June 2023 To Be Read

I have been doing pretty well as far as keeping track these days, so here we go with my June 2023 To Be Read!! 

Print

1. Thousand Autumns #1 by Meng Xi Shi - I found this book while looking for something else entirely by the same publisher, and I couldn't resist. Seven Seas is the publishing house responsible for bringing one of my favorite Chinese danmei novel series' to English readers and I had to find out what else they are doing. This one follows a demonic sect master who wants to prove himself right about the true natures of people's hearts and the person whom he uses as his test subject. I totally couldn't wait and started this on 30 May....

2. Small Favors by Erin A. Craig - Going back to one that I started and never finished because something got in the way. We are reading from the point of view of a girl raised in an isolated village where monsters roam the forest bordering the town. Something bad happens and Ellerie is the one tasked with stopping the entire town from being destroyed along with those she loves. I have no idea. It looks brilliant. 

3. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi - I saw it on BookTok/BookTube and I couldn't not. A preserve for creatures like Godzilla and Mothra that is in danger? Under 300 pages? Sign me right up! Much like one of last month's books, this does take place during/after the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our main character is this dead-end driver and he ends up helping someone take care of giant dinosaur-like monsters. I am super excited to get into this. 

Digital

4. The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem* - I was approved for an ARC of this book through NetGalley and I just cannot contain myself at all. I have already pre-ordered it and plan to read the finished copy in July when it comes out just to see the differences. The main character is a young woman who is fighting to get her country back from invaders and take her rightful place on the throne. I am totally looking forward to this. 

5. The Storm Singers by Michael Boccardi - Again, just restarting a book that I already had that I put down to participate in a readathon. We follow some swords-for-hire that end up in a situation they have no business being part of and how they are going to get themselves out of it and the effect it has on the wider world of Tefia. It was interesting and I had grabbed the pre-order for the ebook, which I'm only just now getting around to reading. 

Audio

6. Eastside Hedge Witch by T.J. Deschamps - It looked interesting and a friend of mine (known as RW for now) recommended it. It's the first volume in the Midlife Supernaturals series and is marketed as a paranormal women's fiction book, whatever that means. This woman is just trying to live the life of a standard suburban mom, but then all hell breaks loose (somewhat literally) and she's thrown back into a life she'd tried to leave behind her. I am curious about it. It sounds like the kind of literary junk food that I adore when I've read too many serious epic high fantasy novels in a row and need a mental palette cleanser.

Bonus

7. A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow* - A continuation of a book I started in May and just haven't finished yet. One of the rare times where I got an unsolicited ARC of a book (this time by an author I'd read in the past and enjoyed!). We follow a young girl who is the embodiment of long-dead god who needs to unlock this power to save the universe, if I'm remembering correctly. I have moderately high expectations. 

8. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - The audiobook from May that I made it about halfway through. I am enjoying it, I just haven't been walking around outdoors as often (the temps have been in the upper 80s/low 90s...ew). We follow Monique Grant as she interviews famous Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo for a potential tell-all biography. It's pretty interesting so far and I'm looking forward to finishing it!

* - ARCs received either by request or unsolicited for review. 

Review: All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley

I would like to start by thanking NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I received an ARC in return for an honest review.

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Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace—an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family’s coastal Maine estate. 

Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice’s peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice’s eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is drawn in by Evie’s compelling behavior and ethereal grace.  

But even as Marin settles in, she can’t escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin’s room. The children’s innocent pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.

All the Dead Lie Down is a haunting Gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love.

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We follow our main character through a summer working as a live-in nanny for a writer. The idea there was pretty interesting to me. I didn't think that I'd have any interest in following someone's nanny as they just did their normal day-to-day routine. Was I ever wrong. 

The children were so strange. Like I understand the younger girls were used to being just the two of them or quickly scaring off any other nurse-maids and nannies that their mother hired. They had no idea what they were getting into with Marin. She was not as easily swayed as those others were. She had a much different life than most of those other nannies probably did. 

The dog was odd. Like, I've never met another animal that had such a pronounced consciousness (I'm sure there's a word that is escaping me for what I mean) where Thisbe seemed almost human-like.

I loved the reveal at the end over what was actually going on with the girls and their mother. All the things that the cook knew but couldn't bring herself to talk about. The ending was beautiful and worth the read. I never would have guessed anything that came about at the end of the book. 

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All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers as of 16 May 2023

Review: A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery

I would like to start by thanking Craig Montgomery for sending me a copy of his book in return for an honest review. I hope to do your book justice, sir.

All Casper Bell has ever wanted is to belong. But now, abandoned by his friends and family after being outed, he has nothing left to lose when the people of Novilem abduct him. 

Except Earth.

Teleported to a world where stars grant humans magic, Casper discovers he has the rare ability to draw from all twelve astrological signs — a gift that makes him a political pawn for the Estellar Council. But Novilem’s inhabitants seem as hard and cold as the stone their city is carved from, and Casper’s new role leaves him more isolated than ever. Until he meets the grandson of the council’s most powerful woman. Helix is kind, playful, and heartbreakingly handsome, yet it’s the way that Helix makes him feel that gives Casper hope.

As rebellion brinks in the city, even the council starts to fracture, reaching for extreme measures that could cost Casper not only his newfound abilities, but the first place he has ever wanted to call home.

Together with Helix, he must uncover the secrets of his full potential — because the survival of Noxilem hinges on Casper’s powers, whether he’s using them or not.

Set inside a hidden lunar city where astrology is magic, and your birth sign defines your social status. A Circle of Stars is a queer young adult fantasy filled with political intrigue and romance.

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This was an interesting read. We're thrown right into the action, left just as hurt and confused as Casper is. Being thrown from his house is hard enough. Getting abducted by strangers literally the next day? Unbelievable. I really felt bad when they were just throwing phrases at him without giving him the chance to fully understand what was even happening. Kid stood no chance. 

I have a small bone to pick, though. Which is what detracted the one star from this book. Mr. Montgomery's overuse of the letter "E" in naming groups. There were three separate groups that had similar length names that all began with an E, which sometimes I got mixed up trying to remember which name belonged to which group. Perhaps in future books we can try to steer away from alliterative names? Just a thing with me. 

I knew something was up with at least Brissa. She was clearly hiding something, but I had no idea it went as far as it did. I'm glad it was as hidden, though. I couldn't quite guess what was going on and that made it just all the better when it was finally revealed. I liked how each of the Houses had their own unique "magic" related to their zodiac sign and that they weren't strictly to their own and could help one another. 

The romance was done well. The differences between Novilem and Earth are astounding. I adored Helix's befuddlement when Casper had to explain specific Earth phrases to him. It was cute seeing Novilem's golden boy absolutely lost and needing help to understand. It made him feel far more real to me to have someone from a foreign world actually not understand. 

In the end, I rated this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I know its only half of a duology, but I think part of the major conflict could have occurred earlier in the book. It felt a bit rushed at the end trying to get the BBEG boss battle through in the last like 10% of the book. I'm looking forward to picking up the sequel when it comes out!!

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A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery will be available through Amazon on 16 June 2023

May 2023 Book Haul

I may have gone a little more wild with my book buying this month than was strictly necessary...in May I purchased or acquired 7 books. 

1. The Last Word by Taylor Adams - This was my Book of the Month selection and just looked brilliant. A young woman is house sitting for a friend of hers and reads a book they recommended. After she goes online and rates it a 1/5 stars, the author threatens her that she needs to take down or change her review. That's literally all I know, and I'm not even sure that's correct. It looks amazing. 

2. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig - I grabbed this one from Audible with my credit for May. Looks interesting, and I remember hearing a lot of really good things about it from BookTok, Bookstagram, and BookTube over the last few years. So there is a good chance I will like it. I did enjoy what I'd read of Small Favors by her (which I plan to return to in June). 

3. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery - This one is a reading favorite/classic from what I gather. I was perusing the Free Little Library while I was at my nephew's birthday party, and discovered a pristine, brand new edition there. I will have to remember to take a book back eventually for them. I am curious about it and want to get to it as quickly as I can. 

4. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison - I have no idea what this is about. I saw it for $1.99 at the local Goodwill and figured I'd give it a try. I've been interested in reading Toni Morrison lately. People who read the classics (modern and later) have talked about her works and I am very curious to know more. 

5. Hear the Wind Sing/Pinball, 1973 by Haruki Murakami - Okay, firstly, it's been years since I had a flip book. The kind where there are two novels in one and when you hit the end of the first one you flip it over and start the second. I have a few other Murakami books, and this has the first two novels he's ever written in it. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

6. Future Feeling by Joss Lake - I saw a review or a currently reading, one of the two, for this on BookTok and it looked just so bizarre that I couldn't resist. It's less than 200 pages and is probably one of the most unusual books I've ever read. I've started and stopped it a few times. Hopefully I can read it soon. 

7. The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem (ARC) - I'm counting this one even though it's an ARC that I was approved for. I put the finished copy on pre-order from Barnes & Noble, but I am absolutely excited to get to this one. Hopefully before it releases in July. 

Currently Reading: 01 to 27 May 2023

Currently Reading

- Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation #3 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (30%)

- A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery (78%)

- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (41%)

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Reading Goal

31/100

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I totally skipped April, and I didn't intend to. It's been a busy month where if I wasn't reading (90% of the time), writing (like 0.05%) or working (the other 9.95%) I was unconscious. I failed Camp NaNoWriMo with flying colors. I think I only wrote like a thousand words? Maybe? Of my 15,000. So that's all said and done.

KS keeps handing me my own books that I haven't read yet, and telling me I need to read them. The first one was Moriarty which I then decided to use for the "Recommended by a friend" prompt because well, it was. She hit me with it. Then she handed me Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by [I forgot the author's name] and told me I needed to read it. Naturally I told her I'd get right to it, which is a total lie. I'm probably going to forget all about it by the middle of next week and go about reading the books that I want to read. Which is...to quote JH, "pretty Chinese boys" novels. 

I've made it 25% of the way into my reading goal for the year. Which means I'm only 8 books behind now? So if I should keep this goal, I would need to read just over 9 books per month (9.375) to meet the goal. I can totally picture being able to do it and if I can get through the last two on my list this month today, that would put me at even less. 9 books/month. 

I even only almost skipped May. Life has been oddly busy on Saturdays recently. Places to go, things to do....so that entire first, what three paragraphs, isn't even what I've accomplished. I'm actually at 31% now. I have finished literally all of the novels that were listed as currently reading and am on three all new ones, including the "pretty Chinese boys" from earlier. 

Got myself approved for a digital ARC of The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem. I pre-ordered it, then found the ARC on NetGalley and just absolutely needed it. I can't remember the last time I was this excited about a book. It's a fantasy based on Egyptian mythology. The only other book like that I've ever read, to my knowledge, is the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan. This one is more adult than that. I cannot wait to get into it. 

I've read...five books so far in May. Not bad really. Definitely more than I normally would have finished by now last year. My running average then was 2-4. So far I've read much more than that. I may actually hit my goal of 100 books. I'm only 6-7 behind. I am considering, to help this, upping the TBR goal to 9 books starting in June, instead of the normal 6. Instead of 3 Print, 2 Digital, 1 Audio I am considering moving it to 4 Print, 3 Digital, 2 Audio. That way I can try to rocket through what I am behind on. 

In any event, I will close here. I pretty much have been reading and finishing books. I'll see you all in JUNE!!