Stacking the Shelves--The Before Edition

 

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! The meme is now hosted by Reading Reality.

Another week in the books. Man this one was rough! I swear, every time I start to think work might be finally slowing down we're bombarded with a huge wave of requests and it's nuts. I peeked at my inbox on Friday afternoon after I was already gone and saw I had a HUGE request that I would need to do on Monday. Me being Me, I started doing some lowkey setting up. Basically filling out the documents I know will need to be filled out before I can request anything and that let me check to make sure things looked "good" before I get into the meat of things. So yeah. Fun times. I did attend one signing this week! Elizabeth Kostova came to St. Louis. You're probably thinking...what on earth was I doing there? Lol. Well, a million years ago, or what feels like it, I read The Historian! Back in those dark, lonely days where I could not find a vampire (or werewolf, or ghost, or witchy or fantastically magical) read I would pick up random like titles and The Historian was one of them! It had an essence of vampire at least and I still had my worn out copy I bought in paperback at Target ever so looooong ago and I wanted to get it signed! Then I spontaneously preordered Mystery Play, her new book at the last B&N preorder sale as it takes place in the same world with a loose connection to things that happened back in The Historian. Granted I read that mammoth too long ago to remember anything but Elizabeth said you don't have to have read that one to enjoy this one so I'm going for it...one day! Lol.

Here's what I got this week:

Love You to Death by Jenna Levine
White Mountain by Ruby Jean Cottle
A Darker Act by Amy Goldsmith
Monstera by Delilah S. Dawson
Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova--SIGNED!

And then I also got my Fairy Loot book for this month! I had forgotten that this particular title was the month's pick, which is fine! I was interested in it anyway! The cover is interesting and the edges are vibrant. I can't decide if I love or not. It's one of those odd kind of ones but yeah, still cool!

And then after a long wind of being very good about not requesting any ARCs, I broke down and requested something and got it right away! It sounded too good to pass up.

Forsaken Crown by Jenna Wolfhart (ARC)

THANK YOU Red Tower Books!

And then finally, as promised here are a few pictures of my new home...of course, none of the rooms look like this anymore! Lol. So this is basically the before pictures. We've ripped out the carpet to be replaced and then we're redoing the kitchen and the flooring on the main level as well. We originally weren't going to but then my dad thought we should and it was good that we did as we found a small patch of mold on the bare floor beneath. We've since attacked it with bleach and it's pretty much gone. We'll probably do one more round and then paint over it just to be safe as it wasn't that much. We think the water heater might have leaked at one point but all is good now. So hopefully sometime this year I might be able to move in! Lol.

So starting at the top from left to right, we have the main bedroom where we started ripping up carpet before I realized I forgot to take my before pictures! Lol. The carpet looks "nice" as it was vacuumed recently, but it was still a bit smelly and there was still dog hair all over the place and it was rather worn out in the main areas. So it needed to go. 

Then we have a smaller room which I plan to turn into my office.

A spare bedroom.

My kitchen is the next two. It's small, but I'll make it work. The hard part is figuring out where I'll store my "backup" supplies of stuff.

The living room.

And finally the basement. We plan to fix this up a bit so I can store all my books down here where it's a little cooler and such. There's AC throughout the house and it's essentially the biggest room in the house, so the library it will be! Lol. I'm also pondering if I can wrap fairy lights around the ceiling banisters or whatever you call them! Just have to follow the trail to see where they'd plug in and if it's accessible. We're kind of making the updates from top to bottom, so to speak, so my library room will likely be last. But one always saves the best for last anyway! Lol.

There will be bookcases scattered throughout the house as well, wherever I manage to fit one or two. Already thinking about putting three in the spare room as I wanted to make that a "reading/sitting" type room, but my mom suggested a daybed and I've reluctantly agreed. lol.

I'll definitely share all the after pictures once we finish the updates and I get moved in and have everything setup. Might be awhile until that happens since we are approaching the holidays but finished pictures will come along...eventually!

And that was it for me this week! What all did you get?

Book Blogger Hop #433

 

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

This week's question is: If you designed a book-themed escape room, what puzzles would be part of it?

MY ANSWER: Oh man! I am bad at puzzles like this! I can't always remember my trivia questions either! I guess it would kind of depend on if I made it a specific theme, like towards one book/series/author. But in the general bookish sense I would maybe have players arrange a book series in order, like a nice long running one! Or a match the author name to their pen name for the ones who write under more than one name. Or a book that's been reprinted multiple times and you have to put the covers in publishing order, like which is the OG followed by the first reprint, then the second, and so on! Random things like that but then of course it will only be doable if people know said authors/books. Lol. You put me in a similar room with similar games but with authors I've never heard of and I ain't getting out! Lol.

Books from the Backlog #207

 

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks. This is a fun meme hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books!

The dazzling conclusion to #1 New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead's The Glittering Court series.

Meet Tamsin, the Glittering Court's hard-angled emerald. Her outsized aspirations make her a fierce competitor, rising to the top of the ranks. But when the ship she boards for the New World is tragically lost at sea, she is quite literally thrown off-course.

I added Richelle Mead's The Emerald Sea to my TBR pile in June of 2018, so when it released! I remember she toured here for the book so I was able to get the rest of my collection by her signed which was awesome! But alas! I STILL have not finished this trilogy! I read the first book and liked it well enough, I think I missed the paranormal vibes but if I recall there was still some sort of magic vibe to this...or maybe it was just mysterious? I can't recall! I still want to finish it as I believe it's still the last book Mead wrote. Which I vaguely remember her mentioning she wasn't under contract for anything so she was going to explore other worlds or stories and see what comes to her. Something like that. But I'm thinking, it's been eight years and I haven't seen anything from her lately. Sigh....and yes, I am getting sad about this when I still have 2 more books of hers to read! Lol.

Review--The Emperor's Enemy by Jasmine Mas

 

When the hunter is hunted… who becomes prey?

The Emperor’s Enemy is an addictive true enemies-to-lovers dark romantasy with a heroine who doesn’t need saving, an enemy she can’t escape, and a war neither of them plans to lose.

Welcome to the Unsurvivable Love Duet, the all-new series by Jasmine Mas, bestselling author of Blood of Hercules. The limited deluxe edition features beautifully designed sprayed edges, a foil-stamped case, and full-color character art endpapers—available while supplies last!
Zora Ravenal didn’t join the Crimson Army to be a hero. She joined to destroy the empire.

A skilled hunter hardened by loss with a concerning capacity for stubbornness, Zora claws her way into becoming a Knight Mage: the Commonwealth’s deadliest defense against the Empire’s storm magic and her people’s only hope.

It almost works.

Now she’s stuck in a war she can’t walk away from, hiding dangerous secrets, and shoved into very close quarters with the one man she should never be alone with.

He’s a Royal Mage with a body count, a temper, and an unsettling obsession… with her.

Now they’re partners.

Sort of.

If “partners” means being forced to train together, trust each other with their lives, and somehow not kill each other in the process.

But the Royal Mage isn’t just dangerous—he’s paying attention. And the longer they’re forced to remain in each other’s orbit, the more twisted everything becomes. Who’s hunting who?

Oh my! The Emperor's Enemy by Jasmine Mas was purely epic! This was my first book by the author and I am definitely continuing this series because it was fantastic! Life naturally got in my way immediately upon starting this one and kept trenching onto my reading time so it took me longer than usual to get through this one but it was in no way the book's fault! This was a lovely escape from reality and I cannot wait for the next installment!

I want to address the setting of this one first, it's fantasy...but yet...is it? I felt like we had a few nods to more modern "things" whether weaponry or clothing or some other such thing. I always find this FASCINATING! I love a good fantasy that feels somewhat modern. It breaches the fantasy/dystopian lines and it just makes for entertaining reading for me at least!

Zora has long wanted to be a Knight so that she may be able to fight for her country/kingdom can't recall the exact term we used for home location. When she passes the test and reveals that she is far more powerful than anticipated, the Marshal wants to use her for secret covet missions. Ever since she caught Tarantula, the (evil) Emperor's assassin, she has gained a bit of notoriety. Since she captured him, he's been her prisoner ever since and now the Marshal thinks Zora should have him train her to enhance her skills.

I can see how this book might not be for everyone. The pacing is a tad on the slow side, yet it was the character dynamics that kept me going! I LOOOVED the hate relationship between Zora and Tarantula, because you pretty much know what's going to happen between them given the context of the story and how the book is being marketed. That being said, the romance doesn't play a huge part in the story itself, or perhaps because it takes a very long time to develop. Then the question also becomes, is it truly romance?

But truly the shining light of this book was Squire, Zora's animal companion who is a talking Owl and he is just so cute and funny! Any heated or intense or dire moment is broken up into hysterics with his little quips! I love a good animal companion/sidekick and Squire truly takes the cake!

This book was a rollercoaster of an adventure! From start to finish I was fairly hooked its in grasp and I did not want to put it down despite the demands of reality! While the ending is somewhat cliffhangery in the terms of it being a "duet," I feel like it stopped at a fairly decent pause! Of course, every duology cliffhanger is a bit difficult to endure, I feel like this one wasn't as bad as it could have been! Still eagerly awaiting the next installment!

If you're wanting a read that blends fantasy and possibly dystopian in some extreme terms, then The Emperor's Enemy might just be up your alley! It is an action packed read filled with magic and nefarious characters that makes you wonder who you ought to be rooting for! I can't wait to see how it will continue!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Can't Wait Wednesday #270

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

For most of her life, eighteen-year-old Lana thought she was ordinary. But when fractured childhood memories resurface, she remembers the Lana is a Chapel, heir to one of the most powerful and feared magical families in existence.

In a world where magical families rule from the shadows, the Velascos, the Chapel family's oldest rivals, have warred with them for generations. But when a new, bloodthirsty magical family threatens to wipe them both out, the Chapels and Velascos are forced into a desperate alliance. And Lana must bind her magic with Gage Velasco, her sworn enemy.

The binding was supposed to be an Enmity spell, designed to unite their hatred into strength. Instead, it becomes an Eros binding - one rooted in love. Worse still, binding is one of the Seven Deadly Spells, and the only way it can be broken is for one of them to die.

But as the lines blur between duty and desire, Lana must protect her legacy or follow her heart into ruin.

I remember reading Weatherly's Angel trilogy ages ago and really liking it! It took me a bit to get into it, but once I did I was hooked! Not sure how I lost touch with her books as I am seeing she did have a few more release after that so now I have some decision making to do! This one does sound good though, so it's definitely on the list!

TITLE: Seven Deadly Spells
AUTHOR: L.A. Weatherly
PUBLISHER: Tempest
GENRE: YA Paranormal
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2026

Brigid Kemmerer returns with the sizzling, high-stakes sequel to the #1 international bestseller Warrior Princess Assassin—where the betrayals are deeper, the magic burns brighter, and love might be the most dangerous weapon of all.

CAPTIVE. Asher has always sworn loyalty to Jory, the princess he’s loved from afar—but now the King of Incendar has claimed a place in his heart too. Someone wants them both dead, and only Asher’s blade can keep them safe. Yet his past won’t let him go, and he must decide if he can break free—or remain prisoner to his old scars.

TRAITOR. Princess Jory of Astranza agreed to marry the King of Incendar to secure peace, but betrayal runs closer than she ever imagined. With her own brother unmasked as her enemy, two kingdoms teeter on the edge. To protect her people, she must take the throne. But there are still dark secrets to unravel that will force Jory to confront where her true allegiance lies.

KING. Maddox Kyronan has discovered trust—and something more—with his reluctant bride and her deadly protector, but the fragile alliance between their nations threatens to unravel. His people are starving. His enemies are circling in. Torn between the crown and his heart, Ky risks losing it all.

As buried truths surface and tensions reach a breaking point, Jory, Asher, and Ky must confront the desires that could save their kingdoms—or shatter them forever.

While I am still not super big on this Why Choose trope, I do enjoy Kemmerer's writing and while the romance aspects can be eyeroll worthy at times ) I am still intrigued by the rest of the story! Maybe this second installment will help change my mind on the Why Choose...not super likely, but we'll see! Lol. Still want to read it!

TITLE: Captive Traitor King
AUTHOR: Brigid Kemmerer
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday #699

 

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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Book Covers with Autumnal Colors (submitted by Wordy Witterings)

*in no particular order
**going with red, orange, and yellow covers for this one!

10. SHADOW REAPER by Lynette Noni
9. SEASONS OF FLESH AND FLAME by A.G. Howard
8. THE TEMPTATION OF MAGIC by Megan Scott--more gold than yellow, but right part of the colorwheel!

7. THE MIST THIEF by L.J. Andrews
6. SECONDHAND LUCK by Kim Harrison
5. THE MEDIATOR: Twilight by Meg Cabot

4. THE LAST RAVEN by Helen Glynn Jones
3. IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros
2. REALM BREAKER by Victoria Aveyard--I could've used Fourth Wing, obviously, but I like to challenge myself by not using multiple covers from the same series! Sometimes author, but I usually let myself if they are different series! Lol.

1. TO CAGE A WILD BIRD by Brooke Fast

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson (4 stars)

Currently Reading:

The Emperor's Enemy by Jasmine Mas

What I Plan to Read Next:

The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn

Other Posts of Interest:

Top Ten Tuesday #698
Can't Wait Wednesday #269
Books from the Backlog #206
Book Blogger Hop #432
Stacking the Shelves--Super Tired Edition

Stacking the Shelves--Super Tired Edition

 

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! The meme is now hosted by Reading Reality.

Another long week done. Seriously counting down the days to November as that's just about when we start to slow down at work. It's still been pretty nuts this week. I just can't wait for this busy season to be over. Incredibly grateful to have a job after we lost people, but this busy season has been rough with two less on our team. Yesterday was the busiest day of all! I woke up super early to head to the library where they host the annual St. Lous Teen Author Book Festival. It's been in December the past several years but they moved it to October this year. I lined up early, because you never know what the crowd will be like. I was dismayed to learn that one of the two authors that I wanted to meet had to pull out at the last second. The other author I did get to meet was Ayana Gray! I still need to read Hawk & Sparrow, but it was nice to get my FL copy signed! Then after spending all day there, I went to join my parents for our monthly volunteer work at our local American Legion where we work in the kitchen during Bingo night. I'm writing this post after a very long day, so I am wiped out. I promise pictures of my new house in its "before" stage are coming. I just have so little energy right now that it's taking everything I have left to write this post with bleary eyes. 

Anyway...onto the books! More preorders came in, then I had an impulse order that I legit did the day before B&N's sale which aggravated me, so I even more impulsively purchased a random book from my list to get some double point action! Yeah...I've got problems. Lol.

A Masterpiece in Blood by Megan Scott--I think this one was a duology? My brain is overtired, so I can't remember how long the series was or is projected to go. This was a B&N preorder sale pick so it showed up this week!
Reap & Sow by Charlotte B. Plumb
Little Red Death by Alexandra Benedict--randomly found this one the old fashioned way and had to get it!
The Stolen Crown by L.J. Andrews--my very, very bad addiction of buying books to a series I still need to start...someone talk me out of doing this! I don't know what my problem is! Lol
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return by Amy Jo Johnson--so I started listening to the Boy Meets World podcast a few months ago and I listened to a random interview they had with Amy as I LOVED the Power Rangers and particularly Amy's character and it was through this that I learned she helped to create this comic book series (4 issues) of the 90s Power Rangers some years later. It just sounded SO cool and I had to get it!
Dive Bar At the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong
Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray
Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray--Target edition!
The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth--cannot wait to read this one! But likely will be waiting until next year when I have the second installment in hand!
Hollow's Hauntology by Evelyn Hollow--odd that Goodreads has the title wrong on its image. But I stumbled upon this one somewhere and marked it on my list so when the B&N sale popped up I just ordered this randomly because I really wanted double points! Lol. Plus it does sound like an intriguing read! Like a book Sam & Dean would find helpful!

And that was it for me this week! Definitely got more than I remembered ordering. And I even did good at avoiding Target's Buy 2, Get 1 Sale. I mean, I looked...but ultimately talked myself out of it! Lol. 

What did you get this week?