Can’t Wait Wednesday – INCENDIARY by Zoraida Córdova

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is INCENDIARY by Zoraida Córdova.  I’m really enjoying this author’s Brooklyn Brujas series so I was very excited to learn that she also has a new series coming out next spring and that it sounds every bit as fabulous as the Brujas series.

INCENDIARY by Zoraida Córdova

Publication Date:  April 28, 2020

From Netgalley:

Set in a lushly drawn world inspired by Inquisition Spain, Zoraida Córdova’s hotly anticipated new fantasy is an epic tale of love and revenge perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Sarah J. Maas.


I am Renata Convida. I have lived a hundred stolen lives. Now I live my own.

Renata was only a child when she was kidnapped by the King’s Justice and brought to the luxurious palace of Andalucia. As a memory thief, the rarest and most feared of the magical Moria, Renata was used by the crown to carry out the King’s Wrath, a siege that resulted in the deaths of thousands of her own people.

Now Renata is one of the Whispers, rebel spies working against the crown. The Whispers may have rescued Renata years ago, but she cannot escape their mistrust and hatred-or the overpowering memories of the hundreds of souls she drained during her time in the palace.

When Dez, the commander of her unit-and the boy she’s grown to love-is taken captive by the notorious Principe Dorado, Renata must return to Andalucia and complete Dez’s top secret mission herself. Can she keep her cover, even as she burns for vengeance against the brutal, enigmatic prince? Her life and the fate of the Moria depend on it.

But returning to the palace stirs childhood memories long locked away. As Renata grows more deeply embedded in the politics of the royal court, she uncovers a secret in her past that could change the fate of the entire kingdom-and end the war that has cost her everything.

 

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Bookmarks I’d Love to Add to My Collection

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Favorite Bookmarks.  I love this topic because I collect bookmarks and am always looking for new ones to add to my collection.  That said, I’m only the person who walks around using receipts and napkins to mark my place in whatever book I’m reading because I don’t want to mess up my beautiful bookmarks.  (Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this, lol!)

Anyway, what I’ve decided to share this week are not my favorite bookmarks, but instead are bookmarks I’ve seen on Etsy and would love to add to my collection.  Hint, hint to anyone in my family who is looking for gift ideas. 😉

 

 

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Ten Bookmarks I’d Love to Add to My Collection

 

1. SIX OF CROWS BOOKMARK COLLECTION

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

2. BROADWAY MUSICAL BOOKMARKS

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

3.  GOLDEN RETRIEVER BOOKMARK (because it reminds me of my puppy)

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

4. HARRY POTTER BOOKMARKS

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

5. GAME OF THRONES BOOKMARKS

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

6. BOOK CORNERS

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

7. WATERCOLOR BOOKMARKS

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

8. JANE AUSTEN WOODEN BOOKMARK

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

9. WINE GLASS BOOK THONG

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

10. DRINK COFFEE, READ BOOKS, BE HAPPY BOOKMARK

 

(Where to buy…)

* * * * *

 

 

Question:  Do you collect bookmarks? What other bookish items do you collect?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – THE GRAVITY OF US by Phil Stamper

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

* * * * *

 

My selection for this week is THE GRAVITY OF US by Phil Stamper.  The cover of this one caught my eye right away and then when I read the blurb and saw that it’s recommended to fans of Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, I was completely sold.  I’m interested in both the relationship aspect of the story, as well as the NASA mission to Mars and all of its secrets.

THE GRAVITY OF US by Phil Stamper

Publication Date:  February 4, 2020

From Netgalley:

In this smart, heart-warming YA debut perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, two teens find love when their lives are uprooted for their parents’ involvement in a NASA mission to Mars.

Cal wants to be a journalist, and he’s already well underway with almost half a million followers on his FlashFame app and an upcoming internship at Buzzfeed. But his plans are derailed when his pilot father is selected for a highly-publicized NASA mission to Mars. Within days, Cal and his parents leave Brooklyn for hot and humid Houston.

With the entire nation desperate for any new information about the astronauts, Cal finds himself thrust in the middle of a media circus. Suddenly his life is more like a reality TV show, with his constantly bickering parents struggling with their roles as the “perfect American family.”

And then Cal meets Leon, whose mother is another astronaut on the mission, and he finds himself falling head over heels–and fast. They become an oasis for each other amid the craziness of this whole experience. As their relationship grows, so does the frenzy surrounding the Mars mission, and when secrets are revealed about ulterior motives of the program, Cal must find a way to get to the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.

 

 

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Book Covers That Give Me Autumn Vibes

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books That Give Off Autumn Vibes (Autumn scenes/colors on the cover, autumn atmosphere, etc.).  Autumn is my favorite time of year.  I love the crispness in the air and that it means I can pull out all of my sweaters, hoodies, and cozy socks.  What I love most about autumn though are the leaves and their gradual shift from the cool greens of spring and summer to the vibrant reds, golds, and oranges of fall.  I love being outside as much as possible in the fall because it’s just so beautiful.  So my take on this week’s topic is to celebrate all of those glorious fall colors by sharing some book covers that feature them.  The books themselves have nothing to do with fall, but look at those incredible colors…

 

 

 

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Book Covers That Give Me Autumn Vibes

 

1. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

* * * * *

2. CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas

* * * * *

3.  HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by J.K. Rowling

* * * * *

4. THE LAST CHILD by John Hart

* * * * *

5. FIRE & BLOOD by George R.R. Martin

* * * * *

6. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE by Stieg Larsson

* * * * *

* * * * *

* * * * *

* * * * *

 

 

Question:  What’s your favorite thing about the fall season?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS by Samantha Mabry

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

* * * * *

 

My selection for this week is TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS by Samantha Mabry.  I was drawn to this book mainly because of the quote by Julia Alvarez, who describes this story as a magical and modern retelling of Little Women.  I love retellings and I love Little Women so I have high hopes for this one.  I was also intrigued by the description of it being “one part family drama, one part ghost story, and one part love story.”

TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS by Samantha Mabry

Publication Date:  March 24, 2020

 

From Netgalley:

“Move over, Louisa May Alcott! Samantha Mabry has written her very own magical Little Women for our times. This is no family of tamed girls but a clan of fierce and fighting young women who will draw readers into their spell. A celebration of the bonds of sisterhood and of the ways we heal by reaching beyond our losses, our brokenness and fears to the love that holds and heals.” —Julia Alvarez, author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents

The Torres sisters dream of escape. Escape from their needy and despotic widowed father, and from their San Antonio neighborhood, full of old San Antonio families and all the traditions and expectations that go along with them. In the summer after her senior year of high school, Ana, the oldest sister, falls to her death from her bedroom window. A year later, her three younger sisters, Jessica, Iridian, and Rosa, are still consumed by grief and haunted by their sister’s memory. Their dream of leaving Southtown now seems out of reach. But then strange things start happening around the house: mysterious laughter, mysterious shadows, mysterious writing on the walls. The sisters begin to wonder if Ana really is haunting them, trying to send them a message—and what exactly she’s trying to say.

In a stunning follow-up to her National Book Award–longlisted novel All the Wind in the World, Samantha Mabry weaves an aching, magical novel that is one part family drama, one part ghost story, and one part love story.

 

 

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Ten Witchy Reads for You to Check Out This Halloween

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is a Halloween Freebie so I’ve decided to share some of my favorite witchy reads.  Some are old favorites and some are brand-new favorites, but they all feature witchery in some form or other.

 

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Ten Witchy Reads for You to Check Out This Halloween

 

1. THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

2. HOW TO HANG A WITCH by Adriana Mather

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

3.  A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES by Deborah Harkness

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

4. HARRY POTTER Series by J.K. Rowling

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

5. THE WICKED DEEP by Shea Ernshaw

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

6. THE WORST WITCH by Jill Murphy

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

7. SEA WITCH by Sarah Henning

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

8. LABYRINTH LOST by Zoraida Cordova

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

9. THESE WITCHES DON’T BURN by Isabel Sterling

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

10. THE LANTERN’S EMBER by Colleen Houck

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!

Can’t Wait Wednesday – GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. Ellison

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

* * * * *

 

My selection for this week is GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. Ellison.  I was drawn to this book for several reasons: 1) Because I’m always on the lookout for a good thriller, 2) I’ve been wanting to try a J.T. Ellison book for a while now, 3) this book is set in my home state, and 4) this book is also set in a boarding school and I LOVE books set at boarding schools.

 

GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. Ellison

Publication Date:  December 31, 2019

 

From Goodreads:

Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond. But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous.

In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder. But when a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide.

But look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.

J.T. Ellison’s pulse-pounding new novel examines the tenuous bonds of friendship, the power of lies and the desperate lengths people will go to to protect their secrets.

 

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – The ‘Happy Birthday to Me’ Edition

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is supposed to be Books I’d Give Different Titles To (and tell us what title you’d pick!), but as is usually the case with topics like this, I completely blanked out and couldn’t think of a single book I’d like to give a different title.  So I decided to go rogue.   Since today is my birthday (yay!) and I almost always get cash and a load of gift cards (even bigger yay!!), I decided it would be fun to share some books I’m hoping to be able to purchase with my birthday money.  I’m sure I won’t get enough to purchase all of these, but hopefully I can get a few of them anyway.

 

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Books I’m Hoping to Purchase for My Birthday

 

1. AMERICAN ROYALS by Katharine McGee

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

2. THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E. Harrow

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

3.  THE WHISPER MAN by Alex North

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

4. NINTH HOUSE by Leigh Bardugo

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

5. MIRACLE CREEK by Angie Kim

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

6. A WOMAN IS NO MAN by Etaf Rum

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

7. THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

8. THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

9. LIFE AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Kristan Higgins

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

10. THE QUEEN OF NOTHING by Holly Black (Pre-Order)

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

 

Question:  Have you read any of these?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – ALL THE STARS AND TEETH by Adalyn Grace

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

* * * * *

 

My selection for this week is ALL THE STARS AND TEETH by Adalyn Grace.  The gorgeous cover of this book is what initially drew me in, but then I was completely sold when I read the synopsis and saw vengeful mermaids, pirates, legendary monsters, and destructive new magic!

ALL THE STARS AND TEETH by Adalyn Grace

Publication Date:  February 4, 2020

 

From Netgalley::

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stowaway she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.

 

“Fierce and unrelenting…Do yourself a favor and get lost in this beautiful book!” —Tomi Adeyemi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Children of Blood and Bone

“Vicious and alluring, All the Stars and Teeth is a force to be reckoned with.”  —Hafsah Faizal, author of We Hunt the Flame

“Jam-packed with swashbuckling adventure, swoonworthy romance, and dark, lush magic.”  —Christine Lynn Herman, author of The Devouring Gray

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I’ve Read That Originally Caught My Attention Because of Their Unusual Titles

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Extraordinary Book Titles.  I wasn’t exactly sure what was meant by extraordinary so I decided to tweak the topic a little to cover books I’ve read whose unusual book were what originally caught my attention.  Some of them I’m not convinced I would have read if their titles hadn’t jumped out at me.  As soon as I saw these, I immediately wondered what in the world they could possibly be about.

 

 

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Books I’ve Read That Originally Caught My Attention Because of Their Unusual Titles

 

1. THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL by Deborah Moggach

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

2. THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

3.  THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Douglas Adams

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

4. SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

5. THE LADY’S GUIDE TO PETTICOATS AND PIRACY by Mackenzi Lee

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

6. LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS by Charlaine Harris

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

7. DOROTHY MUST DIE by Danielle Paige

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

8. MURDER OVER MOCHAS by Caroline Fardig

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

9. TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN by John Green

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

10. THE SPY WITH THE RED BALLOON by Katherine Locke

(Find out what it’s about…)

* * * * *

 

 

Question:  Have you read any of these?