Let's Discuss: What are You Most Grateful For?

I thought I would get one final discussion in for this month! Making a comeback for my lack of posts the past month or two prior to April! Lol! The next item on my list is...

What are You Most Grateful For?

Above all else, I am most grateful for my family. My mom has been there for me for pretty much everything! Through all my struggles and medical crap, she's always been there. I am eternally grateful for having such a cool and wonderful mom! 

I'm grateful to have a job, though it's not one I really like or can sustain myself by, which is something I am trying to fix by finding a better one, but a pitiful paycheck is still better than none at all.

And let's be real, I am also grateful for books! I'm sooo glad that there are books in this world, that there are so many wonderful paranormal and fantasy reads that I have to choose from! I think if I didn't have reading in my life, I would probably lose my mind from all the boredom! Because I am pretty sure I'd still be the biggest introvert there ever was and if I didn't have reading...I'd probably be losing my mind with nothing to do! Lol!

What are you most grateful for?

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. 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:

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller (5 stars)

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller (5 stars)

Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong--Review to come at a later date

Review That Was Posted:

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne (ARC) (3.75 stars)

Currently Reading:

Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill (ARC)

What I Plan to Start this Week:

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson (ARC)

Other Posts of Interest:

Let's Discuss: Favorite Weather

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Let's Discuss: Last Meals

Waiting on Wednesday

Let's Discuss: Spending the Day In...

Random Thursday

Let's Discuss: Haunting Locations

Book Blogger Hop

Let's Discuss: Family Ancestry

Let's Discuss: What Scares You?

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves

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 Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality.


This week was definitely a little better for me as my cold was mostly gone. I still had a cough that would come at the worst moments. Particularly when people asked me if I was doing better, I'd be like yeah, but I still have a...*ensue hacking fit*! So yeah, that was fun! Lol! But I'd say I'm at 95% with just that stupid periodic cough to handle!

And oh yeah, fun fact, as I mentioned on twitter. I went to the store to buy myself more cold medicine during the height of my cold...turns out I bought the nighttime version instead of daytime. Makes so much sense since I could barely keep my eyes open at my desk! Life lesson: never buy yourself cold medicine when already sick! Lol!!


I had a good week where books were concerned too! Not too many were acquired but still got a decent amount of ones I am really excited about!

I bought:

Inferno by Julie Kagawa

And then my Independent Bookstore Day spoils were:

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas (ARC)--my favorite indie bookstore usually has ARCs on Indie Bookstore Day that you get with your purchases. This year it was one ARC per book bought and I decided after looking through the ARCs I was happy with just this one! Though I was tempted by a few more, I restrained myself though, so kudos! Lol! 

Then there were a few Indie Bookstore Day freebies such as the Harry Potter patch and this cool little map of Midwestern Indie Bookstores! Though I was pretty shocked that Anderson's wasn't on there since that's where I go quite frequently throughout the year when I can manage! Lol!

Then for review from the publishers I received:

Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong--finished copy! Read and reviewed already! Loved it!!

Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill (ARC) 

THANK YOU Crown Books & Berkley!

Then it should surprise no one that I bought yet another book sleeve. It's a serious addiction. I am trying to work on it! Lol!! But when it's a book sleeve with BOOKS on it...I find it very hard to resist!! Lol!

Another beauty from one of my favorite shops, Fandom Sleeves! I swear the majority of my book sleeves comes from her shop!

I hadn't been paying attention to what I've been spending lately, though I know I did just buy my plane ticket for my Florida trip in October, but I earned myself yet another gift card to Barnes and Noble! Since my trip is just about paid for, except for needing my Universal Studios ticket, I feel like it will be awhile until I earn another! Though I do still have to buy my plane ticket for Austin...just waiting for Southwest to have flights for the day after they don't currently offer flights. It's very annoying that's for sure! Lol!

And that was my haul this week! Bookwise I did pretty good since I read one of them this week, I started the other on Friday and haven't gotten back to it yet, and then just three more that will be added to the TBR pile. 3/5 isn't too bad! Lol! What did you all get this week?

 

 

Let's Discuss: What Scares You?

This next one is a doozie! As I feel like there are a lot of answers and yet, maybe not. It's hard to define what scares me vs what I just dislike/hate.

What Scares You?

I guess one answer is snakes, I definitely do not like them and I guess you can say they scare me? I will never watch any of those movies with snakes in them. No matter how cheesy or stupid they are, I will never see them. Nope. Ain't happening, so save your breath! Lol.

Scary movies I guess? I can't handle watching them, mostly because I've always had an active imagination. Scary movies and I don't jive. I can never get the worst parts out of my head after the fact. I'm left shaken for days. It's always better to just avoid them.

I guess another answer is the unknown. Yeah, that can be really scary! There's sooo much that we don't know and I am not even sure what I mean by the unknown. I guess just fearing it itself. Or even just the unknown in situations. I don't know...I feel like I am struggling with this topic and getting too deep with what I fear and just what I want to avoid due to dislike or something.

What do you fear?

Let's Discuss: Family Ancestry

The next topic is an interesting one, but yet at the same time, I'm not going to be able to elaborate simply because I don't know the answer! Lol!

Family Ancestry

I only know my mother's side in regards to family ancestry as I never really talked about with my other grandparents. Not sure why...go figure! Lol! My grandpa had Irish blood in him and my grandmother had German. Naturally I take after my grandpa's side more because I am super white and freckled. I burn to a crisp when in the sun, so that's part of my aversion to heat and sunlight. But plus it's just hot and unbearable to be in!

So yeah, basically, that's the short answer to it and the only one I got! I've always been happy to have taken after my mom's side of the family more than my other "parent".

What's your family ancestry? 

Book Blogger Hop

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

 

 

 

This week's question is: Have you ever thought of writing a respectful, but angry letter to an author to ask them WHY they killed off one of your favorite characters in a novel? (submitted by Maria @ A Night's Dream of Books)

 

 

 

MY ANSWER: To be honest, no. I mean, a part of me longs to...but then I think about it from the author's point of view. There's usually a reason why that character had to die. I may not be able to accept it or like it, but I can usually understand it. As an aspiring writer myself, I've already killed off one character and have plans to kill off another once I get to revising that terrible first draft! Lol!

So while I would never write a letter to an author, I will say that I have asked the author in person why they had to do what they did. And I've found the answer usually has to do with the heroine/hero needing to grow without that particular someone there.

Let's Discuss: Haunting Locations

This topic idea sounds fun! Though my answer is already brewing and I am not sure what I will say in the end...

If You Were a Ghost, Who or Where Would You Haunt?

Any takers? My first initial reaction is to say I'd haunt the Haunted Mansion at Disney World! They're always looking for one more to join them anyway! Lol!

But I'd think my answer would be the bookstore! Yes, I will be the ghost that haunts the bookstore. Patrons will see books floating at odd levels because I will be reading them, it just depends on where I will read them, lol! Like sitting in the chair or at the table, for yes I will have Patrick Swayze teach me how to hold corporeal objects and whatnot. I will dismantle my TBR pile one way or another!! Of course, I'd need access to my books to read at the bookstore, haunting the bookstore is so I can read the new releases and possibly snag the ARCs if they get them too!

Where would you want to haunt?

Random Thursday

Let's see what random and obscure facts we will learn today with That's a Fact Jack: A Collection of Utterly Useless Information [Updated] by Harry Bright and Jakob Anser!

(image borrowed from Plot and Theme)

For the candlelit scenes in his eighteenth-century epic Barry Lyndon (1975)m Stanley Kubrick invented his own camera. Using a lens borrowed from NASA, Kubrick built a camera whose shutter speed was beyond what is typical even today.

Wow! Considering this book is a few years old, that's still impressive!

(image borrowed from Space.com)

Edward Halley didn't just have a comet named after him. In 1693, the mathematician and astronomer wrote An Estimate of the Degrees of Morality of Mankind, which marked the beginning of actuarial science--the foundation of the modern life insurance industry.

He was a busy guy!

(image borrowed from Greek Mythology)

Morphine was named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams.

Make sense!

(image borrowed from Consumer Reports)

Lettuce contains two to ten parts of morphine per billion.

Wow.

(image borrowed from Partnership for Drug-Free Kids)

The Bayer Company introduced heroin as a nonaddictive substitute for morphine in 1898. Ironically, morphine was eventually used to treat heroin addiction.

Yeah, that's irony for you.

Review--Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

Tricia Levenseller brings an outstanding conclusion to the Daughter of the Pirate King duology with Daughter of the Siren Queen! This book totally changes the game plan for Alosa and her crew that they had started out on in the first book. Alosa learns terrifying new information that changes everything she thought she knew.

What’s great about this one is that we sort of pick up where we left off, yes time has gone by, but really nothing of note happened in the in between. Alosa and her crew track down Vordan to get his piece of the map that will lead to treasure beyond their wildest dreams, but it’s during the interrogation that Alosa conducts that she learns some most astonishing news. Her father has been lying to her for years. Alosa is sure that it’s just the lies of a captured enemy but soon she starts to look at things differently and isn’t sure what she should do.

I feel like with this book we really get to see Alosa in action and at her best. Before she was playing the role of kidnapped pirate, as she wasn’t in any way a victim in those circumstances. Alosa is back in her element and in charge of her ship surrounded by her crewmates, including a new addition, Riden. Riden has decided to join Alosa’s crew and join them in whatever adventures they plan to take.

Alosa also goes through a sort of self-discovery when it comes to using her siren powers. She notices that different things happen when she’s around Riden and she wants to figure out what it all means. If the first book was about Alosa being in tuned with her pirate side, then this book definitely has her embracing her siren heritage more, if the titles didn’t clue you in on that bit! I loved watching her embrace both sides of herself over the course of this series.

There was quite the reveal of surprises in this one! One after another it seems and it basically led us down to a race against the enemy and trying to get the upper-hand. While the action was somewhat come and go, I can say that those downtime moments did lead to other interesting things, such as more revelations, teasing moments between Alosa and Riden and much more! This book basically tore at my heart! I wasn’t expecting so much death and carnage, but I guess I should’ve kept that in mind since this is a pirate book!

What I really enjoyed about Alosa and Riden’s romance was how it was such a slow-burning sort. One moment they’re pining for each other and then the next, someone hates the other! It was definitely one of those back and forth kind of moments. But I have to say, the times when they could get along were quite toe-curling!

The ending to this one was pretty epic! More battles on the high seas, got to love a good swordfight! The action to this book was spot on! Truly felt like this was a relation to Captain Jack Sparrow that we were dealing with! Not only is Alosa talented with her sword and pistol, but she’s got such a sense of humor to her! It’s very Captain Jack like!

This is without a doubt the most perfect pirate read I’ve ever read! It might have been my first one, but it will definitely set the bar high for more pirate books in the future, should they come my way! Daughter of the Siren Queen was an epic and enjoyable as its predecessor and I couldn’t have asked for better!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars

 

Let's Discuss: Spending the Day In...

This next topic idea sounded really fun! And of course my mind is whirring with all the possible answers! It's probably one of the hardest questions to answer...

Spend the Day, Anywhere, You Want for 24 Hours

I feel like you all know what my answer is going to be! And yes, I would choose to spend it at Disney World!! I know, original, right? Lol! But I've only been there a handful of times, including my upcoming trip this fall. I would definitely choose fall weather time too because it's my theory by choosing the beginning of fall that most kids are starting school, and parents might not want to take a trip right at the beginning of fall. Granted that's just US side of course, so there's the chance for more kids and people from other places where school is out. 

I am just a Disney person. I don't think I will ever tire of it. Disney is just magical to me, the parks and the movies and everything else they do. So yeah, I'd totally and happily spend another day of my life in Disney World!

Granted I'd also want to choose to go back to Rome, but see then I'd want to add Florence and Capri and all the other places I visited on my long ago trip overseas and I only have the 24 hours. I'd have to have at least 3-4 of those trips at the helm because I'd need a day for each of these cities again!

Where would you choose to spend the day with no limits holding you back?

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

 

 

The fourth book of the scream-worthy cult series The Merciless combines Stephen King level terror with true crime stories like the Amanda Knox case.

The ropes tighten on Berkley Hubbard's wrists. Blood drips down her fingers and lands with a smack on the cold floor of the church basement. She's trapped, bound, and petrified by fear. A knife punctures her fragile skin as Berkley's captors search for the mark of the devil on her body. They say they want to save her--drive the devil away and cleanse her soul--but will she make it out alive?

When Berkley arrived in Italy a week ago, the last thing she expected was that she'd end up fighting for her life. After spending six months at the Institute, confined to a room with the dangerous-yet-alluring Sofia Flores, Berkley was certain that a vacation in Italy with her two best friends would be the perfect getaway. But Berkley is hiding a terrible secret, one that threatens to undo everything. As she's forced to face her wicked past, she learns that the devil is always watching, and no one is coming to save her.

 

 

I still need to read the rest of this series! I had thought it was just going to be a standalone and here we are nearly three books later!

 

 

TITLE: The Merciless IV: Last Rites

AUTHOR: Danielle Vega

PUBLISHER: Razorbill

GENRE: Paranormal YA

RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2018 

 

 

 

 

 

Review--Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

I so wasn't expecting Tricia Levenseller's debut, Daughter of the Pirate King to be a one day read! But man those pages just kept flying by and all when I was still getting over the remains of a cold! This is most definitely a read for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean franchise! Particularly the first movie when Captain Jack Sparrow was at his best! Alosa reminds me of a female teenage Jack because she was just that snarky and I loved her for it all!

Alosa is the daughter of the pirate king, as you might have guessed, and her father has always been willing to use whatever means necessary to get what he wants, including his own daughter. But Alosa loves her father...in her own way and doing something for him is a matter of duty. So when she must allow herself to be kidnapped by an enemy pirate lord in order to find a piece of a map that will lead to untold treasures she doesn't even blink an eye.

Though Alosa was expecting an older captain like her father, she's surprised to find that his teenage sons are running things. They can't be more than a year or two older than herself. Draxen is what you'd expect from a pirate, vicious, cruel, cold, and completely selfish. He plans to use Alosa as a bargaining chip to her father to get the location to his treasure trove. Alosa knows her father would never give up that information so she uses her time as a prisoner to search the ship for the piece of map that should be there, according to her father. What she didn't expect was for Riden, Draxen's younger brother to be so annoyingly charming.

Riden and Alosa start off with an odd relationship of prisoner and prison guard. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a Stockholm Syndrome situation as Alosa put herself deliberately in her position. She planned for everything almost, except not being able to find the map in a timely manner. Or for Riden himself for that matter. Riden and Alosa go through the entertaining round of bantering. Alosa is quick witted and I loved that about her. She doesn't shy from saying what's on her mind no matter how appropriate.

It seems both Alosa and Riden start to fall one another unwillingly. They're pirates and not used to feeling such feelings. Though Ride, is by far the most kind-hearted pirate you'll ever meet. He's got more heart than a pirate should. He remains loyal to his brother and thus the reason he sticks to the pirate life, plus he might even enjoy it but he is still different.

Alosa has a secret though, one that I saw coming really given certain things, but it was still an interesting one that needed further explaining. I am definitely happy to have the next book at the ready to see how the story continues. It ends on high note and one that doesn't really leave you hanging desperately for more information. It's definitely my favorite way for a book to end, especially when it's apart of a series of some undetermined length. Still not positive if this is a duology or longer. Guess I'll find out soon enough! Daughter of the Pirate King is action packed read filled with everything you would expect of a pirate book! Tricia Levenseller has definitely made her way onto my favorites list!!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Let's Discuss: Last Meals

I am making headway this last week of April! Oh yeah!! Today's topic seems a little morbid almost, but I figure, why not? I need ideas because my mind is ensconced in a haze of sludge from the cold that just won't leave me entirely. Who knows! I might actually be better by the time this one posts! Lol! Today's topic...

What Would Your Last Meal Be?

This one's actually really hard to answer! Lol! I'm kind of a mood eater. I'll crave something and I'll eat that (usually). This weekend I was craving a particular restaurant's french fries, sadly when I got them they were not as hot. Not cold, but not piping hot either. So I couldn't finish my plate like I usually do.

I guess it's safe to say that I'd probably want pizza! I love pizza!! It's a toss-up of whether I'd want a local pizza place or the local pizza place up by my aunt in Wisconsin! Both are incredibly delicious and I can't say which is my favorite! I think I'd choose the one by my aunt since I don't get that one as often and it would be fitting to have that as a last meal! Followed by dessert which would either be a slice of Great American Cookie Co. cookie cake and a heaping of cookie dough too! And since it's a last meal, I won't be stuffed after the pizza! Lol!

What would your last meal be?

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.

"Then he's kissing me.

What the--I misread where that was going. I wanted to irritate him. To get under his skin. To mess with him because he's working for the enemy. I hadn't exactly expected him to get all mushy as a result." p 156

TITLE: Daughter of the Pirate King
AUTHOR: Tricia Levenseller
PUBLISHER: Feiwel Friends
GENRE: Fantasy YA
RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2017

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: Frequently Used Words In Paranormal Titles 

*my word choice is DARK

**in no particular order

Shockingly, this was harder than I thought! I didn't want to stick with the same series for more than one pick, and thus the challenge grew!