Can't Wait Wednesday #259

 

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.

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Emma Hamm’s instant USA TODAY bestselling dark romantasy trilogy comes to a heart-stopping conclusion in The Endless One.

Jessamine survived betrayal, death, and the gods themselves—but survival was only the beginning. Her kingdom lies in ruins. Her throne has been stolen. And the man who once murdered her has succeeded in doing the binding himself to a god.

To reclaim her crown, Jessamine must defy ancient powers and betrayals alike—and face the enemy who once slit her throat. But now, she isn’t the innocent bride who fell to her death. She is the Gravesinger.

Captured and forced to confront a fate far worse than dying, Jessamine must decide how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice to end a war. Bound to Elric, the god who loves her, she must choose between the humanity that shaped her—and the power required to tear divinity down at its source.

Because this time, she isn’t just ready to kill a man.

She’s ready to kill a god.

I binged the first two books earlier this year and loved them! Cannot wait to see how it will all end later on!

TITLE: The Endless One
AUTHOR: Emma Hamm
PUBLISHER: Gallery Books
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2026

They told me turning eighteen meant freedom. They never said it might kill me.

All I wanted was cake, candles, and a fresh start after aging out of the group home I’ve been stuck in for six years. What I got instead? A vampire crashing my party and trying to drain me dry.

Apparently, vampires are real and I can sense them.

Right before I become dinner, a gorgeous, broody vampire hunter named Asher swoops in and saves me. He tells me I’m not just some orphan with a bad attitude… I’m a legacy. A born Vampire Hunter. And now I’ve got a full ride to Nightguard Academy, a secret school for hunters.

Training to kill the undead? Kinda savage.

Except there’s one I’m hiding a secret so dark it could get me staked before graduation. And in a school full of monsters, secrets don’t stay buried for long.

Perfect for fans of Vampire Academy, Buffy and House of Night, this twisty, slow-burn supernatural romance will keep you guessing until the final tick.

With a title like this how can I not read it?! This baby was preordered during the last B&N sale and I cannot wait to read it!

TITLE: Slayer
AUTHOR: Leia Stone
PUBLISHER: Bloom Books
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2026

Jaimie Vane’s promising career as a cellist came to a screeching halt when chronic illness took over her life, leaving her dealing with a disability her doctors don’t understand.

Then her vibrant sister Sybil, an influencer turned wellness consultant at an exclusive health retreat, leaves her a series of distressing messages that contain hidden cries for help…and a voucher for a free stay. Determined to find her sister, Jaimie finds herself chartering a tugboat across the frigid winter sea to the black-sand shores of Creag Dhubh, the tiny island that houses the elite Saoghal Spa and its enigmatic founder, Cyan Blache.

Searching for her sister under the premise of being a regular guest, Jaimie is pushed far out of her comfort zone, both physically and mentally, by the group healing activities and luxurious treatments. As time wears on and Sybil is nowhere to be found, Jaimie is shocked to find herself feeling…better. There is something at Saoghal, in the treatments and tinctures and the black mud itself, that has her chronic fatigue and pain melting away. And as she gets closer to the people around her, including the ethereal Cyan Blache, whose perfection seems to defy reality, she finds herself with more questions than answers.

But everything comes at a price, and transformation, it seems, requires sacrifice. When Jaimie’s investigation leads her to discover that something darker than mud baths and salt scrubs is twisting the residents of Creag Dhubh into something more than themselves, she must face an evil beyond reckoning in order to escape with her life.

Pretty much any Dawn Kurtagich book makes it to my TBR! I am super behind, naturally, but loved her horror style!


TITLE: The Wellness Retreat
AUTHOR: Dawn Kurtagich
PUBLISHER: Hanover Square Press
GENRE: Horror
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2026

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.

After this week, I decided I am going to take a little break from Teaser Tuesday. I noticed at the beginning of the year, possibly even in December of last year that The Purple Booker website has been inaccessible. Not sure if she retired or what happened as I remember it felt abrupt, but I continued on with the teaser as I have for many years now. It's just that I noticed in the little bit of blog hopping that I do, that not many people were doing the Teaser post anymore. So for now, I decided I might step back from it for awhile at least. 

"'Don't bulls*** a bulls****er, Eva. And don't you dare try to lie to me.'" p 255

TITLE: The Mirror in the Mountain
AUTHOR: Dana Evyn
PUBLISHER: City Own Press
GENRE: Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2024

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 I HAD to Have Immediately But Still Haven't Read

*in no particular order

10. THEY FEAR NOT MEN IN THE WOODS by Gretchen McNeil--was super excited for her adult debut...and yet it's unread
9. FOR WHOM THE BELLE TOLLS by Jaysea Lynn--one that caught my eye by chance one day and it sounded good and it was pretty! Lol
8. WITCHLIGHT by Susan Dennard--the long waited epic conclusion...and I still need to read it! And I need a detailed summary of the previous books because wow!

7. EMBER ETERNAL by Chloe Neill--love Chloe's books and was excited for this one!
6. HOLLOW by Celina Myers--love me some vampires and this edge!
5. DIRE BOUND by Sable Sorensen--another one that called to me because of the wolves and I waited for the deluxe hardcover but the size has kept me from picking it up right away...it's been a busy year!

4. SILVER & BLOOD by Jessie Mihalik--was super excited for this one and yet...still haven't cracked it open!

3. THE HAUNTING OF PAYNES HOLLOW by Kelley Armstrong--really any of her books could be here because I am SOOO behind!
2. UNTIL THE WORLD FALLS DOWN by Jordan Lynde--one I've been DYING to read but my schedule this year has been nuts!

1. THE RETURN by Jennifer L. Armentrout--this one was actually the first one I thought of! Lol.

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 First Lost Boy by Casey L. Bond (4 stars)--technically I finished this on Sunday but was too tired to update this post! Lol.

The Mirror in the Mountain by Dana Evyn (4.5 stars)

Currently Reading:

The Shattered Mirror by Dana Evyn

What I Plan to Read Next:

The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays
Can't Wait Wednesday #258
Books from the Backlog #195
Book Blogger Hop #421

Stacking the Shelves--The Dreadful, Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Edition

Stacking the Shelves--The Dreadful, Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 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.

Well, there's no good news folks. Yup. I started my week with the dreadful, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad news: I didn't get the house of my dreams. The owner went with another offer. It was devastating to say the least. I had never felt so positive about anything in the longest of time. I truly, truly felt like I was getting this place. Everything was perfect. Yes, there were a few minor flaws, but they flaws I could live with. The good outweighed the bad, let's just say that. It's definitely no way to start a long work week. It was hard. Not gonna lie. Tears were had for the first day and a little into the next. I got back on Zillow to look some more, but naturally could not find anything that could hold a candle to what I had within my grasp. Seriously, the other places were dumpy looking or needed so much work or were in shady looking areas. I basically needed to get off Zillow for a day or two because it was just making me depressed. I'm just hoping it won't take me another 3 years to find something perfect like that. I've been looking for what feels like forever. Lol. I know 3 years isn't that long, but I was browsing for probably a year or two before that, before I really had anything saved up. So I'm back at square one.

In lighter news, tonight I am at least going to a book signing! Albeit it's in the shady part of town, but what can you do? Tonight I'll be seeing Elise Kova! I just started reading her new Arcana Academy series and liked it and her Dragon Cursed was intriguing as well. So it will hopefully be a fun night. It is sold out, so I'm hoping I am not out too late! Then towards the end of the week, I'll be attending the Forbidden Love event in Nashville! I'm excited to see Stephanie Garber (again!) plus a slew of other authors and lots of new to me ones. Sadly, I can't see Stephanie on tour this year as everywhere is just too far to drive and costs like $500 to fly there and then I have to add in Ubers and hotel stays, plus at least 1 meal, and we're looking closer to $1K+ for a 2-3 day getaway. I just can't manage that...even without having a house to pay for. So hopefully I can order a signed copy or two...$100 or so is more manageable. Not sure if that cost is accurate really, just thinking cost of hardcover or two...plus shipping! Lol. Sadly I likely won't get that special stamp on anything that Stephanie mentioned in her Stories. Sigh...so yeah...lots of bad news this week.

Well, anyway, here's what I got in the mail this week:

Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw--this is my replacement copy since my original went MIA. I sometimes wonder where all my missing books end up. I partially consider that someone in that mailroom likes to read.
The Shattered Mirror by Dana Evyn--I was originally supposed to receive this book on July 9th. Then Amazon said, JK, you'll get July 15-19. It arrived on July 22.
A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacey McEwan--an impulse B&N preorder...all these deluxe first print run editions gives me the biggest FOMO--actual FOMO and not KOMO! Lol. So yeah...I still need to read the first book but I have the pretty second book at the ready!

Then I got my Fairy Loot book, kind of wish I could've gotten it last month but oh well. Still trying not to give spoilers if there are people who avoid them still. Not sure really if anyone does anymore. I know I follow people who guess accurately so I know if I want to skip or not. Of course with FL I'm more like "can I live with it?" This one I could. Cover wise it wasn't bad...I just felt meh about it in some sense. I like it better than the standard US one, so I guess that's something at least. Lol. I might like it better after I read the book...eventually. It's a duology, so it's automatically put somewhere in the possible 2027 queue! Lol.

And then I had a little bit of retail therapy after the dreadful news I got at the start of my week. I was at TJ Maxx and was browsing the Halloween stuff that they were slowly putting out. I then saw the tiny rack of blankets and I was telling myself as I walked by that I was good on blankets. No. More. Blankets.

So Fate clearly said you need one more blanket. Because yes, yes I did need a ghost reading a book blanket!

And that was all I got this week! Of course, I wrote this post a little earlier then usual, so I don't entirely know what was in Saturday's mail just yet. But if anything good shows up, it'll be in next week's post.

What all did you get this week?

Review--The Mirror in the Mountain by Dana Evyn

 

The only way out is through.

With Eva trapped in imminent peril, Bash rushes to save her and take down the False King once and for all. Eva desperately searches for a way out of her predicament, even as circumstances beyond her control bring her back to the secret kingdom that once had been her home.

As sides form in the forthcoming war, not all are eager to believe the False King they thought vanquished is still bent on taking control of the faerie realm. With enemies closing in, and not even sleep safe from the nightmares that are all too real, the fate of the realm will come down to a race against time.

Secrets from the past merge with the present as Eva struggles to unravel the truth that might change her fate. But will she be forced to choose between her kingdom and her future—or was that destiny a lie all along?

Dana Evyn's The Mirror in the Mountain picks up right where The Other Side of the Mirror left off and oh boy was this book a doozie! This book really put my heart through the ringer as there was a certain level of danger that was amped up to the max and my heart was beating at an accelerated rate nearly the entire time! Circumstances felt dire at the best of times and it was a race to read as fast as I could to see how things would turn out!

We pick up where we left off, so it's like no time at all has passed for the characters, even though it was a handful of reads for me! Lol. Eva has given herself over to Aviel in order to save her friends and found family. She is now once again his prisoner and at his mercy...which as we know he has next to none of. Escape is near impossible and every time Eva tries she gets knocked down and out. Seriously the level of danger and hopelessness ran rampant with my feelings in this one! So many times we see the heroine able to duke it out with the villain with only a few scrapes and bruises. I don't want to say this scenario was refreshing, but it felt different, I guess. Failure is a part of life, we don't always get to succeed, so Eva's "setbacks" were unique in a sense.

But naturally, Eva can't and won't remain a prisoner forever and it's not long before she is able to escape Aviel's clutches once again and is reunited with Bash and her friends and her brother, Tobias. She is also reunited with her best friend, Quinn, who we learned is a part of this world Eva now lives in. You almost forget that Eva was from our modern world, I mean she's moved around a bit between worlds as it turns out, but she spent a good chunk of time in the modern world. 

Now Eva and her friends must plan for battle. Dealing with Aviel is about to come to a head. They learned that there is a magical mirror called the Seeing Mirror and basically whoever can get to it first, between Eva and Aviel, will become the High Queen...or King should things take a dastardly turn. They will effectively become the one and only ruler of this world Eva has begun to think of home and she will do anything in her power to stop Aviel from becoming that one and only ruler...whatever the cost.

You want to talk about high stakes, seriously, just read this series! Because omg, this book is the definition high stakes. I don't think my heart ever raced as much with a book as it has with this series so far! The danger is intense! And then let's do a 180 and talk about the romance because that is certainly steamy too! Bash and Eva's anima bond definitely makes things heated between them. There were quite a few romantic interludes between them in this one. They were never overtly graphic but there was definitely an open door to the scenes as well. I feel like it's probably somewhere in between, but then again, I've never read any of the supremely spicy books, lol!

Things wrap up in a neat little bow at the end of this one. So much so I was almost puzzled at how we were calling this a trilogy. Well, it turns out in the next book we will follow two other characters as they go on a quest to help out our main characters. For it does feel like Eva and Bash's story arc has come to a conclusion. Yet the third book seems to entail that something will happen to interrupt their HEA ending and these "new" characters will have to save the day...and likely fall in love because this is romantasy we're reading! Lol.

The Mirror in the Mountain was a heart-racing read that kept me reading late into the night and held me captivated! This world is so easy to get lost in that you forget there is a reality outside the door. I am quite eager to see what will happen next with our new heroine and hero and what kind of unrest will enter this kingdom that just seemed to be on the verge of peace, but luckily I have that next book in hand...on the cusp of a busy weekend, but I'll get a few pages read at least! Lol.

If you're looking for that romantasy read to get your heart pumping and keep you up late at night then be sure to check out Dana Evy's The Mirrored Trilogy as it will completely consume your mind and heart in all the best possible ways!

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

Book Blogger Hop #421

 

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

This week's question is: What’s the fastest or slowest you’ve ever finished a book? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee-Addicted Writer)

MY ANSWER: I feel like I am perpetually slow reader these days! Lol. Wayyyy back in the day, I could read some books in the course of a day! I think those particular titles were between 300-400, but definitely on the lower side of under 400! Those were the days! Ahh.

The longest...well, if I planned them right and took vacation days and used weekends, or maybe a road trip where I didn't have to drive, I could get a longer one read in 5 days. I'd say the longer books could take me up to 7 days to read depending on what's going on in my life at the time with work and other things.

Today's average is around 3 days I'd say for books under 500 pages. Again, always depends on what's going on workwise and free time wise and how tired I am or not! And the book's pacing and formatting as well. There really are so many factors to consider!

Books from the Backlog #195

 

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!

There is no action without consequence…

Dani O’Malley was nine years old when the delusional, sadistic Rowena transformed her into a ruthless killer. Years later, she’s tough, hardened, yet achingly vulnerable and fiercely compassionate, living alone by her own exacting code. Despite the scars on her body, driven by deeper ones carved into her soul, no one is more committed to protecting Dublin. By day, she ensures the safety of those she rescues, by night she hunts evil, dispensing justice swiftly and without mercy, determined to give those she cares for the peace she has never known.

There is no power without price…

When the Faerie Queen used the dangerously powerful Song of Making to heal the world from the damage done by the Hoar Frost King, catastrophic magic seeped deep into the earth, giving rise to horrifying, unforeseen consequences–and now deadly enemies plot in the darkness, preparing to enslave the human race and unleash an ancient reign of hell on Earth.

There is no future without sacrifice…

With the lethal, immortal Ryodan at her side, armed with the epic Sword of Light, Dani once again battles to save the world but her past comes back to haunt her with a vengeance, demanding an unspeakable price for the power she needs to save the human race and no one—not even Ryodan who’d move the very stars for her—can save her this time…

Oi! So behind with these books and I ADORED them when I was in the binging phase! Lol. I added Karen Marie Moning's High Voltage to my TBR pile in March of 2018, so when it released. This was Dani's book! That much I remember! I think this was when we upped her age so she wasn't a young teen anymore, but my memory's fuzzy naturally, as this was before my notetaking days! So hopefully things will come back to me as I read when I eventually get back to this one!

Can't Wait Wednesday #258

 

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.

Layered with epic battles, elemental magic and twisty romance, this heart-pounding finale will leave readers racing toward the truth about seventeen-year-old pirate Aster and her destiny.

At the time of writing this post, I still need to start this series, but I am hoping by now I either read at least book 1 or both books to date! It's in my queue! Lol.

TITLE: Cursebreaker
AUTHOR: R.M. Gray
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2026

Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel in this electrifying graphic novel adaptation of the Legend series's grand finale.

Eden Wing is a brilliant student. He’s about to graduate a year early from Ross University of the Sciences. But most people don’t introduce Eden this way. Instead, they say, “This is Eden, Daniel Wing’s younger brother.”

Ten years ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. Day has since spent the past decade piecing together his memory of his time in the Republic, quietly hiding from the world―even if it’s meant giving up June, the love of his life.

When June suddenly steps back into Day’s life, rekindling the flames of their romance, the pair team up to rescue Eden who’s been drawn into Ross City’s dark side. But like the rest of the world, they may have underestimated Eden―what he’s capable of, where his loyalties lie, and how hard he’s willing to fight for what he believes.

Return to the world of Legend in this epic graphic novel adaptation of the pulse-pounding finale to the series, which brings to life the bestselling Rebel with full-color illustrations.

I loved Marie's Legend series and I loved reading them as graphic novels, so I was excited to hear her announce that Rebel would be getting the same treatment!


TITLE: Rebel
AUTHOR: Marie Lu
ADAPTOR: Kyla Vanderklugt
ILLUSTRATOR: Kaari
PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press
GENRE: YA Dystopian (Graphic Novel)
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2026

The dead chose her. Now she has to figure out why.

Thalia Cross has spent eighteen years perfecting invisibility. Homeschooled on a mountain, warned away from town, kept just separate enough from everyone that loneliness became a personality trait. Her grandfather calls it protection. She calls it Thursday.

Then her therapist disappears into the Colorado wilderness, and Thalia follows a dead woman's voice into the dark.

What she finds in that clearing strips away every careful rule she's lived by: her therapist's bones arranged with unnerving precision, bleached white as if from centuries of sun. Before she can run, she slams straight into eighteen-year-old Bram Wilder, the sheriff's son and her longtime crush, two days from his first shift as a deputy, and apparently the universe's preferred instrument of her humiliation. He turned down a full ride to Stanford to stay in this town, and nobody seems to know why.

He arrests her. She almost respects it.

But something far worse than a murder charge is circling Wilder, Colorado, and Thalia can't outrun it alone. Pulled toward two other girls she has no reason to trust, she's starting to understand that her grandfather's rules weren't about keeping her safe. They were about keeping her quiet. About keeping her from discovering exactly what she is.

Because something ancient is sealed in these mountains. It has been waiting a very long time. And the dead, who have always been the only honest voices in Wilder, keep whispering the same thing.

Her name.

The Inheritance Games meets Caraval in this propulsive, gothic, slow-burn thriller that will wreck your sleep schedule completely.

Once I saw that cover, I was a goner. The first line, take my money! Then the comparison match at the bottom and you now know I am so far gone! Lol! I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE ASAP!

TITLE: The Bone Singer
AUTHOR: Abigail Owen
PUBLISHER: Mayhem Books
GENRE: YA Paranormal
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2026

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.

"Hope always has a purpose. It's a life preserver in miles-deep water, a shelter from violent storms." p 155

TITLE: The First Lost Boy
AUTHOR: Casey L. Bond
PUBLISHER: Self
GENRE: Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2025

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 That Live in My Head Rent Free (submitted by Emma @damppebbles.com)

*in no particular order

10. BITTEN by Kelley Armstrong--one of the founding "mothers" of my book collection! This was a series I remember feeling hesitant with at first but fast became a favorite!
9. HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost--same can be said of this one! Especially since it was shelved in romance I thought the romance would overtake the story, but it so didn't!
8. POISON STUDY by Maria V. Snyder--lol, again another that was shelved in romance but was definitely more fantasy with a side romance! Fast became a favorite and Maria fast became a good author friend!

7. OLD MAGIC by Marianne Curley--my first Aussie author book and time-traveling one and you know the "ordinary girl but with magical powers (that she knew she had!)" book! LOVE this one SO much!
6. SHADOWLAND by Jenny Carroll/Meg Cabot--my first ghost book and AHH how I LOVE this series! 
5. BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE by Annette Curtis Klause--one of the first werewolf books I read and still my absolute FAVORITE! Don't judge this one by its movie because that movie was crap as a book adaptation, but okayish as a teen werewolf movie! Lol.

4. DEMON IN MY VIEW by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes--we all have first loves...and this one is mine!
3. ALCHEMY OF SECRETS by Stephanie Garber--obviously...and for the rest of the picks! Lol. Since we're at book 1 with this one, I have yet to really place it in my scale of love for Stephanie's series, so we'll talk again next year! Lol.
2. ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART by Stephanie Garber--this one was definitely awesome! Love it! But I feel like you can't really love it and enjoy it as much without the knowledge from its predecessor. So...

1. CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber--clearly you all knew this would be #1! This series was so fantabulous for me! It brought me magic, it brought danger, romance, a kind of L.J. Smith Forbidden Game vibe but with a twist! I mean Julian (Smith's Julian) was kind of like Jacks in some ways! Lol.