DECEMBER '22 WRAP-UP

  

Time for another wrap up!

Hello everyone! Here we are with the last wrap-up of 2022. It's honestly still shocking that it's already 2023. 

Time to talk about the books I read this month.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

 

The first physical book that I read in December was Twisted Hate by Ana Huang. This is the third book in the Twisted series which is a romance series where each book follows one friend in a friend group. This one followed Jules Ambrose who is a law student and Josh Chen who is studying to be a doctor. I really enjoyed this one and I ended up rating it 5 Stars. 

The second one that I read in December was You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle. This one has been recommended to me a lot and I finally got around to reading it. It's a romance book about a married couple who think that they have fallen out of love with each other and the book shows them coming back together and it's very good. I rated it 5 Stars. 

The third one that I read in December was Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison. This is a Christmas romance book that is set on a Christmas tree farm. Stella is trying to save the Christmas tree farm that she's loved since she was a kid and so she enters a contest hosted by an influencer on instagram in order to gain publicity and maybe win the cash prize. However, to make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on the application and claimed she owned it with her boyfriend. But she doesn't have a boyfriend and so she asks her best friend, Luka, to pretend to be her boyfriend. It's so cute and it ended up being one of my favorites of the year. I rated it 5 Stars. 

The fourth one that I read was Would You Rather by Allison Ashley. This is a friends to lovers romance about two best friends who get married so that she can keep her health insurance that she needs as she waits for a kidney transplant, and so she can pursue her dream and go back to school for it. This is such a cute book and I loved the friendship and romance between the two main characters. I rated it 5 Stars. 

The fifth one that I read was The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas. This is the third book of Aiden Thomas' that I have read and I loved this one a lot. This is pitched as Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games and is a Mexican inspired fantasy where ten selected teen demigods compete in a series of challenges  where the winner gets to carry light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol and the loser is sacrificed to fuel the Sun Stones to protect the people. These trials are called the Sunbearer trials and are held every ten years so that the Sun's power can be replenished and the world can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. I rated it 5 Stars. 

The sixth one that I read was The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. This is a romance book about an author duo who had a bad falling out several years ago while writing a book together. This book is about their journey back together and how they started writing together again. I thought it was a cute book but I didn't end up loving either of the main characters that much. I rated it 4 Stars. 

AUDIOBOOKS READ

The first audiobook that I listened to in December was These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. This was a reread for me and I loved it as much as I did the first time that I read it. The audiobook narration was amazing and I really liked experiencing the story in a new format. I rated this one 5 Stars. 

The second audiobook that I listened to in December was Book of Night by Holly Black. This is a book that has received extremely mixed reviews across many book platforms and I was hesitant to pick it up because of that. However, the audiobook is phenomenal. I really liked how the narrator made the story come to life and helped keep me engaged in the book. I rated it 5 Stars. 

The last audiobook that I listened to was The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber. This is the sequel to Once Upon a Broken Heart and it was such a fantastic sequel. I can't say too much since it would spoil the first book but I want the third book so bad after the ending. I rated it 5 Stars. 

ARC'S READ

The first ARC that I read was The Key To My Heart by Lia Louis. This is a romance book about a woman who's husband dies and how she's trying to find happiness two years later. I thought it was a cute quick read but nothing too special. I ended up rating it 3 Stars. 

The second ARC that I read was Kiss Her Once For Me by Allison Cochrun. This was a cute Christmas themed book about a woman named Ellie who fakes an engagement with the owner of the coffee shop that she works at so that he can get his recent inheritance and he promises she'll get a share of his inheritance to help her escape her financial woes. They make a plan to spend the holidays at his family cabin to keep up the ruse but what happens when she falls for his sister. I thought it was super cute and rated it 4 Stars. 

The third ARC that I read was To Get to the Other Side by Kelly Ohlert. This is about a woman named Trixie who rescues a chicken struggling to cross the road. Her current landlord doesn't allow pets and so when Trixie sees an ad with a spare room she applies. However, it was Bear's sisters who posted the ad to rent the spare room in his house, so when she responds he is confused. Despite this, he agrees to let her move in. This is a cute roommates to lovers romance and honestly I had such a good time. The chicken was also my favorite part. I rated it 5 Stars. 

The fourth ARC that I read was The Plus One by Mazey Eddings. This is the third book in the A Brush With Love series. I haven't read any of the previous books in this series but I thought this one was very cute. It's about Indira and Jude who are childhood enemies who grew up alongside each other due to Jude's friendship with Indira's brother, Collin. Now in present day, Indira is now a therapist and Jude is a surgeon and they both find themselves living at Collin's house leading up to his wedding. I loved the mental health representation that they had in this one and the relationship between Indira and Jude was very cute and healthy. I rated it 4 Stars. 

The last ARC that I read was A Cat Cafe Christmas by Codi Gary. I mainly picked this up because of the cat aspect but I was pleasantly surprised by the story. This is about Kara who is a veterinarian and owns a cat cafe, however, they are lacking customers and if she can't find some way to get more business, it won't last pas the holidays. Ben works in marketing and hatches a plan to help keep the cat cafe afloat and although Kara finds him extremely bossy, she decides she needs his help. This is such a cute book and the cats really make it so fun. I rated it 4 Stars. 

REVIEWS IN JUNE: 

NONE

WEEKLY WRAP-UP:

NONE

DISCUSSIONS/OTHER:

NONE

FAVORITE COVER OF THE MONTH:

NEW FICTIONAL MEN: 

Josh from Twisted Hate by Ana Huang 

Jacks from The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber 

Luka from Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

Noah from Would You Rather by Allison Ashley

Teo from The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

NEW FAVORITE FEMALES: 

Jules from Twisted Hate by Ana Huang 

Trixie from To Get to the Other Side by Kelly Ohlert 

Charlie from Book of Night by Holly Black

Evangeline from The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber 

Stella from Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

Mia from Would You Rather by Allison Ashley

NEW FAVORITE BOOK RELATIONSHIPS: 

Josh and Jules from Twisted Hate by Ana Huang 

Naomi and Nicholas from You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle 

Evangeline and Jacks from The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber 

Stella and Luka from Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

Noah and Mia from Would You Rather by Allison Ashley

TV SHOWS I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

NONE

WHAT BOOKS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

There's so many more but these are the main ones! 

NEW BLOG FINDS

NONE

SONGS ON REPEAT

Back to December - Taylor Swift 

Christmas Tree Farm - Taylor Swift 

About You - The 1975 

Paris - Taylor Swift 

Make Up Your Mind - Florence and the Machine 

Paint it Black - Ciara 

Would've, Could've, Should've - Taylor Swift 

Girl Like Me - Dove Cameron 

Secret - Joshua Bassett 

Haunted - Taylor Swift 

Hits Different - Taylor Swift

BOOKS I RECENTLY PURCHASED OR ADDED TO MY COLLECTION

I've gotten a lot because of Christmas so I will not be listing them all here. 

BOOKS I WANT TO READ NEXT MONTH

 

The graphics at the top belong to me. The background pictures for them, however do not. 

WINTER 2023 ANTICIPATED RELEASES

 There are so many interesting releases coming out in 2023. In this list, I have my Winter 2023 anticipated books (which includes the months of January and February). 

JANUARY

1. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black ~ January 3, 2022

The Stolen Heir is the first book in a spin-off series to The Cruel Prince trilogy and follows Oak who's Jude's younger brother and Suren, who was originally promised to Oak in marriage when they were younger. The Cruel Prince trilogy is one of my favorite series and I am very excited to dive into this one. 

2. A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith ~ January 3, 2023

A Ruinous Fate is a young adult fantasy book that follows a siphon named Calliope who feels like she's at constant odds with the hand she's been dealt. It's set in a world where a witch's fate is either promised or damned by a magical dice. This is one of my most anticipated releases of the entire year as I have heard so many good things from friends who have already gotten to read the book. I'm also friends with Kaylie on twitter and it's so cool to see someone's dreams of becoming a published author come true. 

3. Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo ~ January 10, 2023

Hell Bent is the sequel to Ninth House which is one of my favorite books. I am very excited to dive back into the world of this story and hopefully see more of a certain character (if you've read Ninth House then you know what I mean). 

4. City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer ~ January 10, 2023

City of Nightmares is about a girl who finds herself at the center of a criminal syndicate conspiracy in a city where people have the chance of physically and permanently transforming into their worst nightmare while they sleep. The world of the book is compared to Gotham and I have become even more intrigued with that comparison.  

5. Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson ~ January 17, 2023

This is a novella set after the events of Sorcery of Thorns and because of that, I am not going to give a synopsis. However, I am very excited to get back into this world as I loved Sorcery of Thorns and will read anything Margaret Rogerson writes. 

6. The Fraud Squad by Kyla Zhao ~ January 17, 2023

I am very selective when it comes to YA contemporaries but this is supposed to lean on the more adult side so I am optimistic. It's about a working class woman who infiltrates Singapore's high society in order to fulfill her dreams while she risks losing everything in the process. I love rich people drama books so I am intrigued. 

7. Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim ~ January 24, 2023

This is a book set in an Arabian inspired land with tea magic which just sounds so interesting. I am very excited to read this one as I love these types of fantasy books. 

8. Final Offer by Lauren Asher ~ January 31, 2023

This is the third book in Lauren Asher's Dreamland Billionares series that follows brothers who own a theme park. I've only read the first book in this series but I really enjoyed it so I'm looking forward to continuing the series. 

9. Jasper Vale by Devney Perry ~ January 31, 2023

This is book four in The Edens series and is a fake dating/marriage of convenience romance which is one of my favorite tropes in romance books. I love this whole series so I am very excited to read this one!

FEBUARY 

1. Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey ~ February 7, 2023

After It Happened One Summer, I will read anything Tessa Bailey writes. This is another grumpy and sunshine romance that also seems to have a sort of second chance romance aspect and I'm very excited.  

2. Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb ~ February 7, 2023

I know very little about this one except that it's said to be a dark fantasy with a murder mystery twist and the main character is a girl who's father was murdered at the hands of the military and she wants to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system and honestly that's all I need to know.  Also the cover definitely drew me in.

3. These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi ~ February 7, 2023

This is the sequel to This Woven Kingdom which was one of my favorite books that I read in 2022 and I am very excited to get to continue the series. This series is a fantasy series based on Persian folklore 

4. Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood ~ February 7, 2023

I don't know too much about this one but I really enjoyed Lauren Blackwood's previous book so I am excited to read this one. I know it's about a girl who works as a tour guide who uses her magic to protect travelers in a Jamaican jungle that is teeming with monsters. I don't know much else about it but it sounds good. 

5. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi ~ February 14, 2023

This is a gothic adult fantasy following a marriage that is unraveled by dark secrets and is compared to Mexican Gothic. I have loved almost everything from Roshani Chokshi and I am excited to read her adult debut. 

6. Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah ~ February 21, 2023

Where Darkness Blooms is a young adult horror about a town known for their endless field of sunflowers and missing women. What mostly drew me in was the cover but I also love the plot. I got an arc of this one and I am excited to read it. 

7. Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong ~ February 28, 2023

This is a bind up of several novellas in the These Violent Delights universe and I am very excited to get to read more from those characters. 

8. She Is A Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran ~ February 28, 2023

This follows a woman who is visiting her estranged father in Vietnam and has one goal: to survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house that her father is restoring. However, the house has other plans. This is a young adult gothic horror that is compared to Mexican Gothic and just sounds so creepy. 

MAY '22 WRAP-UP

  

Time for another wrap up!

Hello everyone! It's been quite awhile since I have done a wrap-up on this blog. 

I have been reading a lot lately and in May I read a total of 14 books. 

Time to talk about the books I read this month.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

 

The first physical book I read was Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson. This is the third book that I read of Margaret Rogerson's and I really enjoyed it. Vespertine is about Artemisia who works alongside nuns at a convent and when an army of possessed soldiers intrude upon her home, she is forced to use a saint's relic that allows a very powerful revenant to share her body and helps her to protect the monastery. However, she realizes that these soldiers aren't the only people possessed and the only hope for her world is her and the revenant in her own body. I ended up writing an entire review on this book and I rated it 4 stars. 

The second physical book I read was Twisted Games by Ana Huang. This is a bodyguard and princess romance book and it was such a fun time. I didn't really enjoy the first book in this series but I really enjoyed this one and rated it 5 stars.

The third physical book I read The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn. This is the second book in the Bridgerton series which follows Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sheffield. While I did enjoy this one, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would and I ended up rating it 3.5 stars. 

The fourth physical book I read was An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn. This is the third book in the Bridgerton series following Benedict Bridgerton. I loved this one. The main character of the book, Sophie, was so charismatic and I really enjoyed her relationship between her and Benedict. I rated this one 5 stars. 

The fifth and last physical book I read was The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. This was a reread for me that I read and I won't be saying too much since I've already read this one several times. I loved this one yet again and rated it 5 stars. 

AUDIOBOOKS READ

The only audiobook I listened to in May was Caraval by Stephanie Garber. This was a reread for me as I am trying to finally read Once Upon a Broken Heart and its' sequel. Caraval is the first book in a YA Fantasy series following a magical circus game and two sisters and it is so whimsical and magical and is one of my ultimate favorite books. I highly recommend it. I rated it 5 stars once again.

ARC'S READ

The first ARC I read was My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth. I haven't read a YA contemporary that I have enjoyed in quite some time so I was a little wary going into this one but I ended up loving it. This is about Bel who doesn't know what she wants to study in college and one day, quite by accident, a teacher sees that she has a talent for engineering. So, the teacher sends Bel to the robotics team, however, the boys all ignore her and the only other girl present on the team, shows her dislike for Bel from the beginning. Teo, the robots team captain, sees the talent in Bel and decides to help her out and their relationship was so cute. I adored this one. It was a cute contemporary romance but also tackled things such as the way women are treated in spaces traditionally dominated by men and the way women have to work extra hard in order to be heard and taken seriously in those spaces. It also addressed the struggle of choosing what one wants to do with their life which is something so many young people, myself included, face, both in high school and in college. I loved this one and I am so happy that I got to have an ARC. I rated it 4 stars. 

The second ARC I read was Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean. This is the sequel to Tokyo Ever After which was a favorite of mine last year. This is a spin on The Princess Diaries that follows Izumi who learns her father is the Crown Prince of Japan and she basically becomes a princess overnight. I don't want to spoil anything since this is the sequel but this one was just as cute as the first one and I highly recommend this duology to everyone. I rated it 5 stars. 

The third ARC I read was The Holloway Girls by Susan Bishop Crispell. I honestly thought this was a fantasy thriller when I requested it because of how the blurb worded things but this was more so a YA romance than anything else. I really liked the concept for this book where the Holloway girls get a year-long season where they can gift good luck to anyone they kiss, however, I think it was very slow-paced and wasn't executed all that well.  It was a little bit repetitive, though for a younger audience, that might be overlooked.  I ended up rating it 3 stars.

The fourth ARC I read was Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler. This was one of my most anticipated YA books of the year and I definitely had high hopes for this one, but I'd like to say that it delivered. I read this in two sittings and it was a really fun and lighthearted sapphic romance. I rated it 4.5 stars. 

The fifth ARC I read was How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder. This book is for sure going to make it onto a favorites of 2022 list for me. I went into this one expecting a cute romance with two Hollywood actors, however, what I got was a lot heavier. Don't get me wrong, the romance is still definitely at the center, but character development and growth was definitely at the forefront. This book tackles heavy-hitting topics such as grief and alcoholism and is definitely not simply a romance. This was such a good debut and I loved it and rated it 5 stars. 

The sixth ARC I read was Violins and Vampires by Cee Bee.  This was a novella which I liked the concept of but I didn't like the execution. It is a very short novella that left so many questions unanswered. I can definitely see the potential but a lot of it was vague and confusing and could have been better if it was longer. I rated it 2 stars.

The seventh ARC I read was The Warrior Midwife by E.P. Bali. This is the first book in a new fantasy romance adult series. It follows Princess Saraya who's father made a binding agreement with the fae king in order to protect his kingdom. The agreement was that Saraya must marry the crown fae prince and go live with him in his kingdom, never to return. However, things do not go as planned. This was so good. It easily could have copied plots by big authors who also write about fae, but it was so unique and different. I adored it and I am very excited for the next installment in the series. I rated it 5 stars. 

The eighth ARC I read was The Reunion by Elizabeth Drummond. This was such a surprise for me as I didn't expect to love this as much as I did. The Reunion is a romance book following two high school rivals who meet again ten years later and decide to enter into a marriage of convenience in order to solve their financial problems. It is so funny and cute and really uplifting

REVIEWS IN JUNE: 

NONE

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson 

WEEKLY WRAP-UP:

NONE

DISCUSSIONS/OTHER:

NONE

FAVORITE COVER OF THE MONTH:

NEW FICTIONAL BAE'S: 

Rhys from Twisted Games by Ana Huang 

Benedict from An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn 

NEW FAVORITE FEMALES: 

Artemisia from Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson 

Bridget from Twisted Games by Ana Huang 

NEW FAVORITE BOOK RELATIONSHIPS: 

Bridget and Rhys  from Twisted Games by Ana Huang 

Sophie and Benedict from An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn 

TV SHOWS I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

 

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

NONE

WHAT BOOKS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

There's so many more but these are the main ones! 

NEW BLOG FINDS

NONE

SONGS ON REPEAT

You Ruined Nirvana - Mckenna Grace

killer queen - Mad Tsai 

Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

About Damn Time - Lizzo 

This Love (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift

Supermodel - Maneskin 

Cate's Brother - Maisie Peters

Fulenn - Alvan & Ahez

Snap Out of It - Arctic Monkeys 

Mata Hari - Efendi

BOOKS I RECENTLY PURCHASED OR ADDED TO MY COLLECTION

BOOKS I WANT TO READ NEXT MONTH

The graphics at the top belong to me. The background pictures for them, however do not.

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson Book Review

 This is a spoiler free review.

Vespertine

Written by Margaret Rogerson

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date: October 5, 2021

Pages: 400
Source: Bought

Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 14 and up!

Summary:

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

(Summary from Goodreads)

Review:

Vespertine is the third book by Margaret Rogerson who earned a spot on my favorites list when I read An Enchantment of Ravens, her debut novel.

COVER

Every cover of Margaret Rogerson's so beautifully convey the lyrical writing and the very essence of the story and what it is about.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world and magic system took a little bit of time to learn and get used to but I loved all of it. Learning the different castes and how the hierarchy of spirits worked (including their powers) was so interesting and done in a way that never left me bored. Rogerson was able to describe both the politics of the world, as well as the magic system in the prose in a way that was understandable and not info-dumping. In all of her previous books, she absolutely excels at world-building and it is very clear in this one as well.

Then there are the characters.

ARTEMISIA

Artemisia is a young woman who lives with the Gray Sisters, nuns who are devoted to the goddess named the Gray Lady. She posesses the sight which is the ability to see numerous different kinds of undead spirits. Although Artemisia could have easily fell into so many YA cliches, since she is a bit of a grump and wants to be alone, she didn't. Artemisia is closed off and reserved but doesn't fall into the "not like other girls" trope. She doesn't think she's special because of her powers or her task at hand. Artemisia also closely resembles many actual medieval holy women/saints such as Joan of Arc, and she frequently denies being a saint as she's scared of how other people will view her.

THE REVENANT

The revenant who was possessing Artemisia, was one of my favorite parts of the book. The revenant was very sassy and the banter between it and Artemisia was very entertaining and enjoyable. The revenant also had a hidden side, much like Artemisia, and that was revealed over the course of the book.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

The relationship between Artemisia and the revenant was the most important one shown over the course of the novel. Over the course of the book they develop a friendship and trust in one another and learn to respect each other's boundaries.

PLOT

Vespertine follows Artemisia who is a Grey Sister, who works alongside nuns at a convent. When she was a child she was forced to use extreme measures in order to purge a revenant who was possessing her causing her to have scarred hands and because of this past, she mostly keeps to herself. However, when an army of possessed soldiers intrude upon her home, she is forced to use a saint's relic that allows a very powerful revenant to share her body, and helps her to protect the monastery. However, she realizes that these soldiers aren't the only people possessed and the only hope for her world is her and the revenant in her own body. I loved how Margaret Rogerson incorporated research about medieval women saints and nuns and took matters of religion and Artemisia's own concerns and doubts very seriously. The plot was so unpredictable and unique and quite unlike anything I've read in the YA fantasy genre lately.

ROMANCE

There is no romance in this book.

WRITING

Margaret Rogerson's writing is always beautiful. Her prose is gorgeous but isn't confusing or pretentious and is understandable to YA audiences. It gives the writing and the book an overall Gothic feel to it which makes it more immersive and intriguing.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Vespertine was such a beautiful book full of complex characters, beautiful writing and an intriguing storyline. I highly recommend this one for so many reasons.

Quotes from the Book:

“Sometimes, if you want to save other people, you need to remember to save yourself first.”

“They would martyr me themselves just to satisfy their hunger for a saint.”

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Crowns