Stacking the Shelves--The ACFTL Edition: Part 6...The Untold Sequel

 

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. 

This was the first full week of work I've had for awhile actually! Lol. Trying to use up vacation days in the final countdown is always tough. But luckily we've a bigger team now so getting some days in hasn't been as hard as it was last year. I will likely only lose a few hours now when I get my last two checks for the year. Really ought to remember how many I get per check, but oh well. Working from home is nice, so if I end up losing some time off it's not a total loss. Work has finally slowed down and will likely remain steady until the next busy season, so that will be nice! Other than that things have been pretty tame! I went to a fun little author event that might finally be a regular thing for my area! It was a YA author event. Sadly, one of the two authors I was going to see cancelled but I still got to see Kendare Blake (again!) and get to tell her how much I love the Buffy books and she even recognized ME from past events! I forgot when she last toured here...I think it was with one of the Three Dark Crown books...and possibly even one before that too! AND I have another signing coming up this week with Renee Ahdieh! I will get to have all the copies of The Beautiful Quartet signed which is always nice for my OCD! Lol.

And uh, yeah, about that title up there...turns out I had a few more copies of ACFTL that I didn't anticipate getting so soon! But this should be the final part now. Until more international editions get published that I have to get for the rest of the sets I started! Lol!

Okay, so literally after I got this post scheduled the missing preorders magically arrived along with other goodies! I had written a whole paragraph about my tears that they did not arrive like usual, but then they appeared...probably the second I hit SCHEDULE! Lol. So this post just got a whole lot happier!

 

Okay, finally...here's what I got:

The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber--sprayed edges from Bookish Signs & More!
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber--I had bought OUABH awhile back when I saw she had extras and really liked the purple at the time! So I thought why not complete the set? I especially love how TBONA looks!

 

Then I got my Fairy Loot copy of ACFTL!

A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber--Fairy Loot edition! I kept seeing all the UK people getting their copies and was dying! I was trying not to look at all the pictures that showed off endpages or the hidden cover as I wanted that to be a surprise for myself at least! Hence, why I only shared the cover and edges! This purple is beyond beautiful though! I am in love with it!

Then I got my Indonesian copy of ACFTL as well! I just got the "standard" set that just came with a few extra goodies! I think a tote bag was another offer, but I have sooo many of those I didn't need another one! I tend to use the same 1 or 2 since they are of excellent quality!

A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber--Indonesian edition

it came with a bookmark
a double sided postcard with Jacks & Evangeline
a doubled sided map from the second and third books

Then my preorders for Tuesday finally came! I was shocked that these hadn't arrived as I usually get preorders the week they release and was quite sad that these were supposedly coming later, but THEY ARRIVED!

 

To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn
Coaching Fire by Victoria Laurie--I STILL need to start this series, but I think I need to read at least 1 more Abby Cooper book (if I recall correctly) to be in the right timeline for this spinoff series! Again, it's likely I don't "have" to do this, but as I said with a previous discussion, this is just what I do! Lol.

And then my November YA Fairy Loot book arrived:

I'll admit, I wasn't too jazzed about this book choice. But since my skips are fairly low and I didn't get around to skipping it in time, I got it. Decided not to share it since I hadn't seen it around yet. I don't tend to share it unless I happen across it before my copy arrives. Lol.

Then my GRAND PRIZE for winning the 3rd Annual An Apple for Jacks Contest came in from Flatiron Books! I had won an Apple Pencil!

THANK YOU SO MUCH Flatiron Books!

Then I got my preoreder gift for The Hunting Moon! I ordered a signed copy from GC Reading and am still waiting for that one to arrive. Luckily, it was a keeper copy so I don't mind the wait!

THANK YOU Tor Teen!

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

 

Challenges Monthly Wrap-up: November

CHALLENGE 1: 2023 Series Enders Reading Challenge

The Ruined by Renee Ahdieh (The Beautiful Quartet)

CHALLENGE 2: 2023 Discussion Challenge

Endpoints
Travel Limits
Goodreads Choice Awards
Reading Order

 

 

CHALLENGE 3: 2023 New Release Challenge

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (9/19/23)
Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong (2/21/23)
Those We Drown by Amy Goldsmith (6/27/23)

CHALLENGE 4: The Backlist Reader Challenge 2023

Lore by Alexandra Bracken (1/5/21)

 

Book Blogger Hop

 

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

 

 

 

This week's question is: Do you read multiple books at once? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

 

 

 

MY ANSWER: Nope. Just one! Lol. Nowadays I am likely to cross wires with names, plots, details and whatnot. It's just easier on myself if I read one book at a time. It's what I've always preferred! I really can't remember a time when I did read multiples. I might have tried to at one point, but it was too chaotic so I stopped. Lol. Back in school days when I had to read 2-3 books for different classes, I still added 1 more so I could have one of my books to keep my brain from frying...so I could relax and such. I might have skimmed some of those other books for class. Shhh, don't tell! Lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review--Lore by Alexandra Bracken

 

From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Darkest Minds comes a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love and redemption.

Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family's sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory. For years she's pushed away any thought of revenge against the man--now a god--responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to bind her fate to Athena's and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost--and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

 

I've been meaning to read Lore by Alexandra Bracken pretty much since I got it in a Fairy Loot box in 2021! So better late than never I guess! Being a fan of Greek mythology I was excited to see what this one would be about. Granted, I did think it would be more of a "Medusa" book based on the US cover, but that's not what I got. Instead, I read about an intriguing battle between the gods and goddesses taking place on Earth in modern day.

Lore has been "out" of the gods' game for years. Ever since she lost her parents to the battles that take place she wanted no part of it and kept herself hidden from the gods for years. Several years ago, when her family was still alive, she was training to take part in it, but when she came home one day to find her family murdered, she decided she was done with it all.

Flash forward to modern day and Lore has recently lost her mentor and pseudo guardian. She's trying to get by in life by participating in underground fights to make a decent chunk of change. But when she sees an old friend as her next competitor, Lore is shaken as she thought Castor had died. He's come to her because he needs her help concerning the gods' game.

The choice to play or not is taken from her when Athena shows up at her doorstep injured and needing help. Teaming up with old friends and ones thought lost, Lore is ready to search for Athena's missing shield that will be a game changer in this war, but trouble lies all around them.

This was an interesting book. I admit, it wasn't smart to start such an epic story around the holidays where my reading time was sucked up with family time. So the extra reading time has kind of muddled with my memory recall since it took me way longer to read this than I anticipated. Perhaps that's why I might have felt lost at times or when I was reading with massive distractions all around me.

I'll admit that I thought the Medusa myth might come into play a little more than it did. Really there's only mentioning of Medusa since she is on the aforementioned shield. I guess in part, that was why I was a little disappointed with the story. Lore was not a relation to Medusa at all. 

There was a great deal of character development and building though. I really enjoyed getting to know this cast of characters. The ties to Greek mythology were fun too, if a little confusing at times since some of the OG gods and goddesses were already dead. Apparently when a god or goddess is killed in this war, their powers transfer to the one who kills them. So anyone can become a god if they can kill one. It was a little hard to comprehend over the course of the holiday and sparse reading. I think I would've done better had I not read this during a busy time.

There was a bit of romance between Lore and Castor that was sweet. I love the friends to lovers trope just as much as the enemies to lovers one! Especially if there's been time and distance within the friendship and the romance stirs up during a reunion (not the school type!). It was very sweet and satisfying.

Overall, I did enjoy the storyline and characters of Lore, but yeah, reading during a busy and time consuming time of year was not the wisest decision I ever made! Lol. But it was still an enjoyable read and one I highly recommend if you're looking for a book with Greek mythology essence in a more modern take.

 

Overall Rating 3/5 stars

 

 

 

  

Books from the Backlog #59

 

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!

 

Having been delighted by the bestselling debut, A Shade Of Vampire, readers are begging for more. In A Shade Of Blood, Bella Forrest transports you deeper into a unique, enthralling and beautifully sensitive story. Prepare to be lost in its pages...

When Sofia Claremont was kidnapped to a sunless island, uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet, she believed she'd forever be a captive of its dark ruler, Derek Novak.

Now, after months of surviving an endless night, the morning sun may soon rise again for Sofia. Something has possessed Derek's heart and he offers her a gift no human slave has ever been given in the history of his cursed island: escape.

High school, prom and a chance to move on with her life now await her.

But will she be able to forget the horrors that steal her sleep away at night? ... or the feelings that haunt her for that tormented prince of darkness?

 

I added A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest to my TBR in April of 2015. I had read her first book and really enjoyed it, so I downloaded the second book and there's it sat! And whoa. I didn't realize how long this book was at over 400 pages...on my kindle! As you might know I read extremely slow on my kindle for unknown reasons. I feel like it would take me ages to read this one let alone the rest of the series. Which is pretty long if I recall! 

 

 

 

 
 

Can't Wait Wednesday

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.

 

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate—along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish—pass to her adopted son, Camden.

But to everyone’s surprise, Cam wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.

Ten years later, Camden is a McTavish in name only, but a summons in the wake of his uncle’s death brings him and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but coming home reminds Cam why he was so quick to leave in the first place.

Jules, however, has other ideas, and the more she learns about Cam’s estranged family—and the twisted secrets they keep—the more determined she is for her husband to claim everything Ruby once intended for him to have.

But Ruby’s plans were always more complicated than they appeared. As Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.

 

I'm still a bit behind on Rachel's adult books but I've loved what I've read so far! While you in no way have to read these mysteries in order as I don't believe they connect whatsoever, I still fall into old habits! Lol!

 

TITLE: The Heiress
AUTHOR: Rachel Hawkins
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press
GENRE: Mystery
RELEASE DATE: January 9, 2023

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

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.

 

I can honestly say as I write this, that I do not know if I am still reading it! Lol! The holiday got away with me as I didn't read as much as I wanted to. We had extended family staying with us and I enjoy spending time with them, so sadly yes, the book was set aside. I kept picking it up whenever I was able to, so I am sharing a teaser from that even if I maybe might be reading something else by now! It's really tough to say at this point as I'm just halfway through as I write this! Lol.

 

"'I am well aware of the fact that she wants to rip my heart out and eat it,' Castor said. 'She's the best tracker in the hunt Better than any computer program--no offense.'" p 279

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Lore
AUTHOR: Alexandra Bracken
PUBLISHER: Quercus (Fairy Loot Edition)
GENRE: YA Mythology
RELEASE DATE: January 1, 2021

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 Set In/On/Near Water

*in no particular order

10. DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING by Tricia Levenseller--on the water
9. THOSE WE DROWN by Amy Goldsmith--on the water
8. LYING IN THE DEEP by Diana Urban--on the water

7. CAPTIVATE by Vanessa Garden--in/under the water
6. TEMPEST RISING by Tracy Deebs--I believe it was a combo of them all. It's been a few years and several hundred books!
5. TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo--I believe it was another combo

4. ECHOES by Alice Reeds--near the water as they are trapped on an island
3. THE LAKE HOUSE by Sarah Beth Durst--near a very large lake...think it was a Great Lake...read it this year and already forgetting, lol.
2. SECRETS SO DEEP by Ginny Myers Sain--a TBR read, but can say it's definitely near the water and possibly on?

1. JAWS by Peter Benchley--another triple combo since we get the shark's POV on occasion!