Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker. 

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

 

"Feelings returned slowly to me. My back ached. Something heavy was on me. My leg was twisted. My shoulder hurt. I tasted blood in my mouth. I was still alive." p 12

TITLE: Outtakes from the Grave
AUTHOR: Jeaniene Frost
PUBLISHER: Self
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: December 22, 2015

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: My Top 10 Bookish Wishes

*in no particular order
**nothing is expected but if you think to...thank you ever so much! <3

***My Amazon Wishlist

10. THE BLOOD COUNTESS by Shelley Puhak--one of the very rare non-fiction books that caught my eye! I mean it is also related to vampire mythos...but HISTORICALLY accurate vampire mythos! ;)
9. TURNS OF FATE by Anne Bishop--still can't believe I missed buying this one!
8. TO LOVE A GRIMM by Christina Farley--fairy tale retellings always catch my eye!

7. BOUND TO YOU by Alyssa Brandon--I am both equal parts a werewolf girlie AND a vampire girlie!
6. THE IMMORTAL'S LIFE by Jade Christy--case in point! lol V V
5. A THORN IN EVERY HEART by Kate King--just love this one's cover! And the story concept, of course!

4. HOW TO FAKE A HAUNTING by Christa Carmen--read a review for this awhile ago and it sounded soo good! Love when the spooky becomes real! Although, not anything I would want to experience myself! Lol.
3. THE POSSESSION OF ALBA DIAZ by Isabel Canas--this one sounded good too!

2. A SEA OF UNSPOKEN THINGS by Adrienne Young--still need to try her adult books and they all sound amazing!

1. BITTER MAGIC by Jana Oliver--I truly, truly must finish this series! I lost track of it when Jana started self publishing the rest of the books!

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 Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion (4 stars)
The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (5 stars)

Review That Was Posted:

 The Raven at the Ash Door by K.A. Linde (ARC) (5 stars)

Currently Reading:

Outtakes from the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

What I Plan to Read Next:

Both Feet in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays
Can't Wait Wednesday #252
Books from the Backlog #190
Book Blogger Hop #415
Stacking the Shelves--The MIA Edition

Stacking the Shelves--The MIA 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.

I write this post early on Saturday again as I have evening plans. Also TODAY I WILL BE MIA! Yup, I'm doing another of my 1-day road trips! I'll be driving to Nashville to meet Brynne Weaver and won't be back until later tonight, so I won't be around for my usual commenting. But I'll be back on Monday, so be sure to leave your links if you comment and I'll try to stop by then, but I also have a signing to attend Monday night, so I probably won't be coherent until Wednesday at the earliest! Lol.

This week I attended a Fantasy Author signing where I got to meet Tara Sim and Clare Sager and Summer England! It was a fun and somewhat exhausting night! That area of town and the path to get there is just sooo stressful, I really wish the bookstore would stop hosting signings there. The rest of the week was more mundane and normal. I got some new reads this week and a very special surprise that had me squealing! 

Here's what I got this week:

Nobody's Quest by Alyssa Day--an impulse purchase, lol
You First by Caroline Kepnes--still need to read last year's You book but also excited for this one!
Black River by Ruby Jean Cottle--vampires, need I say more?

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout--ApollyCon Edition, SIGNED! I may never ever, ever, ever, ever get to attend but I am still eligible to buy the books! I was just telling myself I needed to stop doing this but then I saw this edition and I was like okay...just one more! Lol. But it has POPPIES on the sprayed edges! How could I say no to that?

And then at long last, my Fairy Loot edition of Holly arrived! I forgot how long this one got delayed, but it's here and beautiful!

Holly by Adalyn Grace--Fairy Loot edition

And then, the BEST part of my week arrived on Friday and I was on pins and needles HOPING that this was what I thought it was...and it was!

It is the Apple Coin Pin for The Mirror of Infinite Endings! This preorder freebie apparently went lightning fast and I panicked and was worried that I goofed my typing since I was going so fast as I thought there would be some sort of confirmation email that came after submitting, there wasn't and then before I could try double checking or something it was gone! But the pin arrived, and I did not know it was a pin as I thought it was just a coin! Lol. But I LOVE IT!

THANK YOU Flatiron Books!!!

And that was my haul this week! What all did you get?

Review--The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Night Huntress series comes a thrilling new look at the iconic origin story of Cat and Bones, as experienced by Bones…from the other half of the grave.

There are two sides to every story–and the sizzling British alpha vampire, Bones, has a lot to say…

Ever wondered what Bones was thinking and feeling when he and half-vampire Cat Crawfield first met? Or how their story might differ if he were the one telling it? Now, relive the beginning of Cat and Bones' bestselling love story through Bones' point of view, which reveals a darker, sexier take on their early days, as well as a deeper dive into Bones' past, the vampire world, and other things that Cat didn't see when their story was told only through her eyes in Halfway to the Grave.

Cat had her say. Now, it's Bones' turn.

As a longtime fan of the Night Huntress series, I was ecstatic that Jeaniene Frost wrote the first (two) book[s] from Bones' point of view! I did tend to wonder what he was thinking since we were in Cat's point of view for the series. The Other Half of the Grave is basically, Halfway to the Grave but all Bones' point of view and man was that a trip! Halfway to the Grave was one of the last books I can remember re-reading back when I had nothing new to read, little did I know my TBR pile was about to come toppling down on me in a few years! Lol. Coming back to this book but from a new persepective was like coming home.

Bones has been a vampire for over two hundred years and there's a lot he's seen and very little he hasn't seen. That is until the night he meets Cat Crawfield when she ends up killing the very vampire he was hunting. Bones is looking for a particular vampire who he was hired to kill because said vampire is up to some very nefarious dealings and Bones is never one to walk away from an opportunity. But then Cat shows up and ruins all his plans. He's sure she's working for the enemy but finds out otherwise the very next night.

Cat--as we all know--is a half-vampire hybrid who hunts vampires in retribution for the vampire who raped her mother and thus created her. Her skills are not top notch but aren't half bad either, so Bones offers her a deal to help train her in exchange that she doesn't kill him and he'll let her help hunt other vampires while he looks for the Big Bad.

Bones' point of view was very interesting! I will say that. I always wondered what Bones was thinking and how genuine he was at certain moments. And what we learn is ultimately revealing about his character and honestly, made me love him even more than I did wayyy back when I first "met" him! Lol.

This book truly was a fangirl moment from beginning to end! Though the years have been many, I still remembered quite a bit about this book. So there were no ultimate surprises, but I did enjoy the trip down memory lane and I could practically hear Bones' sexy English accent! After all this time, my heart still beats madly for that vampire! lol.

If you love a good Urban Fantasy series with hot vampires and lots of butt kicking action a la' Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then this series is definitely one to check out! I enjoyed the added modern day touches Jeaniene mentions adding it. It brought a smile to my face thinking how easier things were just a handful of years ago, but here we are now! Lol.

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Book Blogger Hop #415

 

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

This week's topic is: How do you decide which books to highlight on your blog? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee-Addicted Writer)

MY ANSWER: Well, I post a review to every book I read on my blog. I don't do too many random book spotlight posts anymore. In the early days I would highlight any new cover I stumbled upon or signed up to share. Usually, it was me stumbling upon it on Goodreads. This was before Instagram and TikTok took off, so wanting to share cover reveals of amazing books, blogging about it was the way to go! So pretty much any book I love/like or like the look of, it gets highlighted on my blog in some way!

Books from the Backlog #190

 

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!

Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic isn’t like other traveling circuses. It’s bound by a charm, held together by a centuries-old curse, that protects its members from ever growing older or getting hurt. Emmaline King is drawn to the circus like a moth to a flame…and unwittingly recruited into its folds by a mysterious teen boy whose kiss is as cold as ice.

Forced to travel through Texas as the new Girl in the Box, Emmaline is completely trapped. Breaking the curse seems like her only chance at freedom, but with no curse, there’s no charm, either—dooming everyone who calls the Carnival Fantastic home. Including the boy she’s afraid she’s falling for.

Everything—including his life—could end with just one kiss.

I added Jaime Questell's By a Charm & a Curse to my TBR pile in February of 2018 for real this time! Lol. I remember reading good reviews on it and it made me want to give a it a try. So on the TBR pile it sits still. It sounded mysterious enough and who doesn't love a mystery with magic surrounding a circus? I just hope there aren't killer clowns.

Can't Wait Wednesday #252

 

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.

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan is back with an epic romantasy set in the world of A Fire in the Sky, about a girl on the hunt for the witch who cursed her, unaware of her own dormant power…waiting to emerge.

For ten long years, Arden has been invisible, trapped in her village by a spell she cannot break. She listens to friends chatter, watches her family grieve, but can never touch, speak, or be seen. Living like a ghost among those who’ve forgotten her, she dreams of vengeance against the witch who cursed her.

Until one fateful day, her village is devoured in flame, and everything changes.

From the wreckage rises a pride of dragons that can transform into humans. Their piercing eyes slice through her curse, and for the first time in a decade, Arden can be seen.

Swept off to the Crags by the enigmatic alpha dragon, Tage, Arden is forced into a world of fire and power, where danger lurks in every shadow. Though she plots her escape at every turn, Tage’s fiery intensity and undeniable magnetism spark an unwilling response in her.

But Arden’s fate is bound to a secret she has yet to uncover, a magic older and more perilous than she could ever imagine. With war on the horizon, Arden must decide whether to trust the dragon she swore to defy, harness the wild magic around her, or risk losing everything.

Sometimes all it takes to break a curse… is to cast another spell.

I loved Sophie Jordan's A Fire in the Sky series! The first two books concluded with those characters' arcs, from the sounds of this one, we're looking at new characters. I remember they were mentioned in the epilogue of the final book. What I want to know is, if this will be another "duology" within the series or not. My mentality and heart cannot handle the wait between those duologies and I've made the mistake of starting a few still and not having the time to get back to that final book still! Ack!

TITLE: Spellcast
AUTHOR: Sophie Jordan
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Lion & the Deathless Dark – the first book in the Bloodborn Duet.

Some blood tastes like vengeance. Some blood tastes like grief. Some blood tastes like nothing at all.

Under an eternal night, the world has been ravaged by ten years of war between humans and vampires. Kyrene scrapes by as a bounty hunter, bearing a blessed sword from the goddess of justice. But in the wake of a devastating loss, Kyrene commits a crime that makes her a target for mortals and gods alike – and she is still desperate for vengeance.

Her only chance at survival – and revenge – is making a deal with her enemy, the silver-tongue vampire prince, Septimus, who offers her one final to slay the gods themselves.

Together, Kyrene and Septimus must hunt the ultimate marks, all while navigating a web of prophecies and curses. Septimus is calculating and mysterious, masking secrets bloodthirsty enough to consume them both. Yet, most dangerous of all, Kyrene finds an unexpected kinship in him.

But their growing attraction is deadly in a world where the only currency is blood. And Kyrene will stop at nothing to fulfill her ultimate to kill the goddess of vampires, even if it means sacrificing love for revenge.

Falling so behind on this series! I still need to read the last "duet" AND the mega novella! 

TITLE: The Lion & The Deathless Dark
AUTHOR: Carissa Broadbent
PUBLISHER: Bramble
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: August 4, 2026

Review--Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion

 

After a group of teens visits a dangerous island where three are left behind, the surviving girls realize they must return to confront the sinister force hunting them. This dark YA thriller is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

Eight were lost. Five were found. None will ever be free.

For Evie Williams, life is about to get a lot more complicated. Haunted by the events of a school trip to Hollow Lake National Park that went disastrously wrong, Evie and her friends returned changed, their lives forever marked by the mysterious Island they encountered—and the three girls they left behind.

Now, someone is picking off those who were involved, one by one. Their families, friends, and even online investigators are all caught in a deadly game. The stakes are raised when Evie receives a chilling to save her loved ones, she must return to the Island.

As Evie and the other "Lost Girls" navigate the treacherous terrain of the Island once more, they must confront the secrets they’ve buried, the horrors they witnessed, and the person—or thing—that’s hunting them. But some secrets refuse to stay hidden, and the Island demands a price for freedom.

Rebekah Faubion's debut, Lost Girls of Hollow Lake was a chilling supernatural thriller that has so many twists and turns and deadly intrigue that it was hard not to devour this book in one go! I nearly would've if I started this earlier than I did! Lol.

I'm always up for a good YA thriller and if there's a supernatural twist, I am even more intrigued! I've never seen an episode of Yellow Jackets, so I can't speak to how the comparison of that works with this one. That being said, I definitely got a bit of LOST and The Lord of the Flies vibes going on. Not explicit comparisons but the vibes were definitely ringing true!

Evie is our heroine and she was one of five survivors when eight girls went missing on an island that no one can see...or at least that not everyone can see. That part itself was trippy, and very resonate with LOST too! Evie and a class of students were doing extra credit type activities in the woods across from this mysterious island and when all of the girls in her cabin could see it, they decide to sneak out at night and "visit" it, because why not? But honestly, with all the local legends and horror stories surrounding this island, why would you want to? But that's just me!

The girls end up getting lost for nearly a month. They can't tell if they made it to the mysterious island or if they are still on the mainland. It's foggy and their sense of direction is cloudy, so they are essentially stuck on a creepy island where creepy things are seen and felt. 

The book largely takes place in present day which is few months after the girls made it home. We are treated to alternating chapters that show us what happened during that time and it's essentially whackado! It's so bizarre and confounding, but it does eventually paint an eerie picture.

Back in the present day, however, people connected to the incident are being murdered. We even get excerpts of seeing this happen which is always surreal! But when the evidence points to one of the missing and confirmed dead girls being the possible culprit, Evie isn't convinced, but it's clear someone connected to what happened to them might be behind these grisly murders.

This was quite the chilling tale! It's got definitely slasher vibes when it came to the murdery bits. Like any YA thriller, there is a thread of romance between Evie and one of the girls, but the romantic interludes were sparse, which is my preference when it comes to thrillers. There's a psychotic killer on the loose, now's not the time to make out! Lol.

I do want to forewarn any fellow animal readers out there, there is a dog in here who is loyal to a fault to Evie. The sweetest and most protective dog. But Rebekah herself has an animal menagerie as said in her bio, so you can deduce how she will do things when things happen. I did not need tissues, so take faith in that!

All in all, Lost Girls of Hollow Lake was a chilling supernatural thriller with an eerie mystery to it. The murderous rampage of the killer made it a struggle to figure out whodunit, but the answer made sense in the end...in its own way! Needless to say, I didn't figure it out this go around, but that's just as exciting as figuring out sometimes! Lol. If you're looking for a creepy read for when you go camping (or just anytime!) be sure to check this one out!

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker. 

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

"'And by the Chosen One, you mean me? All because it says so in some book someone found buried in a wall? Oh, come on.' I guffawed, but the air around me did seem to be getting chillier. 'You know this is basically the beginning of every supernatural horror film ever made, right? You can't actually believe it.'" p 24

TITLE: Enchanted to Meet You
AUTHOR: Meg Cabot
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
RELEASE DATE: September 5, 2023

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 Books with Handwriting on the Cover

*in no particular order

10. RHAPSODIC by Laura Thalassa
9. SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING by Kelley Armstrong--bonus, it's multiple handwriting looks!
8. I FEED HER TO THE BEAST... by Jamison Shea--definitely a creepy kind of handwriting!

7. PRINCE OF GLASS & MIDNIGHT by Linsey Miller
6. SWEET UNREST by Celia Crosby--apparently GR removed this version from their library as I had a helluva time trying to find it! I had to login to my account to find it and was told I could no longer rate/review it because it had been removed. Weird.
5. WE TOLD SIX LIES by Victoria Scott--apparently I equate cursive to handwriting!

4. JULIET IMMORTAL by Stacey Jay
3. THE SHADOW by Marianne Curley
2. EMBERS by Laura Bickle

1. ENCHATED TO MEET YOU by Meg Cabot--ironic timing! Lol.