4.25⭐️

I was surprised by how much I became invested in this book until I realized later that it was the same author as the Filthy Rich Americans series. I had a lot of fun and I honestly enjoyed the progression of the relationship. Even though it took place over 3 months, nothing seemed rushed and I appreciated how the conflict was handled. This is a little dated and people might have issues with some of it but I enjoyed it. #smut

So I‘ve been having a really rough start to 2025. This led to my doing a reread of The Bonds That Tie series. I honestly really love the magic of this world and the concept of bonds. Plus the direction this series takes is so well done, especially with the discussions on trauma. That being said, I will acknowledge that it‘s not everyone and the ending falls a little flat. Other than that, I still had a blast.

#reread #arcanesociety

3.75⭐️

I have mixed feelings about this. It was really hard for me to originally get into and be able to wrap my head around the world the author created. Once I did though, the world was fascinating but also very disturbing. Having a magic system based on illness creates this whole conversation around what is justice and humane while also giving it a cultish vibe as well. I enjoyed the story but just a little too gory for me.

3.75⭐️

This ended up not being exactly what I hoped for out of this book but at the same a really good reflection on certain industries and the impacts they have on people. I wish there was a little more information on the actual impacts of oil sands and the scales of the production but I feel like it gave a great perspective on the day to day life people, especially women, face working in these environments.

#library

4.5⭐️

This is such an amazing resource and something I wish I found years ago. I think this does an amazing job of giving a judgement free explanation of what birth control is and the pros and cons behind it. Only thing that keeps this from a five star for me is that I wish it went more into the physical side effects on getting off birth control and long term use.

3.25⭐️

I think the story was definitely cute and the tension between the two characters was really well done. But, there were some things that I‘m just not a fan of in books. The over reference to real life books was kind of annoying and there was definitely some repetitive language throughout. Overall, it was a fun time and definitely fun to read around the holiday.

4.0 ⭐️

I loved the battle Harry is slowly dealing with when it comes to his anger and emotions getting the better of him. It‘s completely understandable that he feels the way he does but with his power, he can‘t let it get the better of him. This encounter with Listens to Wind I think will impact how Harry handles his emotions in the future. Can‘t wait to see what happens next.

#library #graphicnovel

4⭐️

I forgot how much of a comfort read this is for me. It makes me more excited than I already was to reread the series. I think my favorite part of this first book is how Mercy stumbles into this role we see for her throughout the series just because she‘s trying to be a good person and not judging people based on the type of creature they are. And the discovery of just how powerful Walkers can be is only just starting. #reread

Several months back I bought a pack of these metal corner protectors for my paperback books. Finally got around to using them a few weeks back on my copies of the Gods & Monsters trilogy. Love how they turned out 😍 Now I won‘t worry as much when I did my reread of the series.

3.25⭐️

This is another case of a story with a great idea but not the best execution. I really liked this twist on supernaturals with gargoyles playing the lead role and their purpose being to protect this Relic Room and the Keystone that opens it. The Pull which guides them to these items was a really interesting approach of what you might call a “mate bond” but it‘s with the room rather than a person. #smut

5⭐️

I don‘t remember the last time I fell so quickly in love with a book. This had my heart after only a few chapters. I loved the characters and the variety of experiences and growth they depict in their letters. Watching them explore new recipes and flavors made my mouth water. Even though I saw many things coming, it didn‘t take away from my emotional connections with our lovely ladies.

Boyfriend is gaming this morning while I‘m trying to make my way through my stack of #library books. Anyone else enjoy #nonfiction graphic novels?

4.5⭐️

It astounds me how much Wyndham‘s writing can pull me into whatever world he‘s developed. His writing reminds me of La Guin‘s ability to create such a dynamic world in such a short amount of time. I think the conversation on intolerance and perfection was extremely poignant and still relevant 70 years later.

#classicscifi

I ended up having 15 books I rated 5⭐️ this year out of the 184 that I read. What surprised me was that 6 of them were rereads and held up to the same rating the second time around. I also loved that I was able to end the year on a New Years Eve book that was a top tier romance novella!

This as a weird book but I was honestly intrigued by all the different POvs and how they were connected. I also loved the weirdest of hell. Things started getting kind of too weird for me halfway through and I realized this just wasn‘t for me. #dnf

Idk, why I thought I would actively want to read this. I really have not found many historical books that I truly enjoy and can get invested in. Even with the fantastical subplot, I just didn‘t care. Honestly, I think this was more a peer pressure thing where I saw so many people loving the book and I gave into the hype. #dnf

4.25⭐️

I‘m honestly surprised by how much fun I had reading this. I loved the burlesque setting and I‘m intrigued with learning about all these different aliens. I‘m happy there was enough plot to make this feel well rounded and like a full story. I‘m definitely going to continue on. #smut

I‘m currently trying to clean up my currently reading list on #storygraph, so bare with me for my end of year surplus of finished books and dnfs🫣

I wanted to read this because it‘s a classic among sff as well as one of the original paranormal romances but I absolutely could not do this. I found the characters insufferable and I was forcing myself to pick this up and read it. This gave me similar vibes to Practical Magic where it was trying to be deep and tell me something but it just came off pretentious. I will say Anne Rice can write atmosphere so I‘m willing to try her other books.

4.5 ⭐️

I‘m still so impressed with the use of place in this book and how it shaped everything Brexley is coming to terms with. I absolutely loving getting introduced to characters we see so much more throughout this book and just seeing how many of these friendships start out as is everything. I‘m loving my reread and the tension in the relationship is absolutely delicious.

#reread #arcanesociety

5⭐️

I really value the conversations on prejudice, especially knowing how vital some of these character become. I also liked seeing the hints of things to come and the development of certain relationships (love and friendship ones) that we‘ll appreciate more as the series goes on. I spend through this just as quickly as I did the first time and it‘s good to know the reread value is there for this series!

#reread #arcanesociety

This started out fun and I was excited for another Nora Roberts Irish fantasy book but dang, the moment we got to the magic, the main character got so annoying. I understand it can be hard to accept but when the side characters also point out how purposefully ignorant she‘s being, I couldn‘t handle it anymore.

My sister took me to the new Barnes and Noble in Wicker Park in Chicago as part of my Christmas present. I got a couple of books from her and then finally broke my ban and bought some for myself. The nonfiction are from Barnes and Noble and the fiction are from another bookstore we hit up!

#bookhaul #haul #nonfiction

4.5 ⭐️

This was such a surprise for how much I enjoyed this. I spend through this like crazy and was heavily invested in the dungeon situation. The statues were so interesting and creepy. I just kept turning page after page wanting to know what would happen. I can‘t wait to continue the series.

3⭐️

This had all the Christmas vibes I was hoping for. That being said, this ended up not being a winner for me. I used to really enjoy all the overly cheesy plot lines but I think my reading preferences have changed since I was hoping for more stakes in the story but everything from the mystery to the relationship were way too easily resolved.

5.0 ⭐️

This brought me so much joy and had the weird quirkiness that I was hoping from books like HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy. The dolphins were freaking hilarious and honestly were a highlight for me in the book. I loved the weird turn of events with the ending and even shed a tear on the last page. I‘m becoming more and more impressed with this author and look forward to exploring more of their work.

#librarybook

4.0 ⭐️

This was action packed and I loved the magic system we‘ve seen so far. The symbols and writing that glow in the air make for a beautiful depiction of magic in this manga. The dynamics between the characters are fun too. I‘m intrigued to see where this will go and whether there will eventually be a conclusion to the hunt for witches.

#manga

3.0 ⭐️

This was honestly rather disappointing for me. I love a good mafia romance and love it even more when it‘s set in Chicago. Sadly, this was just boring for me. I didn‘t connect with the characters at all and some of phrasing the author used just got annoying and pulled me out of the story.

Idk, I really just lost interest in this story. I appreciated the perspective changes and honestly enjoyed Devin‘s chapters but I couldn‘t fully get behind a lot of it. It‘s insta love with fated mates and the tension in the relationship quickly went away after about a third or so into the book. I also can‘t get over how easily she accepted a lot of the situations she was put in and then also expected other characters to do the same.

#dnf

3.5⭐️

This was exactly what I thought it was going to be and not. The Dark Lord and slime are great characters. The banter between the two definitely has me wanting to continue in the series. I like that we‘re traveling from village to village and having the dark lord reflect on his actions. The exercise bit was kind of weird but I went along with it because I want to see what would happen next.

#manga

4.25 ⭐️

I‘m really surprised by how much I loved this. I enjoyed the characters but I found that I just fell into the lore of this world and desperately wanted to know everything about it. The concept of the Gone Before and it being set across a futuristic Virginia just grabbed me and didn‘t let go. I love an alternate future and stories that reflect on what future generations think about our current time.

Highly recommend the #audiobook

3.75 ⭐️

I had a good feeling about this series and I‘m happy that I enjoyed the first volume. I love our MFC and the male lead is psychotic in an entertaining way. I do wish they aged the characters up just a little bit for the dynamics of the story but that might just be a cultural difference. This has definitely caught my attention enough to want to keep reading the rest of the series.

#manga #librarybook

3.75⭐️

Though I wasn‘t in love with, I absolutely wish I had someone to talk about this book with. Highly recommend for any #bookclub. It‘s been a while that a sci-fi has really made me think. It‘s truly what I love about the genre. Never thought I‘d read such an interesting approach to discussing the ivory trade and poaching issue.

#bookhaul #bookmail

I‘m so excited!!! I‘m currently on a mini book ban until I read more of my physical tbr. That being said, I can still buy books for certain things that I‘ve been looking for for a while. This is a perfect example. I‘ve read this twice now and have given it 5 stars each time. I love this book so much and desperately wanted the original cover. I was finally able to find a copy last week and it arrived a few days ago!

I‘m bummed. I really wanted to enjoy this one but I think I‘m finding that I don‘t get one with angelic/biblical retellings. There were some things that I really enjoyed like the spin on the four horsemen and the languages and symbology but it didn‘t hold my attention. I felt no connection with the character and I didn‘t like how easy the magic came for some people. Sadly, I didn‘t get what the blurb made me feel I would be reading. #dnf

Picked up one of these Choose Your Own Adventure books a few weeks back and me and my boyfriend had a mini date night going through it. We had to switch our choices one or twice to prevent from dying but we had a lot of fun. We‘re going to go with the alternate first choice later to see where the story would go. #cyoa #datenight

4.0 ⭐️

This was a great conclusion to the book installments of this series. It surprised me how much darker this was than the other books and even the series. I loved the amount of #Irish #folklore in this and even the tie in to Chicago‘s St Patty‘s celebrations. I wish there were more in their series but I‘m really happy with how this ended.

3.75⭐️

A friends to lovers romance that starts from a childhood pen pal assignment definitely caught my attention. I really enjoyed the letters element of this story and how obsessed the MMC was. I feel like the discussion on mental health was rather realistic though some of the elements frustrated me at times.

#librarybook #petpig

4.5⭐️

This one was a bit different from the first book. Focused a lot more on the world building and plot which I appreciated. At the same type, there are a lot of major similarities to Throne of Glass/ACOTAR which can make it predictable. I‘m intrigued enough though to still want to learn about what happens next. Plus, the relationship in this one is great!

#ArcaneSociety

4.75⭐️

So I got the first two books in this series in my #ArcaneSociety subscription and instantly had to start the first book after seeing the covers. I absolutely loved it and devoured it in a day. The banter is amazing and the magic system and gods are intriguing. Immediately started the next one.

3.25⭐️

I always appreciate a good #truecrime on something that isn‘t murder. This one touched on book theft which was interesting to learn about. My favorite part was probably talking about initiatives the professional organization took to crack down on theft.

So it‘s been a while since I‘ve been on here but I‘m really hoping to get back to using this app. Here‘s a stack of some of the books I‘m currently reading. I think I‘ll be able to get the nonfiction finished today or tomorrow 🤞

October is a true struggle for me apparently. I was able to finish Blood Rites for 15p for the inclusion of wizards and vampires.

After that my reading has been all over the place. As you can see, I‘ve started 4 books and can‘t stick to one. I did manage to read a bit for 100p.

Hopefully this week comes with a lot of reading!

#teamhendrix @StayCurious

Though some personal stuff has been keeping me off of Litsy lately, I still wanted to make sure my team gets all its points! Currently reading Blood Rites!

25p for reading Truth or Beard since it opens with the main character going to a Halloween party

30p for reading The Beautiful which featured vampires and Weep, Woman, Weep featuring a witch for #TeamHendrix

10p for reading another volume of Animosity

24 hours read for 240p

@StayCurious

5⭐️

This is my 3rd Stephen King book and second hard cases book by him. Other than his uncomfortable need to include sexual thoughts and situations at times in his stories, I‘m truly coming to really loving his writing style. I never thought I‘d say King wrote one of the most wholesome scenes I‘ve read in a long time!

Check out my goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4112400607

Since yesterday was Monday, we got another round of prompts from our local library to try and fill. I decided to go with find a book that is in a language other than English. This ended up being pretty easy for me since my manga is pretty much all translated to English. I went with the first volume of Fairy Tail since it‘s one of my favorite series!

5⭐️

Hurricane Katrina brought devastation to the Gulf Coast that took years recover from. A.D. tells the story of 7 people in New Orleans and the experiences they had while living through this historic storm.

I absolutely loved this. Check out my Goodreads review for more: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4207875530

2.5⭐️

Dating can be hard no matter who you are but when you‘re a werewolf or a vampire, that gets even trickier. When these two get together, they realize they finally have the chance to be themselves around each other and a budding romance forms.

I‘m really disappointed in not liking this. I think what bothered me the most was how much the author just laid into the stereotypes of vampires and werewolves.

One of our local libraries is having a competition this month where you get entered into a raffle when you find books that follow their prompts. The first one I went with was a book with a first sentence that has 5 or less words in it. The sentence for this book is “Hoisin sauce is not paint.”

4.25⭐️

Lumi has been following her dreams of owning her own restaurant and cooking her Dominican fusion food the way she wants. When finances get the better of her though, she is forced to close the doors on her place and take up a sous chef position at a very unoriginal French restaurant. What's worse is that her new boss is the same man that made fun of her cooking at a recent catering event. This can‘t possibly go well…