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Misc.

23 Books in 2023

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Salutations Chapterlings! It’s been a hot minute since we’ve sat down with one another, hasn’t it? I hope you’re doing well, staying hydrated and reading all of the books. Today I’m posting something I’ve never posted on my blog before. I know I said I wasn’t trying to pressure myself with reading or really make tbrs anymore because quite frankly, it really messes with my mood reading. However, this post is kind of an ‘in general’ year tbr post, in a way. Basically, books that I am and will be reading for the year of 2023. Some of these books I may have already read, some may be anticipated releases, and some may be arcs (or long overdue arc reviews) or recommendations from friends. Whatever the case may be, I wanted to share all of these books with you.

Without any further shenanigans and rambles, my 23 books I want to read in 2023!

✨ Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier ★★★★

This was an arc that I received back at the start of 2023 and has been on my anticipated 2023 releases list. I recently just finished this book and posted a review. While I won’t give any spoiler, I had a really fun time with this book and enjoyed many things about this book. Plus, if you love quotes like I do, so many quotes! There are so many!

✨ White Horse by Erika T. Wurth ★★★

I said at the very beginning of 2023, I was going to read this book, this year and I accomplished that! This book is unapologetically Native/Indigenous and a love letter to all urban and disconnected/reconnecting Natives out there. While there were things outside of the amazing themes of this book that hindered my reading experience, I love this book with my whole chest and encourage others to give it a chance.

✨ Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

This is an arc I’ve recently received and a book I plan on picking up very soon! This is a middle grade novel that follows a transgender main character who’s grieving and coming to terms with the loss of his best friend. In the midst of all of this, our main character, Noah starts writing letters to Mothman, in hopes that Mothman understands him and sets out to search for Mothman. If you’re new here, hi hello, I love monsters and cryptids. But also the cover is stunning and the synopsis has me very excited to pick this book up as soon as possible!

✨ Nanny for the Neighbors by Lily Gold

Now this book, I think I just hit the halfway mark within the pages. Yup, you guessed it, this is my current read! So my thoughts so far, I’m having fun! There are some difficult conversations that happen around the foster system and how it impacts children, what it means to be a new parent out of the blue, but there’s also steamy times and the real reason I picked it up is for the polyamorous representation. I’ve been trying to pick up more books that have polyam rep in them. So this hit my radar end of 2022, beginning of 2023. I’m excited to see where this book goes and if you love multiple povs, we get all four povs in this book!

✨ The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores

While I need to update my GoodReads review, this is an arc that I need to get to soon! I have talked about this book in my 5 Star Predictions 2023 edition. All I know is the cover is stunning, the synopsis is intriguing, this is a Rapunzel retelling, and that’s all I want to know. I will hopefully be picking this up, hopefully sometime this month or in April, but I’m really excited for!

✨ Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree ★★★★★

This is on my backlog of reviews I need to write, but oh my goodness did I love this book with my whole chest! This was also on my 5 Star Predictions 2023 edition and this book didn’t disappoint. I was so immersed with the world and the characters. It made me miss D&D so freaking much. If you haven’t given this book a chance, it’s worth it. Plus, the second book was just announced!

✨A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

Am I ever going to stop talking about this book? NOPE! Again, this is another 5 Star Prediction for 2023 and one of my most anticipated books I really want to read before this year ends. Darcie Little Badger is the first Apache author I have come across since entering the book community. I can’t begin to express how excited I am for this book and how much I know I’m going to fall in love with this book the same way I did with Elatsoe.

✨Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin

Last year I absolutely devoured Wild Is The Witch while I was one vacation. I read it all in one day because I was so captivated by Griffin’s writing, the characters she wrote, and the world she built. When this book was announced, I rushed to preorder my copy and slam it onto my anticipated releases for 2023. This is not only a 5 star prediction read for me, but I’m just going to throw it out there now, it’ll probably be one of my top books of 2023, as well.

✨Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

In 2023, I’m really trying to highlight more Native/Indigenous literature. And 2023 has some amazing books coming out by Native/Indigenous authors. This is one of those books! I’m so excited for this release. It’s releasing in my birth month and it’s my only read I actually have planned for the month of May. This is in my most anticipated releases for 2023 and I just know I’m going to love this book with my whole chest. Plus, the cover. Have you seen the cover?! STUNNING!

✨House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

One of my most anticipated releases of 2023 is this book right here! I have been waiting, wondering if House of Salt and Sorrows was going to have a sequel and now we have our answer! I’m so excited for this release and the cover is beautiful. I haven’t read the synopsis, I want to go in knowing as little as possible, but this is the second book in the Sisters of Salt series. I haven’t seen on if this is just going to be a duology or a full series yet, but I’m really excited!

✨ Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

Keeping on the theme of Native/Indigenous literature, we have Bad Cree! I do have an arc copy of this book, but I also had to wait for my preorder to arrive. I ended up ordering the UK paperback cover and all I have to say is it’s gorgeous! I’ve been feeling my horror, thriller, and mystery books lately sop this book is right up my alley!

✨Tentacles & Triathlons by Ashley Bennett

Look, it’ll happen! Honestly, I had planned to read this in February, but life has a been a little bit of a whirlwind. I’m hoping to pick this up this month, hopefully. Either way, I loved Muscles & Monsters and I know I’ll love this one just as much!

✨ Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the cover of this book? Truly, it stole my breath the moment I first saw it. If I’m really being honest, I know nothing about this book except I’m intrigued and excited about it!

✨ The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill ★★★★★

This has become my favorite graphic novel of 2023! K. O’Neill does it again by hitting the ball right out of the park! The artwork is absolutely breathtaking, the story itself is so moving, and even though I’ve finished this book, I’m still thinking about it. If you haven’t ordered this book and read it yet, you need to! I’m so glad I read it and as usual, I’m looking forward to the next book for O’Neill to release!

✨Hollow by Shannon Watters

You would think with how much I love spooky things, the Fall/Halloween season, adore Sleepy Hollow, that I would have read this graphic novel by now and put a review out for it long ago. NOPE! I’m very behind in my arc reviews, my backlog for reviews is kind of wild at the moment, and my mood reading has been taking me on a roller coaster ride. So this in pretty high up on my priority list!

✨City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Well… I guess I’m a Schwab stan now?! Honestly, when Gallant took me by storm and then The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue completely gutted me, on my knees ugly crying, not long afterwards – I knew there was no going back for me. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with Schwab’s work the way I have. Truly, I thought I wasn’t going to connect with them, I thought her books were going to be added to my ‘books that were overhyped and didn’t live up to it’ list. I was very skeptical and so sure I wasn’t going to vibe with either of those books. I don’t know what magic happened, but the absolutely blessings! Now I want to read everything by Schwab and City of Ghosts is up next on my list!

✨ Broken Bonds by J. Bree

I’m back on my series kick with a new project in the works! I read a chapter sampler for Broken Bonds and it captivated me so much so that I lost all control, bought the whole series in paperback! Yup, that happened. So this is happening, I don’t know when, but it is.

✨ Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

I’m not going to lie, I’ve been nervous on picking this book up. I’ve been hearing a lot of mixed things through the grape vine and now I’m nervous that I overhyped myself up about this book. I really, really want to love this book even more so because it’s one of my most anticipated books of 2023. Wish me luck because I’m scared!

✨ The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshni Chokshi

This is another book that I’m a bit nervous about. I’ve been hearing a lot of mixed things through the grape vine and now I’m nervous to pick this book up. I’m still excited about it, but I do wonder if I overhyped the book up. I do have an audiobook and a physical version of this book. If you’ve read this book or listened to the audio, please let me know your thoughts on which you prefer more!

✨ Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For edited by Zoraida Córdova

I want more anthologies! Plain and simple! Back in the beginning of 2022, I read Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space and had a blast reading it! This year, I want more anthologies because I miss them. So when this anthology was announced and I got wind that Darcie Little Badger is one the authors, I started researching anything I could find on this book. There are so many incredible authors lined up for this anthology and I have a mighty need to read this book immediately!

✨ Sisters of the Lost Nation by Medina

Not just more Native/Indigenous literature, but also more horror, thriller mystery genre goodness! I’m very excited about this book to release. Honestly, I have no idea what to expect. I have some thoughts, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself in case I end up spoiling it. Just know, I really want to read this especially for the fall! It seems like the perfect fall/winter read!

✨Not So Much Appreciated by Clio Evans ★★★★★

I was so excited for this release and it’s no surprise I ate it up! Honestly, I enjoyed the series as a whole. You can find my full series review HERE. This book was such a bittersweet way to conclude this series, but it has me excited for the future. I’ll be keeping my eyes opened for more books from Clio Evans in the future!

✨ Fox Snare by Yoon Ha Lee

Finally! FINALLY! The cover for this book was announced back in January and I have been grasping at straws for any inch of information I can get about this book. I have fallen in love with this series and I’ve been trying to keep up with it as much as possible. Last year, I was blessed to have received an arc of Tiger Honor and adored it! I think I’m going to absolutely love Fox Snare, but sadly this book won’t be out till Fall 2023. So we have a bit of a wait before we can dive back into this world!

We have finally made it to the end, friends! We did it! I don’t know why I thought this was going to be a short list, but I really love the way this post turned out. I’m really excited for what this year has in-store, reading wise. If you’re planning on reading 23 books in the year of 2023, what are some titles you plan on reading? Are you anticipating the release of any of these titles? Come chat about it in the comments below! Until next time friends, I hope your reading plans are going well, you’re staying hydrated, and as always, I love you! ♥

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ARC Reviews

Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier

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This post contains affiliate links; if you use these links to make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thanks for reading!

ARC was given by NetGalley & Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (June 27, 2023)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Loss of a loved one, grief, depictions of anxiety, brief mentions of dead animals, depictions of claustrophobia, abduction, death, murder, depictions of blood, scene of suicidal ideation, scene of forced drugging/sedation, manipulation, scenes of emesis, mentions of starvation (in the past), talk of cannibalism (in the past), graphic deaths recounted, scene of drowning

“The wind whispers, sending chills down my spine. It almost seems to call my name. Silkily, a caress against the back of my neck. Starling.”

This was such a captivating read! Wow, friends. Truly, my curiosity was running wild with this book. I won’t lie, there were a few moments where I thought this might not live up to my expectations or I should, my high hopes for loving this book. After finishing this book, I can happily say that this was such a great read, perfect for the wintery season to give you some light goosebumps or tingles. And you can rest assured, I’m looking forward to what this author will have instore for us next!

Kit Starling is grieving the loss of her father, a huge inspiration to her and why she wants to become an author. When Kit finds out that she has a grandmother, after all this time, she and her mother set out to Rosemont. Filled with many questions of why her father lied and now even more secrets seem to be spilling out before her, on top of her mother missing Kit has more questions than ever. Something isn’t right in Rosemont, something much darker and it’s all linked back to her family, the Starlings.

“What they had was imprinted on us forever. It will never die,” Agatha said. It will die, I silently vow. I’m going to be the one to kill it.”

I was a bit nervous, I won’t lie. Books surrounding mother-daughter relationships just haven’t been my cup of tea as of late. I have struggled with the dynamic for a while now and officially decided to bench it. So when I learned this have a very close-knit mother-daughter bond, I was a bit hesitant. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this dynamic. Despite my worries, I really enjoyed the bond Kit and her mother have. In their grief, it seemed to solidify their relationship and the way Kit’s mother is written, it’s very obvious how much she loves Kit and how devoted she is to her. I just really loved it and even Kit being fully determined to find her mother was really nice to see. I just really loved the both of them and their bond they share with one another.

Speaking of Kit, I was a little worried with Kit’s character, as well. There were moments where Kit almost came off as extremely oblivious and almost like she couldn’t put the bigger picture together, but despite that, I loved that her love for her mother was the fire that caused her to keep pushing forward, to seek out the answers she needed, and to ultimately put the bigger picture together. I was very pleasantly surprised by that. I appreciate the author made sure to not box Kit’s character into a particular hero role. Throughout this whole book, Kit truly just craves family and we see moments where she’s crumbling to pieces, but also finding family in places where she didn’t think she could have it. I really adored that. And I have to mention Kit is either bisexual or pansexual. There are two characters in this book that Kit is attracted to and let me just say, I love a good F/F romance where one of them is a monster girl. That’s all I’ll say.

“She tastes like salt and sugar and darkness, and the promise of light just barely beneath it. I shouldn’t want to kiss her this much. But I do it anyway.”

Okay, that’s not all I’ll say. Let’s talk about about ‘Sabelle because I truly, with my whole chest, need fan art of this character. I fell madly in love with ‘Sabelle’s character. Now, I might be a little bias because I love anything with monsters, but her character really hit my intrigue when we get her first appearance. Truly, one of the best entrances for a character I’ve ever seen. ‘Sabelle’s whole personality reminds me of the wind, how it’s very light, but ever changing depending on seasons and weather. Honestly, I’m a little salty that it took a hot minute for her to come back into the storyline and I wish she would have been brough back sooner, but I still love her character and the scenes we do get were chef’s kiss.

Though there were many things I loved about this book and so, so many quotes, there were a few things that really held me back from fully loving it the way I hoped I would. While this is a subtle thing, it still irked me and there were a few scenes where Kit’s weight was brought up. Now, if it was to show the passage of time then I probably wouldn’t have an issue with it, but that wasn’t the case. There was a huge emphasis of how thin Kit was and it didn’t really serve any purpose. It was just a little annoying and felt like it took away from the story at times. I think my biggest issue with this book was that it became very predictable of the direction the book was going to go. Two of the big plot twists, I predicted right around the 40% mark and that kind of hindered my enjoyment once they were both confirmed. Though I will say, despite predicting those plot twists, the ending still surprised me and saved the book for me.

“So I’ll say, when you get a chance run. And never look back. Or maybe just fight, like I’m not brave enough to do.”

Overall, I’m trying so hard not to say too much. I genuinely believe the best way to go into this book is to go in not knowing a lot about it. I think if I would have know more about this book than I did, I don’t think I would love it the way I do. This was a really fun read though. I went into this book expecting mystery, maybe a little romance, and that’s exactly what I got, with some added bonuses. I loved the cover, I have so many quotes highlighted, and the important side characters like Beth and Miles just have my whole heart. If the cover of this book doesn’t entice you, let me just recommend that you give it a chance because it truly deserves it.

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

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Mini Reviews | WITSEC Series by Ashley N. Rostek

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Salutations everyone! I have another series mini review post for you! If you didn’t know, I’ve been doing series reviews for a hot second here on my blog and today, I get to bring the WITSEC series to the table. Book two and three are going to be short, and vague. Due to this being a series review and the fact that each book, except book one, picks up where the previous book before it left off. This is a dark contemporary romance series that comes with a lot of content/trigger warnings. So before we dive into the reviews or you dive into the books themselves, please make sure you’re in a good head space when you pick this series up. All content/trigger warnings I found in these books will be listed at the top of each review.

➸ Find Me (WITSEC #1) by Ashley N. Rostek

Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, depictions of blood, death/murder recounted, loss of loved ones, grief, PTSD/trauma, graphic night terrors and flashbacks, underage drinking/alcoholism, smoking, bullying, depictions of panic & anxiety attacks, scenes of emesis, stalking, slut shaming, sexual assault, rape, scene of drugging, scene with a spider

Let me be frank, this was a lot, but oh, I was hooked and I couldn’t set this book down. I was completely sucked in and I ended up reading the next two books in the series, immediately after! There’s so much to unpack with this book, but I just want to say that please, please look at content and trigger warnings for this book and series as a whole. This won’t be a series for everyone because of all the content/trigger warnings and I just want to emphasize being in a good head space when picking this book, and series, up!

Shiloh has just relocated to Arizona, where she’s about to start life all over again. Picking up the pieces from a dark past, Shiloh wants to start anew, to live a normal life and finally graduate high school, to do as much as possible with this second chance at life. However, this is easier said than done. When Shiloh’s night terrors begin to impact her neighbors, soon the four handsome brothers begin crawling their way into Shiloh’s life and little does she know that the loneliness that’s eating away at her will slowly start to edge away.

I absolutely loved Shiloh’s character. I can’t begin to express what it truly means to read about a character who has PTSD/trauma and it be so accurately done, to see the portrayal be handled so beautifully. To read about a character who has gone through so much, survived so much, and to watch that character keep fighting just fills my heart with so many emotions and makes my heart melt into a puddle. That aside, Shiloh felt like such a realistic character. Shiloh constantly internally battles herself and we really get to see the highs and lows of the good and bad moments. I just have a lot of appreciation for Shiloh and the author creating this character. It means so much, more than words can describe.

Being introduced to the brothers was a whole entire experience in itself. Even though this is the first book, less than three-hundred pages, you still get a good feeling for the brothers. We’re introduced to the Stone twins first, Colt and Creed. Colt has a very golden retriever personality about him while Creed is very aloof, both brothers go to the same high school as Shiloh. We then meet Keelan next who is the second oldest Stone brother. Keelan is covered in tattoos, charming and friendly, and personally my favorite brother. Then lastly we have Knox. Knox is the oldest Stone brother, the most reserved and closed off brother, who carries the weight of everything on his shoulders. And he just so happens to be my second favorite brother of the bunch. Each brother has their own personality, but we see more of the twins than anything in the first book.

“You’re an asshole and your sexy muscles can go to hell.”

Now, here’s where we get to the good stuff. The spicy, the steamy, the smexy… nonexistent. Yup, you read that right, nonexistent. This isn’t a bad thing, though! This is a quartet series and like with many series tend to do, the first book is setting things up for the books to follow. Providing the back story, giving us those juicy details to questions we have, all that jazz. That’s probably one of the reason I loved this so much. I’m a sucker for writing bringing in details and it helps paint a bigger picture so you have a better idea of characters, situations, etc… So if you’re planning on picking this book up for sexy times, just know there’s no spice, only kissing.

Overall, this was such a fun start to a reverse harem, dark romance book! I truly don’t want to go into too many details because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. However, I’m fully, with my whole dang chest, invested in this series, the romance, the stalker subplot, literally everything. I’m here for it. Again, if you’ve been thinking about picking this series up, please check out the content ad trigger warnings because there are a lot of detailed scenes of PTSD/trauma in this book. If you’re someone like me who does deal with PTSD, a lot of those scenes may be triggering and I just really want to emphasize being in the right headspace for this series.

➸ Save Me (WITSEC #2) by Ashley N. Rostek

✨ Find Me ★★★★★

Content/Trigger Warnings: PTSD/trauma, graphic night terrors and flashbacks, depictions of blood, death/murder recounted, loss of loved ones, grief, scenes of drugging, violence, scenes of assault, gun violence, police brutality, attempted abductions, sexual content

Honestly, this was a fun time! I absolutely flew through my time reading this book and couldn’t stop thinking about what was going to happen next. With the first book setting the bar pretty high, I can confidently say that I still had a good time despite a few issues. I do want to say, this review will be on the shorter side of things as this book picks up where book one ended.

As I mentioned, this book picks up where book one ended. If you haven’t read the first book then you need to do that. No worries, this is a spoiler free zone. Getting past that part, we watch as Shiloh continues to build her relationships with the Stone brothers. If you’re a lover of the Stone twins, this is the book for you. There’s a huge heavy focus on the Stone twins in this book and we get to see Shiloh building deeper bonds, and connections with them. We do get brief moments with Keelan and Know, but they’re not given as big of parts in this book.

If you were hoping for spicy, steamy times then yes, we get some juicy scenes in the book. Yes, it’s more than kissing though there’s still a lot of kissing involved. Consent is heavily emphasized in this book and the Stone brothers (mainly the twins) checking with Shiloh on what she wants. I have a huge appreciation when consent is done well and really emphasized throughout a book and I just wanted to highlight that. The spicy scenes were great, not my cup of tea just due to the fact that I’m not the biggest fan of the twins. They were still enjoyable though.

There’s also a lot more exploration of Shiloh’s PTSD and trauma in this book, the way she manages and copes with it. We still get moment where we’re thrown in Shiloh’s past and there’s a few discussions involving how Shiloh has been handling all of that trauma. I don’t want to spoil too much in this department as I think it can be a bit spoiler-ish, but I appreciated a lot of things that were surrounding this as a whole.

“I was terrified at the time. But there are different levels of terror. Ones that will leave scars on your soul forever and completely break your sanity. As you try to move on, you’ll find yourself in a constant state of hating the idea of tomorrow, yet hoping you’re strong enough to see it.”

While there were many things I enjoyed about this book, I had a really big issue with this book and it was all the unnecessary drama that was added. Usually, I don’t mind when there’s a few subplots, however, I don’t like when minor subplots start taking over the main storyline and pushing aside the already established one. The whole stalker subplot basically takes to the back burner as a whole new subplot begins to take place. It completely took the focus away from the whole Mr. X thing and it just felt so unnecessary to be added in.

Overall, I still enjoyed this book despite the things I wasn’t loving. I still found myself breezing through this book the way I did the first one. I’m still invested in the series and again, I picked up the next book immediately just to know what was going to happen next. I do emphasize looking at content/trigger warnings in advance before starting this series or this book, just so you know what you’re in for.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Attempted abductions, multiple scenes of assault, harassment, violence, depictions of panic and anxiety attacks, PTSD/trauma, trauma recounted, graphic night terrors and flashbacks, loss of loved ones recounted, grief, underage drinking, police brutality, manipulation, sexual content, potential scene of rape/sexual assault

✨ Find Me ★★★★★
✨ Save Me ★★★★

Oh boy, this… this was not it friends. Okay, I still enjoyed this book, but I had so many issues with this book. I’m definitely in the minority on this, so take my review with a grain of salt, but all I can really is say is wow. This is book three in this quartet and so far out of all the books, this feels like the weakest book. As with Save Me, this is going to be a short review just to avoid any spoilers as book three does pick up right where book two’s cliff hanger ended.

Honestly, I don’t know where to begin with this review. In this book, Ethan and Isabelle are such forces and shine so brightly. I’ve loved Ethan and Isabelle from the very beginning. I think they’re wonderful characters who really stand by their friends and don’t let anything sway them one way or another. Isabelle really shined the most for me and it was so nice to see Shiloh connect genuinely with another female character outside of all the drama plot that was happening. It just made my heart a little warm and fuzzy to see how close they had grown, and to be able to say it felt like a realistic, natural friendship build-up.

We also get a lot more steamy moments in this book. Whew, yes we do! There’s a fantastic scene with Keelan, Knox, and Shiloh during a Halloween party. Oh my glob, it was delicious! Not a fan of Shiloh’s costume, but it was a really good scene for me. Of course, there are plenty of spicy scenes with the twins and we even get a scene with Shiloh and Keelan together. If you’re here for the steamy, spicy goodness then you’re going to enjoy the daylights out of this book.

“His lips moved over mine in such a devouring and needy way that my resolve finally snapped. My hands slid over his shoulders and I pressed closer to him. I reciprocated his kiss with equal neediness and the eagerness to be devoured.”

Despite these few good things, it was really hard to look past all the things that negatively impacted my reading experience with this book. Again, I want to restate that this is the third book in this quartet. My biggest issue with this book is the fact that we’re supposed to believe our main character, Shiloh, is in a relationship with all four of the Stone brothers. However, I’m not convinced and nothing bothers me more than when authors decide to take on polyamorous relationships or reverse harem relationships and then can’t bring a balance to the whole thing. There’s a huge imbalance in the relationships between Shiloh and the Stone brothers. If you love the twins, guess what, it’s your lucky day because they are so heavily focused in almost every aspect, sexual or otherwise, that I ended up really coming to despise the twins. Before I was indifferent and appreciated the way the connections were building, was even starting to enjoy the twins, but now that we’re in book three and Keelan and Knox still haven’t gotten enough page time with Shiloh, I could careless about the twins. This book had the chance to really solidify Shiloh’s connection and desire with Knox and Keelan, and it just wasn’t believable despite the spicy scenes we’re given because the twins are just so heavily focused.

My other issue is a little spoilery, but I wanted to add this in here because I just don’t have enough details to know if this should be labeled as a content/trigger warning. I still wanted to mention this scene because it unnerved me not knowing one way or the other and I feel it’s important to address it. There’s a scene of a potential home invasion, where Shiloh is really exhausted and a tall figure enters her bedroom, and Shiloh is so disoriented that she genuinely doesn’t know if it’s Knox or an intruder. That’s a whole scene that didn’t sit well with me and I wasn’t a fan of it. I just wanted to throw that in here as a warning because it may be triggering for some readers.

And of course, my other issue is the fact that this is the third book and the author waited until the very end of the book to bring back the Mr. X subplot. So, for the second book and the majority of this book (a whole 85-90%), we spend time in an entirely different subplot than the Mr. X stalker subplot. I can’t speak for other readers, but personally, I’m not a fan of being pulled away from an already pre-established subplot for a new one filled with unnecessary drama that didn’t need to be added in. It just wasn’t my cup of tea, personally.

Overall, I had high hopes for this book and this book just didn’t deliver the way I hoped to. And honestly, I don’t know if I even want to finish the series because of how this book as a whole left me feeling. I mean, yes, I enjoyed some aspects of this book, but now I’m nervous on whether or not the final book is going to be worth the read. Again, I’m definitely in the minority on this one. So please take my review with a grain of salt, but as always, I do hope you look over my content/trigger warnings for this book if you need them and to be in a good headspace when reading this series as a whole.

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Misc.

2023 Reading Goals & Reflecting On 2022

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It’s that time once again! For… GOALS & REFLECTION!

Salutations Chapterlings! How has the new year been treating you far? Are you remembering to stay hydrated and to take breaks? I hope so, you’re worthy and deserve some self-love! Today friends, we’re talking about a post that I’ve recently started doing on my blog more recently. Yes, I’m talking about those past year reflections and the new year goals! This year I’m going to keep things more related to books because I’ve actually been doing a lot better with my more personal goals and don’t feel the need to have them listed this year. So if you enjoy reflecting and goal setting, pull up a chair with me, get cozy with a cup of hot cider, and lets get into it!

Please note: If you’d like to skip the 2022 Reflections, scroll on down to the 2023 Book/Reading Goals!

2022 Book/Reading Reflections

At the beginning of 2022, I set so many goals, book wise and content creation wise. Out of all five of those goals, I have actually completed at two of them! Those two being tbr related and arc related. Despite the chaos of 2022, throwing me for loops, I was able to still make tbrs. Though I didn’t always post about my tbrs, here on my blog or on Insta, I was still making sticky note tbr lists. These tbr lists were kept short (all of them except my November 2022 tbr which did make it onto the blog & Insta). I love making tbrs and that was something I really focused on because I really love making a tbr, deciding on the books to read, planning buddy reads, etc… And in 2022, I was really trying to surround myself with things that I love, enjoy, and what bring me happiness. So tbrs was a big success!

The other goal I managed to accomplish was choosing arcs more carefully! Honestly, I was surprised I was able to manage this. Out of all the goals I had set in 2022, this was the one I thought I’d never be able to succeed. I always get so excited about books and the opportunity to read new books, the possibility of discovering new authors, etc… However, I somehow managed it! I have only been requesting arcs for books that I’m really excited about like anticipated releases, books I was planning to buddy read with friends, or books that really spoke to my current reading preferences. This is excluding Native/Indigenous literature I was being reached out to for reviewing. I exclude this for two reasons: One, a lot of those books were final copies and final copies don’t fall in the ‘arc’ category & Two, I am automatically accepting anything that is Native/Indigenous literature or by Native/Indigenous authors. So those are the reasons why Native/Indigenous literature is excluded from being factored into accomplishing this goal. That aside, I managed to only requests about ten to fifteen arcs this year, in total. Now realistically, I probably requested closer to twenty books, but some of my requests were rejected. So those books aren’t counted due to not actually landing in my e-arc library. So I’m really proud of myself! Before I usually requested anything the intrigued me and now I’m more selective and picky about what I’m requesting.

Even though I only managed to achieve two out of my five goals, I’m really proud being able to achieve them. 2022 had a lot of stuff going on which I feel like ever since 2020, that’s just my new normal. But in 2022 I really tried to prioritize my book stuff and I really tried to focused on those goals of mine. For 2023, I really really want to focus those goals and hopefully this time in 2024, I’ll be able to say I did even better!

2023 Book/Reading Goals

We made it! Yes, we made it to the most exciting part of this post, goal setting! This section is going to be a slight combination with some content creation stuff sprinkled in with the reading goals. I want to make these goals realistic and achievable for 2023 and I want to be a little gentler with myself, not add so much pressure to the things I want to do. Granted, this is easier said than done, but either way, I’m really excited about these goals!

➸ If It Doesn’t Make You Feel Good, DNF It!

I have a terrible, terrible habit of forcing myself to finish books for the review, even if it throws me into a reading slump, gives me severe burnout, or physically makes me sick or upset. I did this with Ninth House, Mexican Gothic, and most recently, A Taste of Gold and Iron and The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. While these are great examples for books that fall on the middle line for me (two/three star ratings, loved some things & disliked some things), these are all books I should have dnf’d, moved onto something else, and instead of doing that I did what I typically do when in this situation… forcing myself to push through it. *insert cricket noises here* Yeah, yeah… If you’re making a face or saying ‘I have so many questions’ then yes, this is not good or healthy behavior. Reading is supposed to be fun and enjoyable, not something you force yourself to do or push yourself with. So going into 2023, I want to be better about books that I’m reading. While I don’t mind having books that are three stars or lower (it happens, not every read can be five stars), I want to do better and stop reading the book if I’m not having fun or start feeling exhausted with that book. 2023 is the year of DNFing is in charge, TBRS BEWARE!

➸ Smaller TBRs

If my November 2022 TBR taught me anything, it’s that I still go too hard with my tbrs. If you’re like me who gets excited about books or the books you’re going to read each month, one of two things will happen to you. One, you get so excited about all the books, new releases and books from the previous year, you want to pile all the titles your most excited for on that monthly tbr. And Two, you get so excited by all of the books in your library, on your tbr cart, in your e-arc library that you get overwhelmed, then put a bunch of titles on your tbrs without seeing if they’re titles you really want to get to, and then you don’t read any of them because you’re overwhelmed, and you wanted to read another title instead. I know the feeling all too well. So this year I want to make my tbrs smaller so they’re more manageable, more achievable, and more enjoyable. More enjoyable, less pressure to read EVERYTHING!

➸ TBR Jar/Wheel Time!

With prepping to move, I want to work through as many of the books in my library I haven’t had the chance to get to in 2022. While I was hitting a nice chunk, I want to continue to keep this up going into the new year. This will allow me to work through my library, it’ll help with weeding out books to keep or potentially get rid of to make room for the future. Originally, I did have a tbr mug at one point, but that mug ended up shattering and since then I haven’t replaced it. I haven’t decided if I’ll get a tbr jar or use a new mug, or maybe this time I’ll try to find a wheel/randomizer, but whatever decide, it’ll be dedicated to helping me work through physical books.

➸ Bullet Journaling

This is all new territory for me. While I’ve been someone who has journaled throughout my life, the only time I use a notebook or notepad is when taking reading notes for current reads. However, this year I want to try my hand at bullet journaling for reading. I think this will be a fun, creative way to track tbrs, reading progress, and even be good for aiding with mental health. I am excited that at the time of typing this, I have a journal and new markers (House of Earth and Blood notes wrecked three of my markers) are on their way. I’ve even started looking into washi tape and already been thinking about layouts for January. Either way, this is something I really want to give a chance to and see how it goes!

And those are all my goals for 2023! I know it wasn’t a lot of goals. I think this year’s goals might be slightly shorter than last year’s, but either way I’m excited for them. One of the things I’m trying to do better in 2023 is to not overwhelm myself or make things feel unachievable. So going with goals that cater towards that goal feel really good. Have you set any goals for the new year or tried any of these above? Let’s chat about it in the comments below! Until next time, I’m wishing you all a lovely day! 💚

✨ Yearly Goals: 2020| 2022

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Misc.

5 Star Predictions 2023

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Salutations everyone! I hope you’ve been kicking the new year off with some amazing books and if not, that’s okay and valid, too! Today, I’m bringing back the 5 star prediction post. I feel like I do one of these every year, but it usually gets post in the middle of the year. I’ll be honest, this is a bit of solid tbr for the whole year and why I wanted to post this now while the new year is freshly starting. Of course, I’ll be reading other books this year. I mean, there’s so many amazing books that are slotted to come out in 2023 and as usual, I’m trying to play catch up with books from 2022. With all of that being said, all of the books listed here are ones that I’m really excited about and ones that I think I’m going to absolutely fall in love with. Truly, truly, I believe 2023 with be a year of amazing reads that I just end up adoring!

➼ A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
November 23, 2021 by Levine Querido

✨ Elatsoe ★★★★★

This book should come as no surprise to anyone. Darcie Little Badger has become one of my favorite authors and is an author I constantly anticipate books from. So when I stumbled upon this book, I instantly knew my heart was going to feel so full. I have so much excitement surrounding this book and hopefully I’ll be getting to this book soon!

➼ Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
August 30, 2022 by Hodder & Stoughton

With the second book releasing in 2023, I want to make sure I finally read the first book! I have been anticipating this book since 2022, but sadly I never got around to reading it. So I want to make an effort that in 2023, I read this one and instantly hop into the sequel!

➼ Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
November 8, 2022 by Tor Books

This book looks like the perfect, wholesome, cozy read! I’m so excited to dive into this book! As a lover of DnD and RPG games, I just know that this is going to make my heart so full. Plus, have you seen the cover? It looks so cute and I’m excited to see this romance flourish!

➼ Not So Yours Truly (Warts & Claws Inc., #4) by Clio Evans
December 6, 2022

If you haven’t noticed by now, I’ve been flying through this series, having a fantastic time along the way! So it should come as no surprise by the fact that this ebook is making an appearance onto this list. I’m so excited for this one in particular because it’s going to be following the sibling of one of the characters we’re introduced to early on in the series. And she’s a healer and if you didn’t know, I’m always a healer in any of my RPGs, LARPs, or DnD sessions! So I’m bursting with excitement for this one!

➼ Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom #1) by Amélie Wen Zhao
January 3, 2023 by Delacorte Press

By now you should know that this is one of my anticipated books for 2023. Not only did this stunning cover pull me in, but you know I’m absolutely weak for books involving dragons. However, this book is also based of Chinese mythology and I will always charge head first towards anything that’s mythology or a retelling. And if that didn’t sell you on this book, it’s going to be a duology! Look, I’m just really excited about this book and can’t wait to dive head first into it!

➼ White Horse by Erika T. Wurth

I’m so upset that I didn’t get to read this book in 2022. Not only is one of my goals for 2023 to highlight more Native/Indigenous literature, but one of my goals is to read this book. This synopsis completely sucked me in and I have been eager to read this book. Sadly, the end of 2022 didn’t give me the chance to read. Mark my words, I will read this book in 2023. It’s going to happen!

➼ Nanny for the Neighbors by Lily Gold
June 7, 2021

When I first heard about this book, I was excited. However, when I found out this is not only a reverse harem, but we get polyamorous representation, I was bursting at the rims with excitement to read this book. I don’t want to know too much about this book, but I’m excited for it. Also, the author is self-published and if you were looking for more authors who are self-publishing then you should definitely put this author on your radar!

➼ The Vampire and the Witch by Francesca Flores
March 21, 2023 by Wednesday Books

Remember what I said about loving retellings? Well, here’s a retelling to add to you list! While I didn’t mention this on my anticipated books for 2023, this is in fact one of the books I’m anticipating for 2023. This book is not only suppose to have lesbian rep, but this is a Rapunzel retelling with a paranormal twist. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m really intrigued and I think this is going to be a book I’m absolutely going to love!

➼ Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For by Zoraida Cordova
September 26, 2023 by Feiwel Friends

Look, if you don’t know my love for anthologies by now, let this be the sign that tells you I do! I’m both excited and conflicted. I’m not conflicted about the book itself, I’m conflicted on if this book will be my downfall or not. I say that because I have yet to find an anthology that I’m absolutely head over heels for. While I have high hopes for this book and have a strong desire to love this anthology, I wonder if I’m over-hyping myself. Either way, I’m slapping this book on this list because I really want to believe I’m going to love this book and this will be the anthology, my first anthology, that receives five stars!

➼ The Luminaries (The Luminaries #1) by Susan Dennard
November 1, 2022 by Tor Teen

I’m so excited about this book! I was teeter-totting back and forth on whether or not to take the plunge and read this book. After reading Caro’s Favorite Books of 2022, I was convinced that I needed to pick this book up! I love a good paranormal book and this one sounds right up my alley. This synopsis has me so intrigued and excited to see how the story will unfold.

I feel it in my heart, 2023 is going to be a year of many amazing reads! Looking at this list, I’m excited for not only the books I’m anticipating for 2023, but the books that I have yet the chance to get to. This list is only ten of my five star predictions. There are so many more books that I’m eager for and have high hopes for. However, on a more serious note, I will say that with the strikes happening with HarperCollins, making this list and thinking about my future tbrs has been difficult. And I want to emphasize that while the strikes are happening, all my reviews and reading of HarperCollins titles have come to a halt. I’m checking each book I put on any of my lists or tbr lists very thoroughly, and hoping that the current strikes with HarperCollins come to an end soon, in favor of the workers. With that all said, I hope you enjoyed this small list of ten five stars predictions. If any of these titles are on your predictions for the year or you have some titles not on my list, come chat with me in the comments below! Until the next post, Chapterlings, I hope 2023 is being gentle with you and you’re staying hydrated, resting well, and having some tasty snacks! 💚

✨ 5 Star Predictions: 2019| 2020| 2021| 2022

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Misc.

Most Anticipated Books 2023

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I’m finally getting this blog post out! When I tell you I feel majorly accomplished by this post, I mean, I feel really darn good right now! I feel like I haven’t talked about books I’m eager to read, anticipated releases, or anything of the sort for so long. And you know, disappearing for almost (not quite) two years will do that to you. However, I’m hoping that if this first week of 2023 has said indicated anything, I’m trying to do better this year. Shoutout to my amazing friends for helping me catch up with the 2023 books being released for the full year. They’re true blessings and I’m so, so grateful for them. As of today, January 4th of 2023, I’m going to share eight of the my thirty-three (possibly more) anticipated books for 2023. I’m really excited, you might be able to tell, but I hope you’re just as excited to see this list! Enjoy, friends! ♥

➸ Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
May 2, 2023 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Going forward into 2023, as a Native reader, I want to keep highlighting Native/Indigenous authors and their book. Angeline Boulley has been on my radar for a while now. I already have one book by her that I’m hoping to read this year and I’m hoping to get my hands on a copy of Warrior Girl Unearthed so I can do a dedicated post to both books by this author. Plus, the cover is absolutely stunning and reading the synopsis… my soul isn’t ready!

➸ Not So Yours Truly (Warts & Claws Inc. Series # 4) by Clio Evans
December 6, 2022 by author

This is the only book on this list where the book is already out. However, I really wanted to include this book on my list because I’ve been loving this series. I’ve been having a fun time, enjoying the characters, and of course, monsters! I’ve already read the first two books in the series and at the time of this post going up, I’m working on book three. And I’m hoping, fingers and toes crossed, I finish the whole series this year!

➸ Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie
January 24, 2023 by Redhook

I am so FREAKING excited about this book’s release! I’ve barely heard anyone talking about this book and trust me, I think more readers need to put this on their radar. The synopsis alone pulled me in and I’m hoping to be chilled to my core. The gorgeous cover aside, the little bread crumbs we get from the synopsis sounds like everything I want in my horror book and I just have the biggest need for it.

➸ Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin
August 1, 2023 by Sourcebooks Fire

I read Wild is the Witch during the summer of 2022 and since then I have been craving more books from this author! I love Rachel’s writing, the way this author builds the worlds and characters, and I can’t begin to express how excited I am to dive into a new book by her. And can we take a moment to address this cover? I adore this cover and I didn’t know I needed a cover like this until I saw it. When I tell you my breath hitched, oh I was choking on air, friends! I was so captivated and after reading the synopsis, I just knew I needed more.

➸ A Hunger of Thorns by Lili Wilkinson
April 18, 2023 by Delacorte Press

I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about this book. Honestly, the cover is the thing that captivated me more than anything else. However, after reading the synopsis, I’m so excited and also realizing that I’m anticipating a lot of witchy, paranormal books in 2023. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, but I’m really excited to read this book. Out of everything I could take away from the little itty-bits I’ve come up with, the magic has me fascinated and I really want to know more. Plus, does the moth on the cover of the book actually tie in to the things in the book, I need to know.

➸ Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao
January 3, 2023 by Delacorte Press

By the time this post is going up, this book will have already released. HOWEVER! Will this stop me from talking about it? No. Will I continue to tell everyone about this book? Abso-freaking-lutely! I have been anticipating this book since November 2022. Dragons, freaking dragons, and always dragons. You want to know how to make me fall head over heels for your book? Dragons. That’s all I needed to know and I was sold. Dragons aside, the last part of the synopsis really sunk it’s claws in me and after that I instantly preordered this book. So I’m really hoping to start this book soon because truly, I can’t wait to dive in!

➸ House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig
July 25, 2023 by Delacorte Press

I absolutely fell in love with House of Salt and Sorrows back in 2019. I gave it five stars and have been waiting for any inkling of news that involved a sequel to the book. Of course, I kind of disappeared from the book community for like a year or so and a lot of my intense researching and deep diving on books went onto a back burner. Flash forward to now and I’m just finding out about this book… NOW. Literally, I just found out about the night or so before drafting this. I have been so ready and my excitement can’t be contained since this knowledge has planted itself in my brain.

➸ Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
January 10, 2023 by Doubleday Books
ARC was given by NetGalley & Doubleday Books in exchange for an honest review.

The arc gods have smiled upon me and blessed my e-arc galley with a copy of this book! I’m very privileged to have received an arc of this book and I’m so excited to read this. Crows, freaking crows! I’m so excited to have a mystery thriller that has crows as symbolism or a potential role in the book. That aside, this is a book by a Native author and the book as a whole is Native/Indigenous. Again, this year I’m trying to unapologetically go really hard for Native/Indigenous literature and so you’re going to see a lot of them pop up on tbrs or see me talking about them. But this particular book, I’m really excited about it. This is a supernatural, mystery thriller book and the synopsis alone had me vibrating with excitement to read. Truly, 2023 is blessing us with some amazing books and I just had to tell you about this one. I think this book is going to be everything and I’m calling it now, five star prediction, favorite of the year, and top books of 2023. There, I did it and I can’t go back!

➸ Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah
February 21, 2023 by Wednesday Books

I wanted to list an honorable mention here, near the end of the post. I found out about this book in the autumnal season of 2022 and this became one of my first 2023 anticipated releases. As always, I’m a very sentimental soul and the sunflowers on the cover are what lured me in. This book took me by surprised and blew a lot of my predictions out of the water. If you love small town vibes, buried secrets, and characters that contain multitudes then I want to recommend this book to you. I really enjoyed my time reading it and finished my arc copy in two days. So if that tells you anything, I hope you’ll check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Okay, Chapterlings! Those are just a small portion of the books I’m anticipating or excited for in 2023! I have quite a few books on my radar and maybe you’ll see some reviews for those books coming soon. And hopefully this year I’ll be better at reading my 2023 releases because after disappearing for a year or so, playing catch up has been hard, and a struggle. Please let me know in the comments below if any of these books are on your radar for 2023 or let me know some of your anticipated releases. I’m constantly on the hunt for books to fall in love with and get obsessed over! I hope you’re staying hydrated and remembering to take little breaks, and until next time, I love you bunches! 💚

✨ Anticipated Books: 2019| 2020| 2021| 2022

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Misc.

My Favorite Books From 2022

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Salutations Chapterlings! I hope 2023 has been treating you with kindness and gentleness! 2023 has only been here for a small handful of days and has already been kicking off with a bang for me. Today, yes today, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite books I read in 2022. I know this isn’t a typical post I do. I think you’re used to my reviews or seeing hauls, maybe the ever anticipated monthly tbr post. However, in 2023, many changes are happening including giving some new posts room to exist. That includes today’s post! I’ve been wanting to make a post like this since 2020 and I thought this is the perfect time to give this a chance. So without any further jibber-jabbing, here’s a recap of some of my absolute favorite reads of 2022! 💚

➼ Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

✨ Garlic and the Witch ★★★★★

I’m so thankful for Destiny recommending this book to me because I fell madly in love with it. This little graphic novel is so charming, has amazing anxiety representation, and was the perfect read to really kick off 2022! If you’re looking for some graphic novels to read this year, definitely put Garlic and the Vampire on your graphic novels adventure!

➼ Once Upon A K-Prom by Kat Cho

This is my first book I’ve ever read by Kat Cho and I absolutely love it! If you didn’t know, I got really into k-pop back in 2020 after a really bad car accident and since then it’s had a special place in my life. Though I don’t share or talk about it often. So when I saw that this book was coming out, I instantly wanted to read it. Two things that are close to my heart; reading and k-pop combined, I had to read it. This was probably one of my top five favorite reads of 2022 and honestly, I’m excited to pick up more literature by Kat Cho since reading this book.

➼ Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux

✨ Her Soul for Revenge ★★★

This book really surprised me. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous going into this book because of the hype I had been hearing and seeing around it. Not to mention. sometimes I can go into a book with a bit of a bias because demons, cryptids, etc… are keywords for me and I get overly excited about that. However, I’m pleased to say this is one of the few hyped books I’ve read that I absolutely loved! Do I think this book will be for everyone, no. Do I think anyone who has similar reading taste to me give this book a chance? Yes, yes I do!

➼ Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin

I was on vacation when I received an arc copy of this book and I devoured it in one whole day. I was so captivated by the setting, modern day witches, and just everything about this. The magic was stunning, the freaking owl in this book was my favorite character, and the romance was chef’s kiss. I really enjoyed my time reading this book, I can’t recommend it enough, and the cover is absolutely stunning!

➼ The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories edited by Kate Ashwin

I have been trying to highlight Native/Indigenous literature a lot more and read more of. So when I found out about this anthology, I was desperate to get my grabby hands on it. And thank the NetGalley gods because my request was granted! I absolutely loved this anthology! It was so wonderful to pick this book up and see so many stories that I recognized. It was just everything and made me really soft, and squishy!

➼ The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco

Welcome to another book that would be listed in my top five favorite reads of 2022! Rin Chupeco has easily become one of my new favorite authors. There’s something about her writing that I just get sucked into and it makes me devour any of her books in such a short time. I was really excited about this book because it has to do with colonization, gentrification, and how when foreigners come to a place that isn’t their own, they constantly demand and take. That aside, the mythology of this book was so captivating! I absolutely loved that I kept falling down rabbit holes of research. It was just a fantastic time and if you’re a horror/thriller lover then I definitely recommend putting The Sacrifice on your radar!

➼ Gallant by V. E. Schwab

2022 was the year of reading my first V.E. Schwab book! Yes, yes it’s true! Gallant was my first book by Schwab that I ever read and honestly, I might be turning into a Schwab fan. Gallant really touched a part of my soul that I wasn’t expecting to have touched. Honestly, I was kind of nervous going into this book because I was hearing a lot of mixed things about this book. But I fell in love and I sobbed. This book was beautiful and now that I’m reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, I’m just hooked and emotional.

➼ The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal by Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy, & Carey Pietsch

✨ The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins ★★★★★
✨ The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited! ★★★★★

Look, I read a lot of graphic novels during 2022! It couldn’t be helped and plus, you know I’m an absolute gremlin for graphic novels and manga! And it should be no surprise that I’m continuing on with this series. I really love the Adventure Zone series. I know there’s a podcast for this series, but the graphic novels have just been a true blessing! They have been so good for my mental health and the times I’ve gotten slumpy, and this one might just be my favorite of the series as a whole.

Wow wow wow! I’m really proud of this post and looking back at all the amazing reads that I read has been such a lovely thing to do. It was really nice to go back through and read each review individually. I’m all soft and squishy now! Honestly, I would have listed more, but it would have been a whole lot of comics or graphic novels. Plus, I have a super secret post in the works and I couldn’t list two of the books because of that post. I hope you all enjoyed this post, though! Maybe you found a book that you want to read or maybe you’ve read some of these books. Either way, come chat with me in the comments below about some of your favorite books of 2022! Until the next post, I hope you’re staying hydrated and kicking the new year off with some fantastic books! 💚

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Misc.

Favorite Non-Bookish Things 2022

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At the end of every year, as a new blog tradition, I always try to write down at least ten things that have helped make a year better or perhaps helped make the year more tolerable. Basically, the things that allowed me to keep my sanity instead of descending into madness. Each year, these things can vary from things that brought me great joy to things that have brought me great comfort during the year. 2022 became a year of discovering that there was a lot of toxic things in my life and I spent the majority of 2022 cutting those things out completely. Also, I spent a lot of that time really making an effort to work through the scars that were left by a lot of those toxic things. Needless to say, by the time December hit, I have been exhausted, burned out, and I had to retreat into my gremlin cave quite a bit. So apologies in advance for just disappearing out of nowhere. I promise, we’ll sit down at a later time and catch up, a life update, but for now, enjoy these ten things that made a difference during 2022.

➸ 1. Squishmallows

I talk about mental health, chronic illness, and stuffed animals A LOT. All the time, actually. In 2022, I discovered Squishmallows and as someone who has sensory issues, severe anxiety, permanent PTSD, and more, these little plushies have been a big changer for me. They’ve helped make traveling by car a little easier, they’ve helped with talking and communicating with others during a flashback or helped with sleep during a night terror, etc… I know many people may not understand or maybe you do because you also like stuffed animals. They’ve really been making things so much better for me and I had to make sure they took the first spot on this list.

➸ 2. Weighted & Electric Heated Blanket

As I mentioned above, I have chronic illnesses, chronic pain and endometriosis to be exact, and I’m always looking for ways to help manage my levels of pain outside of medication. Enter my wedding anniversary present from my spouse. This has been a changer for my pain levels. While this doesn’t fully get rid of the pain, it makes things a little more tolerable when the pain is incredibly high. The weight of this blanket also helps with my sleeping as well. If you like weighted blankets or you use a weighted blanket to help with anxiety, sleeping pattens, or to help aid with night terrors then you might be interested in this blanket. I really love mine and it’s helped a lot. So I had to put it on this list.

➸ 3. Crystals

Crystals! Yes, crystals! In some of my book posts, you may have seen some crystals popping up. I have always been a lover and collector of crystals, but this year I’ve been rebuilding my collection due to having a lot of my pieces stolen from me. So I’ve been rebuilding and honestly, I forgot how much I loved searching for particular pieces, and then finally getting those pieces. While this has been a very emotional, soul quaking thing to do and work through, I’ve been enjoying my time searching, hunting, and finding. I’ve missed stepping foot in crystal shops and connecting with others who enjoy crystals. It’s been emotional, but I’ve been enjoying many parts of this process and it’s been a big part, since the summer of 2022.

➸ 4. Cozy Grove

As you may or may not know, I absolutely love gaming! I play a wide plethora of games from Dead By Daylight to Cyberpunk 2077, all the way to the cozier, more casual games like Cozy Grove! If you’re a lover of Animal Crossing or even Stardew Valley, I have to recommend this cozy, casual game. I have recently been reconnecting with my love of Cozy Grove and helping the bear spirits on this island. After the developers released the dlc, I have been playing as much as possible. It surprised me how much I missed this game, but it’s the perfect game for when my brain has very little brain power and I don’t have the mental capacity to read anything. I do want to emphasize that this game is a day based game. There’s only so much you’ll be able to do, like Animal Crossing. If you end up picking this game up or checking it out, definitely let me know your thoughts and which bear spirit is your favorite!

➸ 5. Coral Island

Another game! Coral Island has been another game that’s really nice to curl up with and decompress after a rough day. Coral Island has easily become one of my favorite games. It might even become one of my top ten favorite games. There is a wide plethora of things to do in this game, but the true highlight of this game is the diverse cast! There are so many diverse characters in this game like single, romanecable characters, body diversity, characters with scarring, a character with stretch marks, a plethora of characters of color, and so much more! This is one of the most diverse games, especially farming sim wise, I’ve seen be put into production. Now, this is an early access game which means the developers are still working on the game, still adding things, etc… So the game isn’t fully released yet, but if you’re a gamer, a farm simulator lover, or a casual game lover then you need to put Coral Island on your radar!

➸ 6. Waterloo Sparkling Water

I don’t know when I started going really hard for seltzer water, but this year was a huge year for seltzer water in my life. The funny thing is before 2022 I was never a seltzer water drinker or lover. Honestly, I drank kombucha more than I ever did seltzer water. Until I had a friend recommend it to me during a game night of Dead By Daylight. So when I found a case and gave it a chance, I was completely surprised how much I enjoyed it. That moment was a huge game changer and now it’s one of my go-to drinks for game nights, nights when I decompress and want something refreshing yet fizzy.

➸ 7. Hiking

Hiking has been taking over my life. In 2021 I picked up a lot of hiking gear and started hiking different trails and different places around my state. One of the places I end up hiking had actual ruins and waterfalls, and it was such a magical experience. Nature has always been a source of restoring my soul, finding balance within myself, and just always breathes new life into me. Truly, I’ve been trying to go on as many nature adventures as possible in 2022 even getting the chance to go to a beach for the first time in a long, long while! I’m hoping to carry this over into 2023 and continue going on nature adventures in the future.

➸ 8. Plants

Honestly, out of everything on this list, this one surprised me the most. Green became the color of 2022 as I began picking up plants any time I had to run to Home Depot. I’m not sure exactly when this started in 2022, but I’ve always had succulents or cacti in my home. 2022 just became a year where flowers and various types of plants started to brighten every table, every window sill, and even in the more low light areas, splash hues of green in them. Though we’re still house hunting and prepping our current home for market, it hasn’t stopped me from checking out all the plants in stores or stopping at local plant shops and greenhouses.

➸ 9. Rain Lofi

Rain lofi has been such a blessing with trying to focus during work, doing things at home, working on projects, and even reading. For all the reading I did this year, rain lofi was right by my side. Though I do feel like every time I make one of these lists, I’m just recommending the newest lofi video I’m listening to or watching while doing stuff. Truly, the lofi help. Just like asmr, the lofi music has been such a lovely way to help me stay productive in 2022. Even on my off days, rainy lofi helps me through it.

➸ 10. Fruit Snacks

Look… LOOK… Don’t question on why these are on this list, okay? 2022 was the year I thrived because of fruit snacks in my home and they have helped with making sure I’m taking care of myself. A lot of times having a pack or two reminds me of needing to make meals or they’re there for me when I need a snack break, to get that brain fuel going again. They also serve as a great snack for traveling, reading, working, and just for so many occasions. They’ve even helped on the hard days, the bad brain days, or the days when the chronic illnesses make things difficult. Now I keep two giant boxes of fruit snacks in my pantry and scatter them all throughout my home, and bags, just in case!

I feel like 2022 was a year that really highlighted the importance of self-care and taking better care of mental health. You know, I think that’s okay though. You’ll always have years that are ups and downs, and that smack you in the face with constant reminders. With 2022 now behind us, I’m truly hoping 2023 will be like a breath of fresh air for us. I want each and every one of us to prioritize self-care, self-love, boundaries & limits, and most importantly, the moments we’ll remember to infinity and beyond. And in case no one has told you, I’m proud of you for surviving another year (whatever that may have looked like)! I’m hoping with all my chest that 2023 is kinder, more gentle, filled with warmth and love, and plenty of rest for all of us. Let me know in the comments below some of the things that brought you joy or comfort in 2022, and I’ll catch you in the next post! 💚

✨ Favorite Non-Bookish Things: 2019|2020|2021

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Monthly TBR

November 2022 TBR | Native Heritage Month

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We’re still here! All you have to do is LOOK!

Wow, I really brought the spice and a TBR post after… months? Months? MONTHS! We love to see it, yes we do! Though I am trying to desperately manifest strong reading vibes after a month worth of slumpy reading energy, not going to lie. But I digress. Not only are we in the autumnal season, but I’m on a really strong, positive reading streak right now (okay, not fully positive, there was one little hiccup) and I want to keep the ball rolling as we descend into November. Also known as, Native American Heritage Month! Yes, yes that’s where my fiery spice came from for this post. Look, I’m not going to sit here and rant, educate, etc… for the millionth time. Go check out my November 2020 TBR post for some links of Indigenous content creators, some educational links, etc… if you’re interested.

This month I’m specifically focusing on Native joy (because let’s be honest, it’s not talked about enough or given enough love) and some amazing Indigenous books that I’m super excited about getting to this month. Technically I could have read these at any given time, but as I mentioned, I spent a whole month in a bad slump and I couldn’t find the motivation to really read. The most I did was one book and then I was solely focused on gaming. That’s basically the whole story of what happened in September. ANYWAY, this month is going to be a good one, I just know it… I can feel it! I quickly want to mention (before we get into this ambitious tbr) that not all the books I want to read are on this list. My tbr for this month is massive because I’ve been essentially hoarding Native/Indigenous books just so I can put a heavy spotlight on them. Plus, books aren’t cheap, so it’s been a gradual build up to this point in time. So without my further descent into chaos, here is my stunning TBR for the month of November!

➸ Venco by Cherie Dimaline
February 7th, 2023 by William Morrow
ARC was given by William Morrow & HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.
🌻 Empire of Wild ★★★★

This is kind of the book that has sparked this whole tbr and is probably what’s going to shape my tbrs up till February 2023. I really enjoyed Empire of Wild and was really captured by Cherie’s writing style. So I’m really excited that I was sent an arc for this book. If I can’t get to this arc this month, one of the upcoming months will have this on it and it’ll be the biggest priority. Plus, the synopsis sounds so good!

➸ The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson
July 12th, 2022 by Holiday House
ARC was given by Holiday House in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, I’m a little late on this one, but to be fair, I didn’t receive my arc copy till end of July/early August and well, you all know what happened with September. So, I’m making this arc a high priority for this month. However, I’m a little nervous going in because I have a feeling I’m going to get really emotional about this book especially being an urban Native. So I’m prepping the tissue boxes for this one!

➸ Night of the Living Rez: Stories by Morgan Talty
July 5th, 2022 by Tin House Books
ALC was given by Libro.fm & Tin House Books in exchange for an honest review.

Another book I’m late to the party on, but thankfully this is an audiobook and I have no doubt that I won’t be able to breeze through it. Yeah, I’m back on my audiobook kick and it feels so good! However, I’m really excited to dive into this read and hopefully, maybe, convince my spouse to come along for the ride on this read with me.

➸ Making Love with the Land: Essays by Joshua Whitehead
November 15th, 2022 by Univ Of Minnesota Press
ALC was given by Libro.fm & Univ Of Minnesota Press in exchange for an honest review.

This is a newly acquired aalc for me! Which if you couldn’t tell, this book will be available this month! I’m so blessed, so privileged to have received an early copy of this book through Libro.fm and this is the other book that has kind of spurred a very massive November tbr. Between this book and Venco, the two of them have kind of kicked me into gear to make an insanely massive tbr and I’m really excited to dive into this soon! It’s also an audiobook and it has me even more excited!

➸ Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young
May 11th, 2021 by Heartdrum

Though this book released last year, I’m really excited to be getting to this book in the here and now! This book centers around Navajo mythology and so this has a little soft spot in my heart. This has been a story I have been seeing come out more and more, and it fills my heart with warmth to see it. For those who may not know, the Navajo and Apache are consider cousins to each other, and so this make me really happy to see Navajo stories being brought into the spotlight for all to read and enjoy.

➸ A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
November 23rd, 2021 by Levine Querido
🌻 Elatsoe ★★★★★

This book… THIS BOOK is the crown jewel of this whole entire tbr! As a Mescalero Apache reader, if you haven’t heard me sob, pop off in excitement, or even mention Darcie Little Badger then here it is right here. Ever since I found out there is an Apache author writing ya and middle grade books, winning awards for that literature, you have no idea how emotional it makes me and how much I want to throw my money at any work this author releases. If you would have told a young Malli that I would get to grow up to see an Apache author winning awards for their literature and brings forth Apache stories, I probably would have never believed you because I had never seen it before, ever. Until Darcie Little Badger released Elatsoe. And everything kind of changed after that. So the work Darcie does means a whole heck-a lot to me and while I need to re-read Elatsoe (I honestly might just buy another copy that I can highlight and tab the heck out of) to give a more in-depth review, I will be prioritizing this book greatly.

➸ The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst
April 25th, 2023 by Harperteen
ARC was given by NetGalley & HaperTeen in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy Read with Destiny & Ashley ♥

While this isn’t a Native/Indigenous read, this is also a priority for my reading in November! Yes, it’s true, Destiny and I are back again with a buddy read, but this time we have Ashley with us! I am so excited about this buddy read with these two lovely souls. Ashley and I have been meaning to buddy read something together for a hot minute and as fate would have it, all three of us had an arc of the same book. So it’s on! It’s so freaking on and I’ve been vibrating with excitement since we all decided to buddy read this together. I’ve really been getting into the spookier, more hauntingly atmospheric reads lately and I feel very privileged and blessed to have an arc of this book.

Whew! Okay, that was a whole lot of books, but just be glad I didn’t list… everything. We might have been here all day going through all the books I want to read for this month. I’m really excited for this month though and it feels good to be making blog posts again, sharing stories, thoughts with everyone once more. I’ve felt like I’ve been holding my breath for so long and I’m just now taking a breath of fresh air. It feels really nice and I appreciate the patience everyone has had with me as life keeps throwing surprises my way. I hope each and every one of you has a lovely November, enjoys the season (whatever season you may be in), and I hope, just maybe, that some of these books caught your eye and you’ll fall in love with more Native/Indigenous literature this year. Until next time friends, I love you! 🧡

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Uncategorized

The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal by Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy, & Carey Pietsch

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Content/Trigger Warnings: Explosions, bombs, death, vehicle accidents

✨ The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins ★★★★★

✨ The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited! ★★★★★

“For every evil impulse drawn from a tempted heart, there is a heroic deed, spurred on by unimaginable bravery.”

We have finally, FINALLY returned to The Adventure Zone! I know, I know… it’s been a hot minutes since I picked up this series, but we’re back and I’ve been eagerly waiting to start this. And what a more perfect season to pick this series back up than the autumnal season?! Truly, I’m thriving and this graphic novel, comic added 10 years onto my life! So grab your snack, sit back, and let’s follow our chaotic trio on a new chaotic adventure!

We once again join our chaotic friends, Magnus, Taako, Merle, and of course the hilarious dungeon master on a whole new adventure. This time our friend are jumping in the race car seats and they prepare to reclaiming The Sash of Gaia! However, they soon find out this won’t be so easy obtaining the artifact, and they’ll have a few close calls along the way. With the help of Hurley, our adventures will do everything they can to save lives and maintain balance, but… sometimes there’s a price to be paid and not even love can stop fate.

This was an absolutely fantastic read! If you don’t know by now, I absolutely love these characters and love following them. So when we’re introduced to Sloane and Hurley, we learn of their story, and their relationship… Be still my beating heart! I loved them, I absolutely loved them. They’re by no means a perfect couple and even the start of their relationship was rocky, but somehow they just work together. Not to mention, the height difference was so glorious to see. We stan tall women with short cuties! We also see some growth and development with our main three characters. We also get some very character specific moments for Taako and Merle, and I was thriving seeing them have their own moments. I wish we could of had a moment for Magnus, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed we’ll see it in the next book.

“I don’t know if you can hear this anymore. But on the off chance you’re listening… on the off chance you’re still you… I wanted to give you fair warning. You’re going to lose tomorrow. And then… And then you’re gonna come home.”

There’s also a lot of hilarious moments, a lot of action packed moments, but most importantly, the freaking ending of this book wrecked me. I was sobbing and getting so emotional over how everything concludes. If there was ever a way to make me realize how attached to these characters, the ending really made me realize that. Even more so for Sloane and Hurley! We only have these two for this volume and everything that we get to learn about those two, it wasn’t enough. I wanted more and despite knowing we’d only have them for this volume, I still got emotional about their whole journey. This is what this series does so well though! It makes you get attached to these characters, no matter how brief or long term, and you just want to see them thrive, and succeed.

If I had to say anything negative about this volume, it’s that I have more questions than I do answers. Volume two of this series already gave us a whole lot of questions that we don’t get answers to and now we’re in the third volume, still without anymore clarity. The ending of this left me with so many more questions than answers and I really wish I had a bread crumb to go off of. Even the small scenes for foreshadowing doesn’t really lead me to a whole lot either. So I’m invested to get my answers, but also I wish we had gotten at least a bread crumb at the end or something.

“Is it for keepsies? Everything is for keepsies if you’re sneaky about it.”

Overall, I always have a blast reading this series and getting caught up on the shenanigans of this family. There were so many funny moments like Merle and the vines, and the introduction of Garyl, too! I need more of this, more of Garyl in general! It was just a fun time and I love a good story that can remind me how much I love and adore my all my nerdy goodness. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves DnD, loves RPG (role playing games), or just want a fast read for any readathons. I do recommend that you read these in order though because, in my opinion, the recaps don’t always give all the best details to give a good overall of what’s happened thus far. So read them in order and have fun while you do!

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