Lauren's bookshelf: unfinished-series en-US Sun, 27 Apr 2025 20:45:09 -0700 60 Lauren's bookshelf: unfinished-series 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne, #1)]]> 60581370
The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever. ]]> 523 Sara Hashem 0316477869 Lauren 0 favorites, unfinished-series 3.95 2023 The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne, #1)
author: Sara Hashem
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 90585526
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general-also known as her tough-as-talons mother-has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away . . . because dragons don't bond to "fragile" humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother's daughter-like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She'll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Alliances will be forged. Lives will be lost. Traitors will become allies . . . or even lovers. But sleep with one eye open because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.


Praise for Fourth Wing

'Unputdownable thrill ride with an epic love story.' Tracy Wolff, No.1 New York Times bestselling author

"Fourth Wing is an unforgettable adventure from cover to cover. I cheered, laughed, grinned, and refused to put it down. This expertly crafted romantic fantasy is sure to launch the beginning of a brand-new insatiable fandom!" -Lexi Ryan, no.1 New York Times bestselling author

"Utterly addictive and completely unputdownable. I devoured every page and fell hopelessly, desperately in love with these characters and the incredible world Rebecca Yarros has so carefully, lovingly crafted. Hands down the best book hangover I've ever experienced. I can't wait for more!" -Helena Hunting, New York Times bestselling author

"An exhilarating dragon ride of a fantasy! Brutal, fast-paced, compelling, and simmering with romantic tension that left me on the edge of my seat. Fourth Wing is everything I want in a book and more. Phenomenal! Move this one to the top of your TBR" -Samantha Young, New York Times bestselling author

"Kapow, what a story! In Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros gives you gutsy young heroines and sexy bad boys living in a world where no one-not even the mightiest dragon-is safe. This is some sharp, bold, and delicious storytelling!" -Rachel Howzell Hall, critically acclaimed and bestselling author of We Lie Here and These Toxic Things

"House of the Dragon meets Divergent in this utterly thrilling, unputdownable new fantasy! Fourth Wing is full of scintillating adventure, soaring dragon flight, and slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance. Climb on and enjoy the ride!" -Amalie Howard, USA Today bestselling author

"As smoldering as it is spellbinding, Fourth Wing is a thrilling, dragon-filled delight!" -Cindi Madsen, USA Today bestselling author]]> 498 Rebecca Yarros Lauren 0 favorites, unfinished-series
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reread 11/2023: obsessed just as much as the first time around

---

i'm officially obsessed

i just spent seven hours straight reading and savoring this and it is by far a new favorite

full review ]]> 4.61 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
reread 2/2025: so much more makes sense after reading iron flame

---

reread 11/2023: obsessed just as much as the first time around

---

i'm officially obsessed

i just spent seven hours straight reading and savoring this and it is by far a new favorite

full review
]]> <![CDATA[Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)]]> 123257687
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.]]> 342 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1649375808 Lauren 4 unfinished-series

full review ]]> 3.88 2023 Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/23
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
I had such a fun time and on vibes and enjoyment alone it’s 5 stars but I also can’t overlook how poor the editing was lol


full review
]]> <![CDATA[The Ruin of Kings (A Chorus of Dragons, #1)]]> 39863237
Far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family's power plays and ambitions. He also discovers that the storybooks have lied about a lot of other things too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love, and how the hero always wins.

Then again, maybe he's not the hero, for Kihrin is not destined to save the empire.

He's destined to destroy it.]]> 560 Jenn Lyons 1250175488 Lauren 4 unfinished-series
This book was a whirlwind. At the beginning, I was confused and it honestly took me a while to get fully into the story (like ~150 pages), but when I did, I had a great time for the most part. Honestly, it took me so long to read this book but I think that was partly me savoring it. The scenes that I enjoyed I never wanted to end but then other times I felt as though the book was dragging? I think the last 60 pages or so was pretty fast paced and I liked how everything wrapped up and connected at the end.

The one thing that decreased my enjoyment was the way it was told. Not only does every chapter alternate who is telling the story, but it alternates between first and third person and between different timelines. But it's all Kirhin's story? It's told in such an original/unique way that honestly through me way off. I would finally get sucked in to a chapter and then be yanked out and placed in a different time and different event where my mind would have to go back and remember what had happened a couple chapters ago. I think if it had been told chronologically, it would have been a lot easier for me to get sucked in.

Okay, so in terms of plot, I thought that the way things were woven together was very interesting. I think if I were to reread this, which I'm sure I'll do at some point before the sequel, I would take notes just to have everything fresh in my mind because this book is long and a lot happens. There were moments where I was flipping through the pages as fast as I could to see what happened next and then there were moments where I was slowly savoring the scenes. But for pretty much the entire book, I was some level of confused as to what was happening.

I think my number one thing that I enjoyed about this book was Kirhin. I think if we'd had any other character as the lead or if Kirhin hadn't been exactly like he was, I wouldn't have enjoyed the story as much. But Kirhin...oh my sweet boy. So much happens to him and, honestly, he can never catch a break. His sass is just so perfect, though. I feel like I relate a lot more to his humor than some other characters because he's a sarcastic brat half the time and then the other half is deprecating humor that just lines up perfectly with my sense of humor. I love him.

I'm excited to see what happens in the next book. There were so many loose ends at this end of this book, which I get because it's the first of five. I will say, if you want to read this book (which I do recommend if you love high fantasy and sassy characters!) that you take notes and don't try to speed through because that won't work. I definitely wish I'd taken more notes throughout as I probably wouldn't have been as confused.

A huge thank you to Tor Books for sending me an advanced copy of this book to review and to Jean for allowing me to be a part of this book tour.

Blog Tour ]]> 3.80 2019 The Ruin of Kings (A Chorus of Dragons, #1)
author: Jenn Lyons
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/01/28
date added: 2025/01/06
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
3.75 // 5 stars

This book was a whirlwind. At the beginning, I was confused and it honestly took me a while to get fully into the story (like ~150 pages), but when I did, I had a great time for the most part. Honestly, it took me so long to read this book but I think that was partly me savoring it. The scenes that I enjoyed I never wanted to end but then other times I felt as though the book was dragging? I think the last 60 pages or so was pretty fast paced and I liked how everything wrapped up and connected at the end.

The one thing that decreased my enjoyment was the way it was told. Not only does every chapter alternate who is telling the story, but it alternates between first and third person and between different timelines. But it's all Kirhin's story? It's told in such an original/unique way that honestly through me way off. I would finally get sucked in to a chapter and then be yanked out and placed in a different time and different event where my mind would have to go back and remember what had happened a couple chapters ago. I think if it had been told chronologically, it would have been a lot easier for me to get sucked in.

Okay, so in terms of plot, I thought that the way things were woven together was very interesting. I think if I were to reread this, which I'm sure I'll do at some point before the sequel, I would take notes just to have everything fresh in my mind because this book is long and a lot happens. There were moments where I was flipping through the pages as fast as I could to see what happened next and then there were moments where I was slowly savoring the scenes. But for pretty much the entire book, I was some level of confused as to what was happening.

I think my number one thing that I enjoyed about this book was Kirhin. I think if we'd had any other character as the lead or if Kirhin hadn't been exactly like he was, I wouldn't have enjoyed the story as much. But Kirhin...oh my sweet boy. So much happens to him and, honestly, he can never catch a break. His sass is just so perfect, though. I feel like I relate a lot more to his humor than some other characters because he's a sarcastic brat half the time and then the other half is deprecating humor that just lines up perfectly with my sense of humor. I love him.

I'm excited to see what happens in the next book. There were so many loose ends at this end of this book, which I get because it's the first of five. I will say, if you want to read this book (which I do recommend if you love high fantasy and sassy characters!) that you take notes and don't try to speed through because that won't work. I definitely wish I'd taken more notes throughout as I probably wouldn't have been as confused.

A huge thank you to Tor Books for sending me an advanced copy of this book to review and to Jean for allowing me to be a part of this book tour.

Blog Tour
]]> <![CDATA[The Blighted Stars (The Devoured Worlds, #1)]]> 58340705
She’s a revolutionary. Humanity is running out of options. Habitable planets are being destroyed as quickly as they’re found and Naira Sharp knows the reason why. The all-powerful Mercator family has been controlling the exploration of the universe for decades, and exploiting any materials they find along the way under the guise of helping humanity’s expansion. But Naira knows the truth, and she plans to bring the whole family down from the inside.

He’s the heir to the dynasty. Tarquin Mercator never wanted to run a galaxy-spanning business empire. He just wanted to study rocks and read books. But Tarquin’s father has tasked him with monitoring the mining of a new planet, and he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Disguised as Tarquin’s new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy his ship before it lands. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man she’s sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot that’s bigger than both of them.]]> 491 Megan E. O'Keefe 0316290793 Lauren 5 4.08 2023 The Blighted Stars (The Devoured Worlds, #1)
author: Megan E. O'Keefe
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/13
date added: 2025/01/06
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series, life-changing
review:
such a fascinating, intriguing story. i am falling head over heels for these characters which terrifies me because of the implications of what this world can do to them. stunning. i cannot wait (though i'm terrified) to see what happens next.
]]> Plier (Ironside Academy #1) 222024155
Isobel Carter—the only rare Sigma to be accepted—is the first sign. But there are others. Many others. A sudden influx of precious Alphas will turn academy life, and Isobel’s life, upside down. She might be the lowest rung on the ladder, but in order to survive Ironside, where social media is king and consequences are deadly, she will need to make her mark.

She will need to climb.

This isn’t a game for the faint of heart, and those who rise should be prepared for a beautiful, brutal fall.

Beware the pretty posers, because this social media game just got dangerous.


The Hunger Games collides with America's Got Talent, and you've just been invited to binge it all in high definition. But here's some viewer discretion before you continue:

This book is a “why choose� romance with as many book boyfriends as enemies, so expect a slow-to-medium burn. If you like your omegaverse, reverse harem, and academy troupes twisted and defiled to stretch your imagination, then this is the book for you!

Now it's time to grab some popcorn and dive right in!]]> 470 Jane Washington Lauren 5
-.-.-.-.-

first read: 4.25 // 5 stars]]> 4.21 2023 Plier (Ironside Academy #1)
author: Jane Washington
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/14
date added: 2024/12/14
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series, rh-why-choose
review:
reread: 5 // 5 stars - jane's writing is just so addicting...another series of hers for me to be obsessed with

-.-.-.-.-

first read: 4.25 // 5 stars
]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters, #1)]]> 59986018
Um ihre sterbende Schwester zu retten, schließt die verzweifelte Dianna einen lebenslang bindenden als erste Offizierin des gefürchteten und gefährlichen Unterweltboss Kaden befehligt sie seine Armee aus grausamen Monstern, Gestaltwandlern, Vampiren und Hexen. Als Kaden die Herrschaft des gesamten Reiches an sich reißen will, muss Dianna für ihn eine uralte Reliquie beschaffen. Diese soll sich ausgerechnet im Besitz des Gottes Samkiel befinden, Diannas Erzfeind, der das Reich seit tausenden Jahren besetzt hält. Doch als sie Samkiel begegnet, muss sie eine Wahl treffen, die alles verändern wird ...

Die fesselnd-dĂĽstere, spicy Dark Fantasy mit Slow-Burn-Liebesgeschichte sowie den Tropes Enemies-to-Lovers und Forced Proximity endlich auf Deutsch!]]> 572 Amber V. Nicole Lauren 0 unfinished-series 4.07 2022 The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters, #1)
author: Amber V. Nicole
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/07
date added: 2024/12/07
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act]]> 23093359 176 Kieron Gillen 1632150190 Lauren 0 3.81 2014 The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act
author: Kieron Gillen
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2024/11/15
date added: 2024/11/15
shelves: graphic-novels-manga, unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Scent of Us: Part One (The Bond Dissolution Omegaverse, #1)]]> 199352731
For Juno Liu, who has been forcibly bonded since she awakened, this changes everything.

But it turns out breaking her unwanted alpha bonds is the easy part. When Juno encounters her gorgeous scent-matched alpha, she does the only logical thing and runs away. It’s unfortunate she can’t do the same when she perfumes for the sinful new lecturer at her university. And she still can’t stop thinking about the sweet-faced beta who tried his best to keep her safe all those years ago.

When Juno’s suppressants start to fail, she’s forced to confront everything she’s afraid of. This alpha-shy omega will have to embark on a trial far more harrowing than bond dissolution - finding a pack to court her.

The Scent of Us: Part One is the start of a sweet Reverse Harem MMFMMMM duology, set in the Bond Dissolution Omegaverse.]]> 302 Eliana Lee Lauren 4 4.02 2023 The Scent of Us: Part One (The Bond Dissolution Omegaverse, #1)
author: Eliana Lee
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/01
date added: 2024/11/01
shelves: rh-why-choose, unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Forbidden: Part One (Luna & Sol Omegaverse, #1)]]> 75565153
Would I be brave enough to take it?

Five years ago, Josie Porter’s life was about to begin: she was going to escape her abusive family, move in with her best friend, and start college. Now, scarred from years of government torture in the Designation Academy, her dreams are long gone. Her only goal now is survival.

With the Designation Government out to pair every omega with often brutal alpha packs, Josie has to turn to black-market suppressants to disguise her biology. But when the supply runs out, Josie can no longer run from her designation.

Cam, Ben, and Theo Ashwood had given up on their dream to find an omega, refusing to participate in the government’s oppressive policies. But when the underground anti-government Alliance asks them to help an omega in need, they can’t say no. They never expected to meet her � their fated mate.

Suddenly surrounded by alphas desperate to tend to her every need, Josie finds herself feeling things she only dreamed of as a child � love, trust…hope.

But even the protection of her fiercely loyal pack can’t stand against those determined to tear them apart.]]> 568 Emilia Emerson Lauren 0 3.84 2023 Forbidden: Part One (Luna & Sol Omegaverse, #1)
author: Emilia Emerson
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2024/09/18
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: rh-why-choose, unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey (Check, Please!, #1-2)]]> 37534577
Eric Bittle is a former Georgia junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and amateur pâtissier. But as accomplished as he is, nothing could prepare him for his freshman year of playing hockey at the prestigious Samwell University in Samwell, Massachusetts. It's nothing like co-ed club hockey back in the South! For one? There’s checking. Second, there is Jack—his very attractive but moody captain.

A collection of the first half of the mega-popular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: # Hockey is the first in a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.]]> 288 Ngozi Ukazu 1250177952 Lauren 5 4.22 2018 Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey (Check, Please!, #1-2)
author: Ngozi Ukazu
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2021/06/09
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: graphic-novels-manga, unfinished-series
review:
Not to be dramatic or anything but I would literally die for Bitty. This book was so god damn cute and I loved every second of it! I definitely think that this story is best told the way it is: in a graphic novel format. I adored the illustrations and being able to see the characters and their facial expressions. Not only that, but I was laughing out loud at this book almost from page one. It was hilarious and heartwarming and everything I needed. I cannot wait for the next one!
]]> <![CDATA[Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1)]]> 216595852
I'm just a girl. And it turns out, I'm Hercules.

I'm struggling to survive in a Titan infested world where Spartans, immortals from twelve royal families who have god-like powers and obscene wealth, rule over all. A shy-stammering foster child with nothing, I keep my head down, cover my scars, and focus on excelling in school. At least, I try to. Then it happens.

My blood test reveals I'm part of the powerful elite. I'm one of them. A Spartan.

Forced to attend the Spartan War Academy, I undergo the most harrowing test of all time to see if I have what it takes to be an immortal. There's just a few problems. Achilles and Patro are my scary mentors. Kharon, the ferryman of death, and Augustus, the son of war, are my terrifying professors. Also, I'm pretty sure either someone's stalking me everywhere I go, or my sanity's slipping––I have a bad feeling both are true.

I'm surrounded by Villains and they're smothering me with their hate, obsession, and dark possessiveness. Too bad for them, they have no clue just who they're messing with.




]]> 496 Jasmine Mas Lauren 5 fuck i loved it 3.84 2024 Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1)
author: Jasmine Mas
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/30
date added: 2024/08/30
shelves: favorites, rh-why-choose, unfinished-series
review:
fuck i loved it
]]> <![CDATA[Blood & Steel (The Legends of Thezmarr, #1)]]> 63905241
Women are forbidden to wield blades, so she has trained in secret her entire life. Now racing against the clock, she fights to secure her place in the elite guild charged with the protection of the five kingdoms.

The sparring and hazing of the new trainees border on deadly, but even more dangerous is her growing attraction to Wilder Hawthorne, her unwilling warrior chaperone.

All around them, schemes are afoot and darkness looms.

Will Althea pass the perilous initiation test and take her place as a champion of Thezmarr � or will the invading evil snatch away her dream before it starts?]]> 550 Helen Scheuerer 1922903027 Lauren 5 unfinished-series
truly i'm being fed this year with so many great fantasy romance books ]]> 4.20 2023 Blood & Steel (The Legends of Thezmarr, #1)
author: Helen Scheuerer
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/06/17
date added: 2024/07/11
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
4.5 // 5 stars

truly i'm being fed this year with so many great fantasy romance books
]]> <![CDATA[City of Gods and Monsters (House of Devils, #1)]]> 60121346
Until she barely escapes abduction at the hands of Darkslayers—supernatural bounty hunters that possess the Sight, a magical tracking ability that allows them to see a person’s aura—and one of her friends is taken in her place. The abductors are demanding a ransom: Loren's life in exchange for her friend's safe return. Loren will do whatever it takes to get her friend back—even if it means accepting help from Darien Cassel, the leader of the Seven Devils, the most feared Darkslaying circle in the city.

Darien specializes in tracking down demons and criminals that are better off dead than alive, so when he takes a job to track down Loren and finds out she is human—and couldn't hurt a fly if her life depended on it—he decides to protect her instead of turn her in for a reward. As much as Loren doesn't want to admit it, Darien is her best and only chance at finding her friend alive, if she can somehow manage to get along with him—and not fall head-over-heels in love with him in the process, which is far easier said than done.

When more women start disappearing, and some of them slowly turn up dead, Loren and Darien's search for answers takes them deep into Angelthene's corrupt underbelly, where they discover a dark secret that threatens to unravel their world. And when tragedy strikes, Loren learns that love can make an ordinary person do extraordinary things.

From the author of Dreams of Ice and Iron comes a new fantasy romance perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Ilona Andrews, and Cassandra Clare.

Please note: This book contains explicit content, including violence, mature language, drug abuse, and sexual assault. It is not intended for anyone under the age of 18.]]> 760 Kayla Edwards 1777880726 Lauren 5 unfinished-series, favorites just as perfect as the first time through

-----

original read:

holy shit

this is, by far, a new all-time favorite. i'd even go as far as to say this is my favorite book i've read in 2022 so far. i am wholly obsessed with these characters and this world. i cannot wait to go back and finish annotating and tabbing where i left off because it also means i get to keep going back to this story.

overall, i'm obsessed and in awe of the fact this book isn't being more hyped up. brb on my way to order kayla edward's other series now...

full, non-spoiler review ]]> 4.12 2022 City of Gods and Monsters (House of Devils, #1)
author: Kayla Edwards
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/02/25
date added: 2024/07/07
shelves: unfinished-series, favorites
review:
reread:
just as perfect as the first time through

-----

original read:

holy shit

this is, by far, a new all-time favorite. i'd even go as far as to say this is my favorite book i've read in 2022 so far. i am wholly obsessed with these characters and this world. i cannot wait to go back and finish annotating and tabbing where i left off because it also means i get to keep going back to this story.

overall, i'm obsessed and in awe of the fact this book isn't being more hyped up. brb on my way to order kayla edward's other series now...

full, non-spoiler review
]]> <![CDATA[The Crown of Oaths and Curses (The Mortal Fates #1)]]> 63119009
On the road to ultimate honor and glory, I lost everything.

Now, in a world ravaged by the whims of those who rule, I must turn my back on a lifetime of friendships and loyalties to face my own fate.

The Savage Prince.

Heir to the high-fae throne of the Southern Lands, he is known for his brutality and cold heart. But with the kingdom on the brink of ruin, I have no choice but to seek him out.

The war between the fae and the witches rages, and there’s no end in sight. My destiny is clear—help the prince defeat his enemies before it’s too late.

One small problem.

I am Rookesbane Eveningstar.

The Favored Child returned, a Witch of the Woods.

The greatest enemy of my Fates-blessed mate.




*The Crown of Oaths and Curses is a full-length MF epic fantasy romance with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book will end on a cliffhanger. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations. Book 1 of a 3-book series.]]> 663 J. Bree Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
my 15th book by her this year alone and it was perfection

full review ]]> 4.24 2023 The Crown of Oaths and Curses (The Mortal Fates #1)
author: J. Bree
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/19
date added: 2024/05/19
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
ohhhh lordie j bree has done it again

my 15th book by her this year alone and it was perfection

full review
]]> <![CDATA[The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 1]]> 44018869 Housework without honor or humanity

He was the fiercest member of the yakuza, a man who left countless underworld legends in his wake. They called him “the Immortal Dragon.� But one day he walked away from it all to walk another path—the path of the househusband! The curtain rises on this cozy yakuza comedy!]]> 160 Kousuke Oono 197470940X Lauren 5 4.20 2018 The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 1
author: Kousuke Oono
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/28
date added: 2024/03/28
shelves: graphic-novels-manga, favorites, unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Charming (Bastan Hollow Saga, #1)]]> 45324814 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07J2FHJ7V


Lilou Adler is a student at the Bastan College for Applied Physics: a magic school focussed on training adult witches and warlocks to become Enforcers. As an Enforcer-in-training, she is one of the many tasked with keeping each generation of fairy tale creatures on track with their fates.
There are just a few problems:
1. Being tasked with the all-important "Cinderella" tale as her first assignment had to be a clerical error.
2. Prince Charming is too busy chasing fairy "tail" to settle down.
3. Cinderella has sticky fingers and boundary issues.
4. A certain someone is hell-bent on taking her out of commission, but not even the High Warlock of Bastan can stop this witch when she gets started.

Arlo Demarcus is the High Warlock of Bastan and it’s his job to investigate magical crimes and to enforce magical law. It’s also his job to protect the next target in a string of magical murders: Lilou Adler.
There are just a few problems:
1. Lilou being tasked with the all-important "Cinderella" tale as her first assignment had to be a joke.
2. A certain someone is hell-bent on making his job a living hell, but there’s no way a twenty-something Enforcer-in-training is going to stop this warlock when he gets started.


This is a full, standalone novel. It is book #1 of the Bastan Hollow Saga, but each book CAN be read as a standalone.]]> 392 Jane Washington Lauren 0 unfinished-series 3.82 2018 Charming (Bastan Hollow Saga, #1)
author: Jane Washington
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2024/03/22
date added: 2024/03/22
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume One (Lore Olympus, #1)]]> 57282218
Persephone, young goddess of spring, is new to Olympus. Her mother, Demeter, has raised her in the mortal realm, but after Persephone promises to train as a sacred virgin, she’s allowed to live in the fast-moving, glamorous world of the gods. When her roommate, Artemis, takes her to a party, her entire life changes: she ends up meeting Hades and feels an immediate spark with the charming yet misunderstood ruler of the Underworld. Now Persephone must navigate the confusing politics and relationships that rule Olympus, while also figuring out her own place—and her own power.

This edition of Smythe’s original Eisner-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features a brand-new, exclusive short story, and brings the Greek Pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 1-25 of the #1 WEBTOON comic, Lore Olympus.]]> 384 Rachel Smythe 0593160290 Lauren 5 4.22 2021 Lore Olympus: Volume One (Lore Olympus, #1)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/28
date added: 2024/01/28
shelves: graphic-novels-manga, favorites, unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ensnared (Brutes of Bristlebrook, #1)]]> 150346434 Even if the world did end, five men is far too many to handle. Isn’t it?

Since the Final War, I’ve been doing just fine. I have a lovely cave, a darling vegetable patch, forest views . . . and if loneliness sometimes squeezes my aching heart, well, my books have always kept me company.

That is, until a pack of hunters chase me from my home and right into the arms of several rather large, rather brutish ex-Army Rangers. And those brutes have the nerve to make me the rudest offer I’ve ever heard.

Their protection—for my body.

The whole thing is absurd. Scandalous. Perverted, even. I mean, just the thought of doing that with five men, well, it’s . . . it’s . . .

I take the deal.

Okay, so it’s possible I find them indecently tempting. But these men also have secrets, and pasts so fraught with emotion, I’m not sure I can untangle them all. Or whether they’ll let me.

No, my brutes have made it excruciatingly clear where they think I belong—beneath them, between them, bent over backwards for them . . . but certainly not beside them.

And I »ĺ´Ç˛Ô’t think that’s going to work for me.

***

The Brutes of Bristlebrook is a dark(ish) post-apocalyptic, steamy reverse harem romance series, meaning Eden will end up with three or more love interests after I’ve appropriately obliterated my readers� nerves.

Expect complex characters, 1st person present tense, multiple POVs, MM in the harem, angst, lots of laughs, and to encounter material that some readers may find sensitive—a full description of which can be found on my author website.]]> 434 Rebecca Quinn Lauren 5
Absolutely obsessed]]> 4.17 2023 Ensnared (Brutes of Bristlebrook, #1)
author: Rebecca Quinn
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/04
date added: 2023/12/04
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series, rh-why-choose
review:
4.5 // 5

Absolutely obsessed
]]> <![CDATA[Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Awakening, #1)]]> 65214365
Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.]]> 416 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1250750199 Lauren 4 unfinished-series
enjoyable, addicting, quick read but nothing revolutionary for the genre

full review ]]> 3.94 2023 Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Awakening, #1)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/05
date added: 2023/11/29
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
4.25

enjoyable, addicting, quick read but nothing revolutionary for the genre

full review
]]> <![CDATA[Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House, #1)]]> 824734
Where did the tree house come from?

Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark . . . or will they become a dinosaur's dinner?]]> 68 Mary Pope Osborne 0679824111 Lauren 5 3.97 1992 Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House, #1)
author: Mary Pope Osborne
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1992
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/19
date added: 2023/10/27
shelves: childhood-favs, unfinished-series
review:
Life is stressful and when I couldn’t sleep last night I decided to just give this a go for nostalgia’s sake. I was obsessed with these as a kid. And even though I’m all grown now, this was super fun and nostalgic. I didn’t realize how short it was so I’m thinking when I can’t sleep at night I can continue rereading these to distract my mind because they are so fun and easy to escape into even all these years later
]]> <![CDATA[Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)]]> 62796217
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]> 368 Rebecca Ross 0008588155 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series 4.34 2023 Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)
author: Rebecca Ross
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/29
date added: 2023/09/23
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
I am in incredible amounts of pain
]]> <![CDATA[Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1)]]> 62919356
Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.]]> 372 Chloe Gong 1668000229 Lauren 4 unfinished-series 3.52 2023 Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1)
author: Chloe Gong
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/15
date added: 2023/09/23
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heartstopper: Volume One (Heartstopper, #1)]]> 42189109
But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is more interested in Charlie than either of them realised.

By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.]]> 263 Alice Oseman 1444951386 Lauren 4
original:
So cute! I need the next one like now!]]> 4.51 2018 Heartstopper: Volume One (Heartstopper, #1)
author: Alice Oseman
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/14
date added: 2023/08/14
shelves: unfinished-series, graphic-novels-manga, favorites
review:
reread: absolutely so nostalgic and fun. can't wait to continue the reread and finally catch up on the rest of the comics. plus, rereading after the show is just a whole new level of comfort

original:
So cute! I need the next one like now!
]]> <![CDATA[The Prison Healer (The Prison Healer, #1)]]> 58511129
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive.

Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death's door and Kiva receives a new message: Don't let her die. We are coming.

The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.]]> 416 Lynette Noni 1529360382 Lauren 5 unfinished-series 4.5 // 5 stars 4.22 2021 The Prison Healer (The Prison Healer, #1)
author: Lynette Noni
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/02/05
date added: 2023/02/11
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
4.5 // 5 stars
]]> <![CDATA[Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Deserted Island Diary, Vol. 1]]> 57147100 Animal Crossing: New Horizons characters.

Includes a bonus Animal Guide with game tips!]]> 128 Kokonasu Rumba 1974725928 Lauren 0 3.44 2020 Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Deserted Island Diary, Vol. 1
author: Kokonasu Rumba
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/07
date added: 2023/01/30
shelves: graphic-novels-manga, unfinished-series
review:
quick, cute, and funny (in a weird way at times) that also was just a good way to interact with animal crossing in a new way
]]> <![CDATA[Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune, #1)]]> 60138097
Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.]]> 528 Chloe Gong 1665905581 Lauren 5 unfinished-series, favorites
review ]]> 4.18 2022 Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune, #1)
author: Chloe Gong
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/28
date added: 2022/08/12
shelves: unfinished-series, favorites
review:
4.5 // 5 stars

review
]]> Incendiary (Hollow Crown, #1) 36115268
Una magia ancestral

Un mundo donde reina la venganza

Renata no era más que una niña cuando la Corona ordenó su secuestro. A ser una ladrona de recuerdos, el tipo de Moria más raro y temido, la utilizaron como arma durante la Ira del Rey, el asedio que provocó la muerte de miles de los suyos.

Ahora Renata forma parte de los Susurros, y es una espía rebelde en contra de la Corona. Cuando a Dez, su comandante (y el muchacho al que ha terminado amando), lo captura el afamado Príncipe Dorado, Renata debe regresar al palacio y completar la misión de alto secreto que había empezado. ¿Será capaz de mantener su tapadera, aun ardiendo de venganza contra el brutal y enigmático príncipe? Su vida y e ldestino de los Morias depende de ellos.

Pero regresar al palacio le remueve unos recuerdos que llevaban tiempo bajo llave. A medida que Renata se va inmiscuyendo en la corte real, descubre un secreto que podrĂ­a cambiar el destino de todo el reino y terminar con la guerra que tan cara le ha salido.]]> 464 Zoraida CĂłrdova 1473677572 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
*I was sent a free copy in exchange for participation in a blog tour and an honest review. All thoughts are my own*

I loved this book more than I expected and I'm so excited to get my hands on a finished copy and to read the sequel when it comes out next year. These characters truly have my heart and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book to them since there were so many twists at the end of this book. I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers!

Full non-spoiler review + GIVEAWAY ]]> 3.84 2020 Incendiary (Hollow Crown, #1)
author: Zoraida CĂłrdova
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/07/12
date added: 2022/07/12
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
4.5 // 5 stars

*I was sent a free copy in exchange for participation in a blog tour and an honest review. All thoughts are my own*

I loved this book more than I expected and I'm so excited to get my hands on a finished copy and to read the sequel when it comes out next year. These characters truly have my heart and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book to them since there were so many twists at the end of this book. I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers!

Full non-spoiler review + GIVEAWAY
]]> <![CDATA[Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)]]> 40024139 Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

This is a previously published edition of ISBN 9780062878021. An alternate cover edition can be found here.]]> 513 Shelby Mahurin Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series reread
I absolutely loved this reread and being back with these characters. I was honestly surprised at how many scenes I'd forgotten about! I'm so glad I reread because now everything is all fresh in my mind going into Blood & Honey!

First Read 8/25/2019
ALL THE STARS

I genuinely think this is the best book I've read in 2019. I've read almost 120 books this year and this one definitely takes the top spot! I adored every second of reading this book. There was never a single moment that I was bored or skimming to get through faster which is something I've done in every book this year (even ones I love and think are amazing). I just...I loved it. The hype is well-deserved and I already want to go back and reread it despite finishing it only minutes ago. This is definitely one that isn't to be missed.

Full, non-spoiler review ]]> 3.92 2019 Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)
author: Shelby Mahurin
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/01
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
reread
I absolutely loved this reread and being back with these characters. I was honestly surprised at how many scenes I'd forgotten about! I'm so glad I reread because now everything is all fresh in my mind going into Blood & Honey!

First Read 8/25/2019
ALL THE STARS

I genuinely think this is the best book I've read in 2019. I've read almost 120 books this year and this one definitely takes the top spot! I adored every second of reading this book. There was never a single moment that I was bored or skimming to get through faster which is something I've done in every book this year (even ones I love and think are amazing). I just...I loved it. The hype is well-deserved and I already want to go back and reread it despite finishing it only minutes ago. This is definitely one that isn't to be missed.

Full, non-spoiler review
]]> A Broken Blade 59850487
She crosses into the magical lands of the Fae, trying to discern if her enemy is Mortal, Elf, or a Halfling like her. But the Faeland is not what it seems, and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she discovers and can’t help but wonder who her enemy truly is�

The King that destroyed her people? The Prince that tortures them? Or the Shadow that threatens her place at court?

As she searches for answers, Keera is haunted by a promise she made long ago. A promise not only to save herself but an entire kingdom.]]> 450 Melissa Blair 1777927838 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
this is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and i cannot wait to see how the series progresses after how this ended

full review ]]> 4.22 2021 A Broken Blade
author: Melissa Blair
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/16
date added: 2022/03/23
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
i absolutely loved this book and read it in one evening

this is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and i cannot wait to see how the series progresses after how this ended

full review
]]> <![CDATA[From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash, #1)]]> 52831247 Captivating and action-packed, From Blood and Ash is a sexy, addictive, and unexpected fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laura Thalassa.

A Maiden�

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty�

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom�

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.]]> 622 Jennifer L. Armentrout Lauren 5 unfinished-series 4.5/5 <br /><br />Review tk 4.36 2020 From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash, #1)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/06/23
date added: 2022/03/22
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
4.5/5

Review tk
]]> Poison Study (Study, #1) 60510 Choose: A quick death� or slow poison...

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...]]> 427 Maria V. Snyder 0778324338 Lauren 5 unfinished-series 4.09 2005 Poison Study (Study, #1)
author: Maria V. Snyder
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2016/02/06
date added: 2022/03/08
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1)]]> 44778083
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom-and the power of love.]]> 803 Sarah J. Maas 1635574048 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
~

I really enjoyed Sarah's newest book and I'm so excited to have a new series from her. I can only imagine that my love for it will continue to grow with the next books that will come out. I don't think this is my favorite book of hers (partly because I got spoiled for a major plot point and didn't have that particular suspense adding to everything else) but I really loved it and definitely cried a few times.

My full, non-spoiler review is live ]]> 4.43 2020 House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/02/16
date added: 2022/02/16
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
2022 reread: while i loved this book the first time around, rereading it has cemented it in my heart in a new way. i allowed myself to fall into the story, to take my time with it and absorb all the details and moments, to connect with these characters even more than i already had. even though i knew everything that was coming, i sobbed like a baby for the last 100 pages or so (more than i did the first time i read it). this book truly is something special. and i am so excited and terrified to head into the next book...

~

I really enjoyed Sarah's newest book and I'm so excited to have a new series from her. I can only imagine that my love for it will continue to grow with the next books that will come out. I don't think this is my favorite book of hers (partly because I got spoiled for a major plot point and didn't have that particular suspense adding to everything else) but I really loved it and definitely cried a few times.

My full, non-spoiler review is live
]]> Marked (House of Night, #1) 30183 Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

After a Vampire Tracker Marks her with a crescent moon on her forehead, 16-year-old Zoey Redbird enters the House of Night and learns that she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx and has affinities for all five elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny—with a little help from her new vampyre friends (or Nerd Herd, as Aphrodite calls them).]]> 306 P.C. Cast 0312360266 Lauren 4 unfinished-series
it's not perfect. it definitely wouldn't be favorite if i read it for the first time now as an adult with a lot more critical reading experience. but the nostalgia and love for these characters i carried over from middle school made this a great time

i'll definitely be continuing on with rereading the rest of the series and finally getting around to the last few books :) ]]> 3.82 2007 Marked (House of Night, #1)
author: P.C. Cast
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/22
date added: 2022/01/22
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
this is probably my fourth or fifth reread at least? i was obsessed with this series in middle school and never actually finished it but i remember rereading it multiple times. tonight i was a bit stressed and craving something nostalgic so i just...started reading it again

it's not perfect. it definitely wouldn't be favorite if i read it for the first time now as an adult with a lot more critical reading experience. but the nostalgia and love for these characters i carried over from middle school made this a great time

i'll definitely be continuing on with rereading the rest of the series and finally getting around to the last few books :)
]]> January (Conspiracy 365, #1) 26078967 On New Year's Eve, Cal is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning:

They killed your father.
They'll kill you.
You must survive the next 365 days!

Forced into a life on the run, Cal finds himself hunted by ruthless criminals and the police. Somehow he must uncover the truth about his father's mysterious death and solve the Ormond Singularity, a secret from the past, before the year is up. But who can he turn to when the whole world seems to want him dead?

The clock is ticking. Any second could be his last.

Callum Ormond has been warned.

He has 365 days. The countdown has begun ...

]]> 192 Gabrielle Lord Lauren 0 4.48 2009 January (Conspiracy 365, #1)
author: Gabrielle Lord
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: childhood-favs, unfinished-series
review:

]]> Iron Widow (Iron Widow, #1) 58857566
I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance. The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises � giant transforming robots that battle aliens beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that their female co-pilots are expected to serve as concubines and often die from the mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, her plan is to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But after miraculously surviving her first battle, Zetian sets her sights on a mightier goal. The time has come to stop more girls from being sacrificed.]]> 394 Xiran Jay Zhao 0861542096 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
where's book 2 ahhhhhh]]> 4.11 2021 Iron Widow (Iron Widow, #1)
author: Xiran Jay Zhao
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/19
date added: 2022/01/19
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
holy shit

where's book 2 ahhhhhh
]]> <![CDATA[The Accidental Apprentice (Wilderlore, #1)]]> 54304019 A boy who accidentally bonds with a magical Beast must set off on an adventure in the mysterious Woods in this “wholesome, delightful� (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), and cheeky middle grade fantasy debut—perfect for fans of Nevermoor and How to Train Your Dragon.

The last thing Barclay Thorne ever wanted was an adventure.

Thankfully, as an apprentice to the town’s mushroom farmer, Barclay need only work hard and follow the rules to one day become the head mushroom farmer himself. No danger required. But then Barclay accidentally breaks his town’s most sacred rule: never ever EVER stray into the Woods, for within the Woods lurk vicious magical Beasts.

To Barclay’s horror, he faces a fate far worse than being eaten: he unwittingly bonds with a Beast and is run out of town by an angry mob. Determined to break this bond and return home, Barclay journeys to find the mysterious town of Lore Keepers, people who have also bonded with Beasts and share their powers.

But after making new friends, entering a dangerous apprenticeship exam, and even facing the legendary Beast of the Woods, Barclay must make a difficult choice: return to the home and rules he’s always known, or embrace the adventure awaiting him.]]> 304 Amanda Foody 153447756X Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
For me, middle grade is hit or miss at this point in my life. I'm just not the target audience anymore and that's okay. I still enjoy reading middle grade books a lot, especially when it comes to rereading my favorites from childhood. Because I'm an adult now, it's generally a 50/50 split on if a middle grade book blows me away or not. Most of the new ones I read are enjoyable but I haven't read a new middle grade in a long time that actually blew me away like this one did.

I knew from the first line of the book that I was going to enjoy it (in fact, that first line is the first one in my favorite quotes list down below!). I loved Barclay and connected with him almost instantly. He can be insufferable at times but, honestly, that just made me love him more. Reading his journey and getting to watch his character growth was simply wonderful.

The side characters were all enjoyable as well. I'm not going to name names because of spoilers, but I'm eager in the next books to find out more about each of the others as we only touched the surface of their backstories in this one. I think a solid cast of characters makes any book better and I am eager to see how these characters grow up and evolve in future books.

The plot itself was so fun. There's a tournament, mystery, and also character journeys that all tie together in a great way. I was a fan of it all and I thought that the author interwove it all in a way that each bit was complemented by the rest. There was a set up for another adventure at the end of the book, though it wasn't a cliffhanger, and I'm so intrigued to see where the plot could go next.

The magic system and world building was amazing. I'm currently reading another of Amanda's books (one of her young adult ones) and I've noticed that her magic systems are all incredibly interesting and fleshed out but aren't complicated to understand. I love the Beasts system and how magic is dependent on what beast a person bonds with. It's just...I'm so excited to explore more of this in future books.

Overall, I absolutely loved The Accidental Apprentice. I love middle grade but it has been hit or miss for me as I'm no longer the target audience. However, this book greatly exceeded any expectations I had for it and has found its way onto my list of favorite books for the year. I'm so excited to see where the next book and rest of the series go. I highly recommend this book to middle grade fantasy lovers and those who like How to Train Your Dragon and Pokemon. ]]> 4.24 2021 The Accidental Apprentice (Wilderlore, #1)
author: Amanda Foody
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/26
date added: 2021/12/08
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
You guys, I absolutely loved this book! I read it in one sitting and ended up staying up until 1:30 AM just to finish it because I couldn't put it down. It was cute, it was fun, it was full of adventure, and it even had some plot twists that I didn't see coming. This was a five star read for me and I am so excited to see where the story goes next.

For me, middle grade is hit or miss at this point in my life. I'm just not the target audience anymore and that's okay. I still enjoy reading middle grade books a lot, especially when it comes to rereading my favorites from childhood. Because I'm an adult now, it's generally a 50/50 split on if a middle grade book blows me away or not. Most of the new ones I read are enjoyable but I haven't read a new middle grade in a long time that actually blew me away like this one did.

I knew from the first line of the book that I was going to enjoy it (in fact, that first line is the first one in my favorite quotes list down below!). I loved Barclay and connected with him almost instantly. He can be insufferable at times but, honestly, that just made me love him more. Reading his journey and getting to watch his character growth was simply wonderful.

The side characters were all enjoyable as well. I'm not going to name names because of spoilers, but I'm eager in the next books to find out more about each of the others as we only touched the surface of their backstories in this one. I think a solid cast of characters makes any book better and I am eager to see how these characters grow up and evolve in future books.

The plot itself was so fun. There's a tournament, mystery, and also character journeys that all tie together in a great way. I was a fan of it all and I thought that the author interwove it all in a way that each bit was complemented by the rest. There was a set up for another adventure at the end of the book, though it wasn't a cliffhanger, and I'm so intrigued to see where the plot could go next.

The magic system and world building was amazing. I'm currently reading another of Amanda's books (one of her young adult ones) and I've noticed that her magic systems are all incredibly interesting and fleshed out but aren't complicated to understand. I love the Beasts system and how magic is dependent on what beast a person bonds with. It's just...I'm so excited to explore more of this in future books.

Overall, I absolutely loved The Accidental Apprentice. I love middle grade but it has been hit or miss for me as I'm no longer the target audience. However, this book greatly exceeded any expectations I had for it and has found its way onto my list of favorite books for the year. I'm so excited to see where the next book and rest of the series go. I highly recommend this book to middle grade fantasy lovers and those who like How to Train Your Dragon and Pokemon.
]]> <![CDATA[Trying to Live With the Dead (Veil Diaries)]]> 36051291
Well, if this one bitch of a ghost could leave me alone on campus that would be great. Especially since I haven’t told my new friends about my abilities. Can you believe this? Five good-looking guys practically adopt me on my first day of school, and I still think they’re a bit nuts for it. Now if I can only just keep my life with the dead from mixing with my normal life, everything would be great. Yeah...I »ĺ´Ç˛Ô’t see that happening either. But I’m going to give it a shot. Who knows? It might work.

]]> 328 B.L. Brunnemer 1546581235 Lauren 5
FULL REVIEW ON MY BLOG HERE: ]]> 4.31 2016 Trying to Live With the Dead (Veil Diaries)
author: B.L. Brunnemer
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/27
date added: 2021/11/27
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series, rh-why-choose
review:
The moment I read the synopsis for this book, I knew I needed it in my life. I sped through this book, I stayed up until 1 am (letting myself get freaked out by ghost talk in the pitch black of the night), I neglected all responsibilities for this book. I loved it. The characters were fantastic, the plot was fantastic, everything was fantastic. It was marvelously spooky while still fluffy and cute. I can't wait for the next one (I currently have a giant urge to go reread my favorite scenes...I think I'll go do that). All in all, it was an A+ book and I can't wait to continue on with the rest of the guys and Lexie's adventures.

FULL REVIEW ON MY BLOG HERE:
]]> Red Queen (Red Queen, #1) 22328546 This is a world divided by blood—red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.]]> 388 Victoria Aveyard 0062310631 Lauren 5 unfinished-series, favorites
I 100% get what all of the hype is about. I tried reading this years ago and was in a slump and never got around to actually getting past the first few pages until this week. And WOW I loved it. This was such an engaging, fun story.

Now, part of being in the community for years and being exposed to fan edits, reviews, discussions, etc about this book meant that I did have a bit of knowledge on when plot twists were coming, characters, etc. I did see most of the plot twists coming simply because I'd been minorly spoiled and was able to draw hypotheses from those spoilers. However, I still enjoyed this book so much despite having those inklings of what was going to happen.

Overall, I can't believe it took me so long to read this. I was so scared that it was overhyped and so many people were saying that it wasn't as good as the hype said, but I enjoyed this book so much (more than I expected to, if I'm being honest). I cannot wait to get into the rest of the series and see how things progress past this first book. ]]> 3.98 2015 Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/30
date added: 2021/10/30
shelves: unfinished-series, favorites
review:
4.5 // 5 stars

I 100% get what all of the hype is about. I tried reading this years ago and was in a slump and never got around to actually getting past the first few pages until this week. And WOW I loved it. This was such an engaging, fun story.

Now, part of being in the community for years and being exposed to fan edits, reviews, discussions, etc about this book meant that I did have a bit of knowledge on when plot twists were coming, characters, etc. I did see most of the plot twists coming simply because I'd been minorly spoiled and was able to draw hypotheses from those spoilers. However, I still enjoyed this book so much despite having those inklings of what was going to happen.

Overall, I can't believe it took me so long to read this. I was so scared that it was overhyped and so many people were saying that it wasn't as good as the hype said, but I enjoyed this book so much (more than I expected to, if I'm being honest). I cannot wait to get into the rest of the series and see how things progress past this first book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Thief (The Queen's Thief, #1)]]> 30363359 Instead of Three Wishes, the first book by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second book more than fulfills that promise.

The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.

Megan Whalen Turner weaves Gen's stories and Gen's story together with style and verve in a novel that is filled with intrigue, adventure, and surprise.]]> 320 Megan Whalen Turner 0062642960 Lauren 4 unfinished-series 3.67 1996 The Thief (The Queen's Thief, #1)
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2017/09/03
date added: 2021/09/02
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
I very much enjoyed this book. I thought the writing style was exactly what I needed to help me get out of my reading slump and I thought the plot was simple yet suprising and full of political aspects. I loved Gen and one day hope to be as sassy as he is. The book was pretty good and I thought I had everything figured out but then in the last seventy-five or so pages I was completely blown away. Plot twist after twist and things I didn't see coming but were foreshadowed. I am excited to see how the rest of the series continues and how different political aspects are dealt with in the following books.
]]> <![CDATA[Havoc at Prescott High (The Havoc Boys, #1)]]> 48559429 H.A.V.O.C.
Hael, Aaron, Victor, Oscar, and Callum.

The Havoc Boys rule the hellhole we call Prescott High.
Once upon a time, they ruled me. For an entire year, I endured their shit.
But senior year is going to be different.

This year, I own them.
I’ve made a pact with the Havoc Boys to get the vengeance I deserve.
Their price? Me. At their beck and call, in their beds, a part of their gang.

Their girl.
A Havoc Girl.
Those dirty, rotten boys are going to get revenge against everyone that’s wronged me—everyone but themselves.

HAVOC AT PRESCOTT HIGH is a 105,000 word mature high school/new adult romance with enemies-to-lovers/love-hate themes. It has brief flashbacks of past bullying incidents as well as foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual. This is a reverse harem novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest. This is book one of three in the series.]]> 412 C.M. Stunich Lauren 4 4.14 2019 Havoc at Prescott High (The Havoc Boys, #1)
author: C.M. Stunich
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/07
date added: 2021/07/10
shelves: unfinished-series, rh-why-choose
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 370 Holly Black 0316310271 Lauren 1 unfinished-series
Like I said, I didn't hate it but I don't think it was as good as everyone hyped it up to be? I'm going to have more thoughts in a structured review coming soon, but for now I'll just leave it here by saying that this book disappointed me. ]]> 4.01 2018 The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 1
read at: 2018/08/09
date added: 2021/05/05
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it? I'm not sure what my feelings on this book are if I'm being quite honest. There are times where I'll think about it and want to rate it 2 stars, but then there are times when I think about other parts of the book and I want to rate it 4 stars. This is the first time I've been this confused on what my feelings on a book were.

Like I said, I didn't hate it but I don't think it was as good as everyone hyped it up to be? I'm going to have more thoughts in a structured review coming soon, but for now I'll just leave it here by saying that this book disappointed me.
]]> <![CDATA[Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)]]> 16059492 Alternative cover edition of ISBN13: 9781250027436.

Alina Starkov doesn't expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, she is sure of only one thing: her best friend, Mal--and her inconvenient crush on him. Until the day their army regiment enters the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. When their convoy is attacked and Mal is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power not even she knew existed.

Ripped from everything she knows, Alina is taken to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. With Alina's extraordinary power in his arsenal, he believes they can finally destory the Fold. Now Alina must find a way to master her untamed gift and somehow fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. As the threat to the kingdom mounts and her dangerous attraction to the Darkling grows, Alina will uncover a secret that could tear her heart--and her country--in two.]]> 358 Leigh Bardugo Lauren 4 unfinished-series
not at all what i expected but exactly what i needed ]]> 4.01 2012 Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/03
date added: 2021/05/04
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
it would have been read in a single sitting if i hadn't have had a night class but hey ho

not at all what i expected but exactly what i needed
]]> <![CDATA[Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1)]]> 30238163 Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, Enne has only one lead: the name Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless Mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city�

And she’ll need to play.]]> 411 Amanda Foody 1335692290 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
Full review, including trigger/content warnings, ]]> 3.82 2018 Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1)
author: Amanda Foody
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/28
date added: 2021/04/23
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
Amazing and such a great ride. Very excited to continue on with the next book.

Full review, including trigger/content warnings,
]]> <![CDATA[A Fallen Hero (Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms #1)]]> 44791696
The United States government believes he is the key to developing a devastating weapon that will give humankind an advantage when war inevitably erupts between the Human Realm and Avilésor, the Ghost Realm.

After being an unwilling test subject in Project Alpha for two years, Cato and the rest of his "lab-family" survive a transport accident to find themselves stranded and powerless in the middle of the wilderness. Hunted every step of the way by ghostly Shadow Guards with supernatural abilities and human Agents desperate to recapture their prisoners, the eight young fugitives are drawn to Cato's hometown where the Rip between Realms connects the worlds.

Cato wants nothing to do with his past, but as his enemies close in, he realizes he's willing to do anything to protect his lab-family . . .

. . . even kidnap the daughter of a ghost hunter and make a dangerous deal to become a mercenary.]]> 466 Sara A. Noë Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one! The world was interesting, the plot compelling, and the characters were by far the best part of the book. I love me a good found family and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Full review ]]> 4.70 A Fallen Hero (Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms #1)
author: Sara A. Noë
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.70
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2019/09/01
date added: 2021/03/01
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
4.5 // 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one! The world was interesting, the plot compelling, and the characters were by far the best part of the book. I love me a good found family and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Full review
]]> <![CDATA[She's With Me (She's With Me, #1)]]> 45734871 A new town, a new love, another chance to stay alive.

Arriving in another new town, Amelia Collins vows to fit in and finish her senior year drama free. There can’t be any mistakes. Staying under the radar is what keeps Amelia one step ahead of the man who is trying to find and destroy her.

But when she’s befriended by a group of students who make her feel safe and loved, Amelia struggles to maintain her distance, especially when faced with her feelings for Aiden Parker, whose piercing gray eyes and strength weaken her resolve.

When Aiden’s ex-girlfriend threatens Amelia in ways that make her easy to find, she has to act quickly. Feeling crushed by her desire for a normal life and not wanting to leave her friends behind, Amelia has an impossible choice to make between survival or the chance at real love.]]> 328 Jessica Cunsolo 1989365027 Lauren 5 unfinished-series
When I found out a few months ago that this was finally being (rightfully) published in actual book form I was so excited! I'd always wanted a physical copy of this book on my shelves because this story has such an impact on me when I was younger. Sadly, I wasn't able to pick up a copy on release day but I recently was able to buy one and let's just say it arrived today and I just finished reading it.

The first feeling I got while reading this book was nostalgia. Like I said, I'd been following this book and series for years. I read it multiple times when I was younger. Revisiting this story and these characters in a newly edited and published form was so fun for me, so reminiscent of my past reading habits.

This book is by no means perfect. There are cliche moments, cringey moments, and some predictable plot lines. However, for every cliche or predictable moment, there was another one that made this book stand out apart from others. And, despite any cliche moments, I love it so much anyway.

It's fun. It's addictive. It's full of friendship, romance, real-world issues, high school drama, and so much more. It's got depth and characters that I absolutely love. I'm so torn on waiting for the revised second book to come out or just head straight to Wattpad to read the first draft of the second book.

I could ramble for a long time about how much I love this book. Part of why I love it so much is because of the nostalgic feelings I have surrounding it, but the other part of why I love it is because it's fun and addicting and a welcome distraction from the current state of the world.

]]> 4.06 2015 She's With Me (She's With Me, #1)
author: Jessica Cunsolo
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/17
date added: 2021/01/17
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
I've been following this book since the first chapter was posted on Wattpad many years ago. I was 14 or 15 and I was obsessed. Even after I started reading more traditionally published books, I would still come back to Wattpad to read this as new chapters released.

When I found out a few months ago that this was finally being (rightfully) published in actual book form I was so excited! I'd always wanted a physical copy of this book on my shelves because this story has such an impact on me when I was younger. Sadly, I wasn't able to pick up a copy on release day but I recently was able to buy one and let's just say it arrived today and I just finished reading it.

The first feeling I got while reading this book was nostalgia. Like I said, I'd been following this book and series for years. I read it multiple times when I was younger. Revisiting this story and these characters in a newly edited and published form was so fun for me, so reminiscent of my past reading habits.

This book is by no means perfect. There are cliche moments, cringey moments, and some predictable plot lines. However, for every cliche or predictable moment, there was another one that made this book stand out apart from others. And, despite any cliche moments, I love it so much anyway.

It's fun. It's addictive. It's full of friendship, romance, real-world issues, high school drama, and so much more. It's got depth and characters that I absolutely love. I'm so torn on waiting for the revised second book to come out or just head straight to Wattpad to read the first draft of the second book.

I could ramble for a long time about how much I love this book. Part of why I love it so much is because of the nostalgic feelings I have surrounding it, but the other part of why I love it is because it's fun and addicting and a welcome distraction from the current state of the world.


]]> Half-Blood (Covenant, #1) 9680718
Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is.

If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.]]> 281 Jennifer L. Armentrout 0983157200 Lauren 4 unfinished-series 4.08 2011 Half-Blood (Covenant, #1)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/16
date added: 2020/11/17
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Good, The Bad, And The Bullied (The Good Girl's Bad Boys, #1)]]> 25681160
"You'll be our good girl," Declan said.

Jordan smiled. "And we'll be your bad boys."

I was silent for a moment. I looked at them, at the contract, and back at them. Then I calmly put the papers back on the table. I looked at the three of them and slowly rose from my seat.

"So what you're telling me," I said, my voice raising, "is that you got me to meet up with you in Starbucks probably ruining the rest of my senior year and maybe my life, just to make a contract with me because of your lewd desires?" I exclaimed.

Bennett blinked. "Lewd?"

Jordan looked at Declan. "What's lewd? Is that a kind of food?"


Naomi Lorraine, more commonly known as Nerdy Naomi with her thick rimmed glasses and straight-A report card, is the most unpopular girl in her school. And even with the help of her sarcastic comebacks and the ability to give a good punch, that doesn't stop her from getting bullied by everyone in Dartwell High. Every day her childhood bully, Raymond Meyers, knocks her off her feet, literally. And she can't do anything but survive the laughs, insults, and bruises high school gives her.

The Three Musketeers are the baddest boys in her school: Bennett Frazier, Jordan Wallace, and Declan Lynch. All in one day, Naomi catches their attention one by one. With the girl's snarky attitude, but innocent look, they can't help but want her. But not the way you're thinking. On no, not like that. Instead, it's probably the whole opposite.

It's quite simple really.

She'll be their good girl.

And they'll be her bad boys.]]> Rubix Cube 89201 Lauren 4 unfinished-series 4.34 The Good, The Bad, And The Bullied (The Good Girl's Bad Boys, #1)
author: Rubix Cube 89201
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.34
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/22
date added: 2020/11/15
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
Phew I forgot how long this book was. I think it took me like 11 hours to read over the course of the past two weeks. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it I just forgot how long it was and I was expecting a short, easy re-read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)]]> 52439531
To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.]]> 386 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1368052401 Lauren 4 unfinished-series
Full, non-spoiler review ]]> 4.13 2020 The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/02
date added: 2020/11/08
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
I found this book super enjoyable, fun, and with the right amount of mystery and suspense! I am so excited for the second book to come out next year because I need more of these characters (and, of course, to know what happens next after that ending). There's definitely a high chance this book will also end up on my favorites of the year list!

Full, non-spoiler review
]]> <![CDATA[Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, #1)]]> 52735921 Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself...
And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...]]> 372 Kerri Maniscalco 0316428469 Lauren 5 unfinished-series
The perfect spooky season book.

Enthralling, magical, dark...I was absolutely captured by this book from page one.

Full review ]]> 3.87 2020 Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, #1)
author: Kerri Maniscalco
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/10/05
date added: 2020/11/03
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
4.5 / 5 stars

The perfect spooky season book.

Enthralling, magical, dark...I was absolutely captured by this book from page one.

Full review
]]> Furyborn (Empirium, #1) 34323570 The stunningly original, must-read fantasy of 2018 follows two fiercely independent young women, centuries apart, who hold the power to save their world...or doom it.

When assassins ambush her best friend, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing herself as one of a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light, and a queen of blood. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven elemental magic trials. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first.

One thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a fairy tale to Eliana Ferracora. A bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, Eliana believes herself untouchable--until her mother vanishes. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain and discovers that the evil at the empire's heart is more terrible than she ever imagined.

As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world--and of each other.]]> 497 Claire Legrand 1492656623 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
Full non-spoiler book review .]]> 3.77 2018 Furyborn (Empirium, #1)
author: Claire Legrand
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2019/05/15
date added: 2020/11/02
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS! Mostly about how much I love these characters and I want more already! I can't wait for the next one!!!

Full non-spoiler book review .
]]> <![CDATA[Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1)]]> 2612801 238 Laura Ingalls Wilder 0590488171 Lauren 4 4.19 1932 Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1932
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/12
date added: 2020/08/13
shelves: unfinished-series, childhood-favs
review:

]]> Light Years (Light Years, #1) 38496759
Hotshot pilot Vesper, an ambitious Tridian citizen, dreams of becoming a captain - but when she loses her spot to a brilliant, wisecracking boy from the wrong side of the asteroid belt, it makes her question everything she thought she knew. Growing up on the toxic planet Deva, Cormak will take any chance he can get to escape his dead-end life and join the Academy - even if he has to steal someone's identity to do it. Arran was always considered an outsider on icy Chetire, always dreaming of something more than a life working in the mines. Now an incoming cadet, Arran is looking for a place to belong - he just never thought that place would be in the arms of a Tridian boy. And Orelia is hiding a dark secret - she's infiltrated the Academy to complete a mission, one that threatens the security of everyone there. But if anyone finds out who she really is, it'll be her life on the line.

These cadets will have to put their differences aside and become a team to defend their world from a cunning enemy - but the danger might be lurking closer to home than they think...]]> 377 Kass Morgan 0316510440 Lauren 4 unfinished-series
This book was really good. I was pulled in from page one and I never was bored. I didn't think I was going to finish it in just two sittings, but lo and behold, I did. It was intriguing and paced really well.

I think for me, a lot of what made me want to read this book late into the night and on my breaks at work was that I had to know what happened next. I didn't just want to know, I needed to know. You connect with these characters on so many different levels that make you feel so invested in their stories.

Speaking of the characters, none of them were perfect and I loved that. They made mistakes, the acted rashly, they sometimes did the wrong thing. But that's how real people are and I've read so many books where the characters are perfect. I love that these characters weren't perfect people, and that made them the perfect characters.

The story was engaging. I would have liked it to be a bit longer just because I wanted more of each character's perspective and story as well as just more in general. Especially after that ending! I need the next book, yesterday!

Overall, this was a great book and I can't wait to see where this story goes next. I am so happy that I got a chance to read this book early since it's been on my radar for months now. Do yourselves a favor and go buy this book the day it comes out! ]]> 3.95 2018 Light Years (Light Years, #1)
author: Kass Morgan
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/09/20
date added: 2020/08/04
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
When I heard that Kass Morgan was coming out with a new book, I was pretty excited. I hadn't read her other series but I had seen the TV adaption and I knew that I was interested in whatever the creator had come up with again. I was not disappointed.

This book was really good. I was pulled in from page one and I never was bored. I didn't think I was going to finish it in just two sittings, but lo and behold, I did. It was intriguing and paced really well.

I think for me, a lot of what made me want to read this book late into the night and on my breaks at work was that I had to know what happened next. I didn't just want to know, I needed to know. You connect with these characters on so many different levels that make you feel so invested in their stories.

Speaking of the characters, none of them were perfect and I loved that. They made mistakes, the acted rashly, they sometimes did the wrong thing. But that's how real people are and I've read so many books where the characters are perfect. I love that these characters weren't perfect people, and that made them the perfect characters.

The story was engaging. I would have liked it to be a bit longer just because I wanted more of each character's perspective and story as well as just more in general. Especially after that ending! I need the next book, yesterday!

Overall, this was a great book and I can't wait to see where this story goes next. I am so happy that I got a chance to read this book early since it's been on my radar for months now. Do yourselves a favor and go buy this book the day it comes out!
]]> Dark Shores (Dark Shores, #1) 41555964 High seas adventure, blackmail, and meddling gods meet in Dark Shores, a thrilling first novel in a fast-paced new YA fantasy series by USA Today bestselling author Danielle L. Jensen.

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A SAILOR WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they »ĺ´Ç˛Ô’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him â€� and the world.

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.]]> 368 Danielle L. Jensen 125031772X Lauren 4 unfinished-series
Overall enjoyable but I had a few issues with it. Full review ]]> 3.92 2019 Dark Shores (Dark Shores, #1)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/01
date added: 2020/04/28
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
3.75 // 5 stars

Overall enjoyable but I had a few issues with it. Full review
]]> <![CDATA[All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth, #1)]]> 38325332
She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer � the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder � and more peril � than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected� or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.]]> 380 Adalyn Grace 1250307791 Lauren 4 favorites, unfinished-series 3.66 2020 All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth, #1)
author: Adalyn Grace
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/02/11
date added: 2020/02/22
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:

]]> Seafire (Seafire, #1) 37822534 Mors Navis, with a crew of girls and women just like her, who have lost their families and homes because of Aric and his men. The crew has one mission: stay alive, and take down Aric's armed and armored fleet.

But when Caledonia's best friend and second-in-command barely survives an attack thanks to help from a Bullet looking to defect, Caledonia finds herself questioning whether to let him join their crew. Is this boy the key to taking down Aric Athair once and for all . . . or will he threaten everything the women of the Mors Navis have worked for?]]> 374 Natalie C. Parker 0451478800 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
The thing about this book is that the characters really make it a game changer. This book is primarily about a group of female characters, with only a handful of men in the entire story. I loved that. It was awesome to see an all-girl crew that knew how to fight and be strong without men. In fact, one of the rules on the ship is that no males are allowed. I just loved how feminist and badass they all were.

The world building was just enough for me to not be confused by what was going on but the author didn't overwhelm me with unneeded details. We got what we needed for the plot at the time, and I can only imagine that the world will build even bigger in the next installment. I'm so excited to learn more about the world and different cultures and, more importantly, how the antagonist got to where he is.

The plot was excellent. I thought that everything was paced well and there were plenty of high-action scenes mixed in with the more calm ones. Still, everything kept me turning the page and reading as fast as I could because I needed to know what happened. I'm both happy and sad at how this book ended. Some things I wanted to happen, happened. But others didn't happen, or happened in a way I wasn't expecting, or ended in a freaking cliffhanger! *cue me crying because I just want more*

My heart is full, yet also breaking. I can't wait for the sequel and can only hope that I'll get my hands on an arc when they are printed. I'm so grateful that I was given a chance to review it early and I'm so happy that I loved it this much. Seafire has definitely found a home in my favorites.

Full, in depth, non-spoiler review can be found on my blog .]]> 3.83 2018 Seafire (Seafire, #1)
author: Natalie C. Parker
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/08/02
date added: 2019/10/01
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
Wow. That's all I can really say at the end of this book. It wow'ed me. I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I mean, I expected to like it, but I didn't think that I would love it like I did. It was a very fun and excellent ride.

The thing about this book is that the characters really make it a game changer. This book is primarily about a group of female characters, with only a handful of men in the entire story. I loved that. It was awesome to see an all-girl crew that knew how to fight and be strong without men. In fact, one of the rules on the ship is that no males are allowed. I just loved how feminist and badass they all were.

The world building was just enough for me to not be confused by what was going on but the author didn't overwhelm me with unneeded details. We got what we needed for the plot at the time, and I can only imagine that the world will build even bigger in the next installment. I'm so excited to learn more about the world and different cultures and, more importantly, how the antagonist got to where he is.

The plot was excellent. I thought that everything was paced well and there were plenty of high-action scenes mixed in with the more calm ones. Still, everything kept me turning the page and reading as fast as I could because I needed to know what happened. I'm both happy and sad at how this book ended. Some things I wanted to happen, happened. But others didn't happen, or happened in a way I wasn't expecting, or ended in a freaking cliffhanger! *cue me crying because I just want more*

My heart is full, yet also breaking. I can't wait for the sequel and can only hope that I'll get my hands on an arc when they are printed. I'm so grateful that I was given a chance to review it early and I'm so happy that I loved it this much. Seafire has definitely found a home in my favorites.

Full, in depth, non-spoiler review can be found on my blog .
]]> Fence, Vol. 1 36373825 here.

Combines Issues #1-4.

Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete. After getting accepted to the prodigious Kings Row private school, Nicholas is thrust into a cut-throat world, and finds himself facing not only his golden-boy half-brother, but the unbeatable, mysterious Seiji Katayama...

Through clashes, rivalries, and romance between teammates, Nicholas and the boys of Kings Row will discover there’s much more to fencing than just foils and lunges. From acclaimed writer C.S. Pacat (The Captive Prince) and fan-favorite artist Johanna the Mad.]]> 112 C.S. Pacat 1684151929 Lauren 4 RTC 3.92 2017 Fence, Vol. 1
author: C.S. Pacat
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2019/08/11
date added: 2019/08/13
shelves: unfinished-series, graphic-novels-manga
review:
RTC
]]> <![CDATA[Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)]]> 26114463
Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?]]> 427 Jay Kristoff 1250073022 Lauren 4 unfinished-series
I really enjoyed this book. I was hoping that the hype wouldn't make my expectations too high but I was thoroughly pleased with this book. It was a little slow going for me at the beginning simply because of how busy I was getting back into the groove of things at college, but when I finally had a lot of spare time I read 300 pages in less than a night because I just had to know what happened.

I must say, the last 150 pages were such a whirlwind of emotions and feelings that I'm genuinely surprised I didn't cry. It was 100% because I was in a room full of my friends and didn't want to start crying but still. It was epic and it was bloody and it was everything.

I'm so grateful I bought book 2 when it came out because now I want moreeee. I want to know what happens with these characters even though the ending of this book was relatively cliff-hanger free. I', excited to dive into book 2 hopefully soon. ]]> 4.19 2016 Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)
author: Jay Kristoff
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/02/09
date added: 2019/08/02
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
4.5/5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I was hoping that the hype wouldn't make my expectations too high but I was thoroughly pleased with this book. It was a little slow going for me at the beginning simply because of how busy I was getting back into the groove of things at college, but when I finally had a lot of spare time I read 300 pages in less than a night because I just had to know what happened.

I must say, the last 150 pages were such a whirlwind of emotions and feelings that I'm genuinely surprised I didn't cry. It was 100% because I was in a room full of my friends and didn't want to start crying but still. It was epic and it was bloody and it was everything.

I'm so grateful I bought book 2 when it came out because now I want moreeee. I want to know what happens with these characters even though the ending of this book was relatively cliff-hanger free. I', excited to dive into book 2 hopefully soon.
]]> Saga, Volume 1 15704307
Collects: Saga #1-6.]]> 160 Brian K. Vaughan 1607066017 Lauren 4 4.16 2012 Saga, Volume 1
author: Brian K. Vaughan
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2019/03/28
date added: 2019/07/16
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series, graphic-novels-manga
review:
Well this was a delightful ride. I'm cursing myself for not bringing the second volume with me to work because now I'm not sure what I'm going to do. But anyway, this was a fun graphic novel. I enjoyed the artwork and the plot but I have to say the dialogue between the two main characters was pretty great. I'm super excited to see what happens next.
]]> <![CDATA[Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, #1)]]> 18713042 192 Bryan Lee O'Malley 1620100436 Lauren 4 4.35 2004 Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, #1)
author: Bryan Lee O'Malley
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2019/01/16
date added: 2019/07/16
shelves: unfinished-series, graphic-novels-manga
review:

]]> The Stonekeeper (Amulet, #1) 1238684
After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.

Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.]]> 192 Kazu Kibuishi 0439846803 Lauren 4 4.17 2008 The Stonekeeper (Amulet, #1)
author: Kazu Kibuishi
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2019/04/18
date added: 2019/07/16
shelves: unfinished-series, graphic-novels-manga
review:
Super cute and a quick read. Can't wait to see what happens next.
]]> <![CDATA[Introductions (The Ghost Bird, #1)]]> 18403921 An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.


With an agoraphobic mother and a barely-there father, Sang abhors the isolation keeping her in the shadows. The only thing Sang craves is a fresh start and to be accepted as ordinary by her peers, because for her being different meant being cast out alone.

When her family moves to a new school district, Sang infiltrates a group of boys nearly perfect in every way. Grateful for an influence outside of her parents� negativity, she quickly bonds with the boys, hoping to blend in and learn from them what it means to have a natural relationship with friends.

Only the boys have secrets of their own and they’ll do anything to keep her safe from the knowledge of the mysterious Academy that they've sworn allegiance to. Bit by bit, Sang discovers that her friends are far from the normalcy she expected. Will her loyalty change when she's forced to remain in the dark, or will she accept that she's traded one house of secrets for another?

Meet Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Gabriel, Luke and North in a story about differences and loyalty, truth and mystery, friendships and heart-throbbing intimacy.

The Academy, ever vigilant.]]> 206 C.L. Stone Lauren 5 4.04 2012 Introductions (The Ghost Bird, #1)
author: C.L. Stone
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2018/10/07
date added: 2019/07/09
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series, rh-why-choose
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Darkness Descends (Skye Faden, #1)]]> 22836402
Unfortunately, those plans are quickly derailed by a bite-happy werewolf. With just a few days until the full moon and her first transformation, Skye has no choice but to accompany her ADHD-prone handler, Miko, to Scotland in search of answers.

Faced with a supremely sexy ancient werewolf (woof!), a hushed prophecy about how her arrival will trigger a war, and a handful of unexpected new supernatural abilities, Skye is in for one hell of a ride. As the shaky truce between the breeds races toward its abrupt and violent end, she must unlock the mystery surrounding her identity and uncover a secret of betrayal that has been kept for over 4,000 years. Piece of cake, right?]]> 784 Alisha Ashton 0578076217 Lauren 5 3.98 2014 Darkness Descends (Skye Faden, #1)
author: Alisha Ashton
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2017/01/09
date added: 2019/07/09
shelves: unfinished-series, rh-why-choose
review:

]]> <![CDATA[An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)]]> 20560137 This is a previously-published edition of ISBN 9781595148032.

Laia is a slave.Ěý

Elias is a soldier.Ěý

Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.]]> 446 Sabaa Tahir Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series All in all, I was blown away and absolutely understood all the hype surrounding this book. I'm so excited to see where the journey takes us in the next book. ]]> 4.28 2015 An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2017/01/12
date added: 2019/07/01
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
OH MY GOD THIS BOOK! I was pretty interested when I first started reading this book, but I didn't love it. But then last hundred-hundred fifty pages or so absolutely slayed me! Everything was so good! I loved this book so much! It was so much different then I thought it would be but everything (for the most part) turned out how I wanted it to. I'm so glad ATATN when it came out so that I can just jump right in to the next book! How am I going to be able to wait for book 3?! I won't be able to, I'm sure...
All in all, I was blown away and absolutely understood all the hype surrounding this book. I'm so excited to see where the journey takes us in the next book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, #1)]]> 16429619
On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her.ĚýDeception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

The Kiss of DeceptionĚýis the first audiobook inĚýMary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles]]> 492 Mary E. Pearson Lauren 5 unfinished-series 3.92 2014 The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, #1)
author: Mary E. Pearson
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2015/12/10
date added: 2019/06/19
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1)]]> 16069030 Winning what you want may cost you everything you love...Ěý

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.]]> 355 Marie Rutkoski 0374384681 Lauren 5 unfinished-series 3.94 2014 The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1)
author: Marie Rutkoski
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2016/06/04
date added: 2019/06/01
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)]]> 16096824
Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.]]> 419 Sarah J. Maas 1619634449 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series 4.17 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2016/04/14
date added: 2019/05/04
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)]]> 12954620
As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....]]> 412 Morgan Rhodes 1595145842 Lauren 5 unfinished-series 3.78 2012 Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)
author: Morgan Rhodes
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2015/12/29
date added: 2019/04/29
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, #1)]]> 15724396
One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down—his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmaneuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus's birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus's memory. But he doesn't have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents. . . .

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.]]> 512 Rick Riordan 1423160916 Lauren 5 unfinished-series 4.22 2015 The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, #1)
author: Rick Riordan
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/11/08
date added: 2019/04/25
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1)]]> 17199504 Welcome to Scion. No safer place.

The year is 2059. For two centuries, the Republic of Scion has led an oppressive campaign against unnaturalness in Europe.

In London, Paige Mahoney holds a high rank in the criminal underworld. The right hand of the ruthless White Binder, Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare and formidable kind of clairvoyant. Under Scion law, she commits treason simply by breathing.

When Paige is arrested for murder, she meets the mysterious founders of Scion, who have designs on her uncommon abilities. If she is to survive and escape, Paige must use every skill at her disposal � and put her trust in someone who ought to be her enemy.]]> 466 Samantha Shannon 1620401398 Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series 3.81 2013 The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1)
author: Samantha Shannon
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2017/04/06
date added: 2019/04/22
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:

]]> Found (Books of Stone, #1) 37808209 A team of Gargoyles have found me. And for the first time in over a century, I'm not the only one of my kind around. Which is a good thing since demons are slipping into this world fully formed. The bodies are piling up. Something is going on in my city, and it looks like I'm going to need the backup.
* While this is a Veil Diaries world book, this is not a Young Adult book. Graphic content.
]]> 374 B.L. Brunnemer Lauren 4 unfinished-series 4.32 2018 Found (Books of Stone, #1)
author: B.L. Brunnemer
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/01/27
date added: 2019/04/22
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)]]> 23437156 Alternate cover of ISBN 9781627792127

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they »ĺ´Ç˛Ô’t kill each other first.]]> 480 Leigh Bardugo 1627792120 Lauren 4 unfinished-series 4.47 2015 Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/06
date added: 2019/04/22
shelves: unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1)]]> 21414439 In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.]]> 416 Susan Dennard Lauren 5 favorites, unfinished-series
Review TK]]> 3.85 2016 Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1)
author: Susan Dennard
name: Lauren
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/26
date added: 2019/04/22
shelves: favorites, unfinished-series
review:
OMG WORDS ARE FAILING ME

Review TK
]]> <![CDATA[Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)]]> 29748925
What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries - including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

In this sweeping and breathtaking new novel by National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor, author of the New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, the shadow of the past is as real as the ghosts who haunt the citadel of murdered gods. Fall into a mythical world of dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage.]]> 536 Laini Taylor 1444788981 Lauren 4 unfinished-series
Full review ]]> 4.39 2017 Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)
author: Laini Taylor
name: Lauren
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2019/04/17
date added: 2019/04/22
shelves: unfinished-series
review:
It was enjoyable and fun. I thought the characters were wonderful (especially Lazlo) thought I do want to punch some of them in the face. The world was beautiful and I wish I could see Weep. I will say that I expected more to happen plot-wise for such a long book so that was a little disappointing but I'm hoping things pick up right away in the sequel after how this book ended!

Full review
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