes especially ones that speak to injustice towards women and people of color, but I almost felt like there were too many. It took away from the story and put the focus on these lengthy conversations about it. I would have loved to see these truncated to a few important scopes rather than trying to accomplish everything. I wanted there to be more cohesion; one or two story ideas that are plotted throughout the book. It felt messy and unorganized, which is such a bummer because I loved the characters in the book.

  • First Comes Like by Alisha Rai // Book Review

    First Comes Like by Alisha Rai // Book Review

    Finally! I finished a book! It was the fourth book of the year and probably the last book I’ll read in January, but I’m just happy to finally have enough mind space to finish a book. I think it helped that the book was super light-hearted with a tiny bit of drama. For some reason, my brain just doesn’t want to do anything so it always helps to have a few lighter reads hanging around for those occasions.

    Here’s more about the book

    Beauty expert and influencer Jia Ahmed has her eye on the prize: conquering the internet today, the entire makeup industry tomorrow, and finally, finally proving herself to her big opinionated family. She has little time for love, and even less time for the men in her private messages–until the day a certain international superstar slides into her DMs, and she falls hard and fast.

    There’s just one wrinkle: he has no idea who she is.

    The son of a powerful Bollywood family, soap opera star Dev Dixit is used to drama, but a strange woman who accuses him of wooing her online, well, that’s a new one. As much as he’d like to focus on his Hollywood fresh start, he can’t get Jia out of his head. Especially once he starts to suspect who might have used his famous name to catfish her…

    When paparazzi blast their private business into the public eye, Dev is happy to engage in some friendly fake dating to calm the gossips and to dazzle her family. But as the whole world swoons over their relationship, Jia can’t help but wonder: Can an online romance-turned-offline-fauxmance ever become love in real life?

    My thoughts

    Truthfully, I loved the drama. The story starts off super strong with Jia getting into a swank Hollywood party to meet this guy she’s been chatting to online; a famous Bollywood star that came from a famous Bollywood family. The only sad part is that he had no clue who she was when they finally meet. It’s only until later that we realize who was doing the catfishing, but I loved that their meet cute wasn’t anywhere near cute.

    And I’m glad it worked out for them. I loved both Jia and Dev as a couple and as individuals. Jia was this average human who made a living being an influencer on YouTube. I related a lot with her internal struggles to figure out what it is she wanted to do as she “aged” out of the social media game. I sometimes feel like one of the influencer elders not because I’ve been doing this for a long time, but because I’m older than average. She seemed super kindhearted and willing to help someone out without hesitation; someone that you want as an influence in your life.

    Dev is similar. I loved that he came from a famous family who struggled through all the lights and glam of Bollywood. It was interesting to see his family dynamic especially since Dev doesn’t seem at all similar to the rest of his family. While his brother and cousin are doing all the “bad boy” activities, Dev seems to be the one that’s professional and has his head on. For me, that’s my trope. I like a man who can take care of things. But what I also loved is that we got to know his brother and cousin a little bit more. While they may seem like bad boys, they did open their hearts to Dev’s niece, Luna.

    There was also a lot of discussion on grief. It wasn’t too bad and it doesn’t keep you away from experiencing the light-heartedness of the story, but the way that it affected Dev’s life was interesting especially when he’s taking care of his niece.

    I think my only issue was the ending. I felt like a lot happened that could have spread across the novel than be truncated to the last 50 pages. That’s not to say the book was paced funny and felt slow, it’s just that many of the events within the final pages felt like they could have been explored more if given the space.

    I also thought there were too many tropes. First, it was the catfishing. Then it moved onto a fake relationship. Then the relationship turned real. And then we’re getting married. And then there’s Dev having his grandfather’s will that stipulates he needs to get married before he inherits his money. It truly felt like I was reading a drama where one issue would resolve and then surprise! There would be another issue ready to go. If the book was longer then maybe there would be a more natural progression of these tropes throughout the story so that it didn’t feel like we were jumping all over the place.

    Overall, this was such a cute book and something that I really enjoyed reading. I loved getting to know the characters and reading the adventures they had together.

    • First Comes Like by Alisha Rai publishes on February 16, 2021
    • Find it on Bookshop.org
    • I received a gifted copy of this book from Avon Books. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.