Spooky Halloween Reads

How is everyone’s pre-Halloween weekend going? Have you got your costumes ready? Your candy bought? Your homes/apartments/dorm rooms/everywhere else decorated? Did you go to any parties last night? I did! For the first time in years I got to do all of those things. When I was at school I never got to do everything I wanted for my favorite season. This year I went as Cheryl Blossom (so fun) and a friend from work threw a party so some of us were over there. It was a great night. Halloween is a time of year I adore, but didn’t get a lot of time to really immerse myself in the past few years.

NOT THIS YEAR. Yep, my house is decorated, candy is bought for trick-or-treaters, and I have two (two!) costumes. One was for the party last night, the other is for the trick-or-treaters on Wednesday. And, on top of all of that, I have time this year to fall into some truly Halloween/creepy/ghoulish/I could keep going but I’ll stop for your sake reads. What are some good books to read in October, you ask? Well that’s a very good question! One I actually don’t have the answer to.

Confession time: I can’t handle horror. Like, I’m genuinely awful when it comes to anything creepy and scary and terrifying. I was scared of Hocus Pocus as a kid, okay? That’s how bad it is. So, I’ve enlisted the help of a good friend who does read a lot of good Halloween-kinda books. I’ve got a few recommendations of my own, but most of this list comes directly from my friend Leslie.

“Enough already,” you’re saying. “Give us the spooky reads already! Let us see the list!” Well, I’m getting to it. Right now. Without further ado here are some spooky Halloween reads for you!

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black Vampires and autumn vibes and, well, Holly Black. Need I say more? I won’t but this description will.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake Haunted houses and ghosts who spare only one person’s life? Uh yes please.

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand Murders on an island that no one talks about but everyone knows are happening. Yep. You need this one.

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand According to Leslie this book gave her nightmares. And this is someone who regularly reads horror. So naturally you need to read it.

Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw Each year the spirits of centuries-old murdered sisters take over the bodies of three girls in order to drown boys in the lake. *insert shock-face emoji here*

Hocus Pocus & the All New Sequel by A.W. Jantha Okay so I’ve already said I couldn’t handle this as a kid. As an adult? Leslie and I both recommend this one wholeheartedly.

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox I have three words for you: Salem Witch Trials. Do you really need to hear anything else? Yes? Okay here. Ready to read?

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel by Alyssa Palombo The legend of Sleepy Hollow as told by Katrina Van Tassel. Just the dose of creepy you need for the coming holiday, yes?

Special thanks again to Leslie for her contributions to this list. Okay, for basically writing the list. You all should follow her on twitter and instagram. She’s acourt_ofbooks on both and I’ve linked her accounts in the previous sentence. I hope you see a book here you want to read this Wednesday. Enjoy the spooky, even if you don’t read anything. Maybe you have a life and will be out having fun. No matter what, please be safe. Have fun but be careful and if you’re drinking I implore you to use Uber or Lyft. Not trying to be a buzzkill just trying to make sure everyone stays safe.

Okay, now that I’m done mom-ing everyone I’m going to go finish a book. Review for that one coming soon. Enjoy your holiday if you don’t hear from me before then. Bye!

Kailey

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October Releases

Hello all! It’s been a minute. Boy are you not ready for all the posts coming your way this month. I’ve just been setting up my drafts for the month and it’s going to be a very active one, let me tell you. It’s exciting though! I hope you guys like the content I have prepared for you. In the meantime, I have my (very late) list of October releases for you! Yay!

I’m sorry it’s late, as usual, but there are some amazing books that are coming out/came out this month and I’m SO DAMN EXCITED to tell you about them.

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera A YA contemporary love story set in New York City following Ben and Arthur as they try to figure out if they’re meant to be. Release Date: October 9th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich A YA adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. Release Date: October 9th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Shadow of the Fox by Julia Kagawa A YA Fantasty following Yumeko as she teams up with unlikely allies to save the world from plunging back into darkness. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

The Darkest Star by Jennifer Armentrout YA Sci-Fi taking place in the Luxen world following Evie as she falls in love with a creature far more dangerous than any she’s ever seen. Release Date: October 30th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke YA gender-bent retelling of Beowulf. Enough said. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Evenfall by Gaja J Kos YA Fantasy following Ember as she wakes up in an unfamiliar world and finds out she’s supposed to save it. Release Date: October 30th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand A YA Horror set on Sawkill Rock where three girls fight to find out what’s been taking girls all these years before it’s too late to stop it. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Damsel by Elana K Arnold An original fairy tale about a damsel who does the most dangerous thing possible: starts asking questions. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee YA Historical following Felicity as she teams up with someone who may or may not be a pirate in order to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

When We Caught Fire by Anna Godbersen YA historical romance set during the Chicago Fire. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas The seventh and final installment in the Throne of Glass series. Release Date: October 23rd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

An Assassin’s Guide to Love and Treason by Virginia Boeker YA historical romance following Lady Katherine as she disguises herself as a boy in order to fulfill her father’s mission–kill Queen Elizabeth I. Release Date: October 23rd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Swing by Kwame Alexander A YA novel in verse that follows Noah, aka Swing, as he tries to navigate his love for his friend and what that means for him and his life. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Blanca y Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore YA swan lake retelling with gorgeous prose and fantastical elements that leave the reader’s head spinning to the very end. Only in the best way, though, I promise. Release Date: October 9th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd A YA fantasy following Anouk, who envied the humans, the Pretties, until they falsely accused her of murdering her mistress. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

The Devil’s Thief by Lisa Maxwell YA fantasy and sequel to The Last Magician. Release Date: October 9th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor YA fantasy and sequel to Strange the Dreamer. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Broken Things by Lauren Oliver YA mystery/thriller that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat as you follow Mia and Brynn while they try to prove that they didn’t kill their best friend. Release Date: October 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone A YA contemporary following three friends as they all struggle to navigate their changing relationships with one another. Release Date: October 9th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

The Spy with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke A YA historical fantasy and second book in the Balloonmakers seires. Release Date: October 2nd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Listen, I know I did the list differently this month, but there are literally twenty books here and I’m already a week late on the list. I’m sorry it’s not as detailed as my normal posts, but I figured this might be a little less overwhelming for anyone who takes a look at this list. I know I’ve done longer lists in the past but I think this might be easier.

Which ones am I most excited about you ask? Well, to put it simply, a lot of them. I’m ashamed to admit that I’m horribly behind on 2018 releases. There are books from January I still haven’t had a chance to read. *ducks head in shame* I know, it’s so bad. I’m slowly chipping away at them but I’m way behind. I’m way behind on a lot of things, but these next couple of months will hopefully be my catch-up time. Most of the releases I’m excited about are upcoming this month or next. Lots and lots of good books coming.in the next few months y’all. Keep an eye out, here, and in general.

Okay, I’m off to tackle one of those 2018 releases I’m catching up on. Keep a close eye on this space though! Lots of good stuff coming this month. Bye all!

Kailey

September Releases

Happy fall! I suck at life! Or blogging anyway.

What’s up world? How are we today? Are we so excited September is finally here? If the answer to that question is not a resounding “YES” then we can’t be friends anymore. This is my birth month and I am super excited damn it.

So, August was an eventful month for me. I went through a lot of FUN (not even close to fun) personal issues during the month that I will actually be talking about sooner rather than later hopefully in a post. Don’t worry they have to do with writing. I’m not going to go off on any random as hell tangents on you. No more than usual anyway.

In addition to Stressful Things happening almost all last month, some fun ones did as well. I finally finished my rewrite on my WIP and entered in into Pitch Wars. I barely made it. The submission window closed an hour after I turned everything in. Haha you wanna talk about stressful . . .

I also discovered that sometimes I can write with music. Everyone in the world does it besides me, so I thought I’d try it out. Turns out I can do it, but only for fight scenes and it has to be Super Intense Stuff. If anyone has a really good playlist they use for fight scenes please send it my way! I can’t do fluffy scenes with music, though. Not that there are many fluffy scenes in my angry, murder-y book, but I do have other projects . . . those are a secret though. And I’m not touching them for a while. Did I mention I barely finished my rewrite in time to submit to Pitch Wars? Yeah. I’m taking a little writing break for a while. Just for a couple weeks while I catch up on reading and reviewing.

WHICH REMINDS ME I have a few reviews heading your way this month, of books you’re most likely going to want to pick up. I’m in the middle of a few right now (namely Sadie, but I’ll squeal about that in it’s own post) and guys. Books are great. These books are so great. So many amazing books coming out this month.

So I suppose I should tell you what the amazing books coming out this month are, huh? Strap in and get comfy because you’re gonna be here for a little while.

LET’S GET STARTED!!

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White Taken in by the Frankensteins at a young age in order to befriend young Victor, Elizabeth has found herself inseparable from him ever since. But as she gets older and it gets harder and harder to keep Victor’s temper in check, she has to become more and more calculating. Keeping Victor happy is the goal. Her life just might depend on it. YA historical horror. Release Date: September 25th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Sadie by Courtney Summers When her sister dies, Sadie disappears. She’s had a hard enough life as it is, so the one person she cares about leaving her hits her hard. No one knows the truth about what happened except for her, or so everyone thinks. When her disappearance is picked up by popular radio host West McCray the world starts to follow along with her story. But will they get the answers they need, and find Sadie, before it’s too late? YA contemporary. Release Date: September 4th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Rule by Ellen Goodlett The king is dying and the kingdom only has three options to choose from before they descend into anarchy. Or rather, three people. There’s Zafi, who can never let the world know how far she has gone to protect her band of Travelers. Akeylah, who is so desperate to escape her abusive father she makes a dangerous decision. And Ren, who has been trying to claw her way out of the servant’s chambers her entire life. All share one secret: they are the king’s illegitimate daughters. And one is destined to rule. YA fantasy. Release Date: September 11th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinney Trained to battle the Nightmares in the dream-realm known as Wonderland, Alice refuses to let them come so close to killing her again. Yet life isn’t as simple as waking up to escape. The Nightmares are starting to encroach on her real-world life, and keeping them away is becoming a full-time job. When her mentor is poisoned Alice has to go deeper than ever before into Wonderland to find an antidote. But if she’s not careful she might lose more than she bargained for. YA fantasy. Release Date: September 25th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco In the third book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, Audrey Rose and her partner Thomas Cresswell travel to New York to solve another murder mystery. Along the way across the Atlantic they are charmed by the entertaining passengers on their ocean liner. It’s all fun and games until wealthy women begin to turn up missing. Now Audrey and Thomas have to piece together what’s going on before anyone else can end up dead. But when all signs point to the next victim being someone she loves, can Audrey find the killer in time? YA historical mystery. Release Date: September 18th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

to make monsters out of girls by Amanda Lovelace A moving and highly personal exploration of how an abusive relationship leaves a mark on you. I cannot even do this one justice with a description. The first in an illustrated duology that will question how one heals, or if one even does, from such experiences. Highly recommend checking out the other blurbs and Goodreads reviews on this one for further explanation. Release Date: September 18th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes Zane just wants to explore the volcano near his home with his dog, Rosie. According to the new girl though, that’s not going to happen. Zane is destined to free a Maya god from the relic he’s imprisoned in, unless he can find and remove it first. But when he tries he discovers that he’s at the center of an all-out war between the gods. And one of those gods is his father. To survive he must become the Storm Runner. But that’s a lot of pressure to put on a boy who needs to walk with a cane. MG fantasy. Release Date: September 18th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake As this is the third book in the series I will give no summary because spoilers. BUT I will say this series is deliciously dark and incredibly fun to read. I love Kendare’s work and recommend these books to anyone who likes fantasy and badass girls making the world bow to them. It’s truly one to devour. YA fantasy. Release Date: September 4th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Pride by Ibi Zoboi Zuri Benitez is proud of her neighborhood and her Afro-Latino heritage. But pride isn’t going to be enough to safe her home from gentrification. When the Darcy family movies in down the street Zuri wants nothing more than to avoid them. Except her sister is falling for their older son. Which means she has to deal with the irritating and arrogant Darius. Except, maybe he’s not so irritating. But when everyone in her life wants something different from her, it starts to tear her apart. Zuri needs to figure out where she belongs, and fast. YA contemporary. Release Date: September 18th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

For A Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig Jetta’s family is one of the most acclaimed shadow players across the land. Their talent is so great it lands them a spot on a ship to Aquitan. The secret? Jetta sees recently-departed spirits, binding them to her puppets. But this magic is forbidden since the colonizers took over her land. Now she seeks the promise of a healing spring in the Mad King’s territory in Aquitan, as seeing spirits isn’t the only problem she has. But in a land poised for rebellion promises of safety aren’t all they seem to be. YA fantasy. Release Date: September 25th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer Nita isn’t the person who kills the supernatural beings to sell them online. That’s her mom’s job. But when she refuses to help dissect a live creature her mother brings home, Nita ends up being sold in it’s place. Now she has to work to find her way out of her cell, and make sure she never ends up back in this place again. YA fantasy/paranormal. Release Date: September 4th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman Rumi Seto doesn’t have all of the answers, and that bothers her a lot. But one thing she does know is that she wants to keep making music with her younger sister, Lea. But when Lea dies unexpectedly and her mother sends her away to live with an aunt in Hawaii, Rumi is left to deal with her grief alone. With some help from the boys next door she might be able to figure out how survive in a world where her sister no longer exists. She may even make her way back to the music she left behind. YA contemporary. Release Date: September 11th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Wildcard by Marie Lu Sequel to Warcross. No summary posted on my end because, again, spoilers. BUT I have heard insanely good things about the first book and those who’ve had the opportunity to read and advanced copy of Wildcard have had many good things to say. Marie Lu remains a phenomenally talented writer who everyone should read. YA Sci-Fi. Release Date: September 18th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green It’s three a.m. and all April May wants to do is get home. But when she finds the first of the Carls–exquisitely crafted statues–she and a friend take a video with it and upload it to YouTube. The next day she wakes up a viral sensation. Now she has to learn to adjust to her new life in the spotlight while figuring out exactly where these statues came from and what they mean. Fiction. Release Date: September 25th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Black Wings Beating by Alex London In the land of Uztar nothing is more sacred than the birds of prey that take to their skies, and the falconers who control them. Kylee wants to escape her fate as a falconer while her twin Brysen wants nothing more than to be one. Kylee has almost found her way out, until war makes its way to their home. Now the twins must seek out the Ghost Eagle to protect themselves, those they love, and their futures. But they’re going to have to find it quickly to escape those who hunt them. YA fantasy. Release Date: September 25th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Vengeful by V. E. Schwab Yet another sequel. Listen these books are good okay? They’re worth reading. Especially when it comes to V. E. Schwab. This book is the second in the Villains series. I’m telling you that you absolutely need to pick up anything written by this author but especially this one. Seriously. Read it. Fantasy. Release Date: September 25th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Also, this isn’t a release but these editions of The Hate U Give will be coming out in September and they’re super pretty so I’m just gonna put the covers here because I love them. Don’t forget the movie comes out this fall!

            

And, speaking of movies, has everyone read To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before? By Jenny Han? You, of course, know what I’m talking about. If not I don’t know why you are still reading this when you should be reading the book and squealing over the movie on Netflix. I’ve watched it four times already. I gotta say, if there had been a guy like Peter K in my high school, maybe I would’ve dated. Or college. Is there an adult Peter K somewhere? If there is someone should find him and send him my way. Or have they all been snatched up by the time adulthood rolls around?

Right. Tangents.

Anyway that’s it for today! As you can see September is gonna be a bad month for my bank account, but a great one for my TBR. Speaking of which, one of these days I’m going to count how many books are actually on it. The estimated answer? Too many. Not enough. You get the idea.

Okay, I’m off to finish Sadie and scream about it to anyone who will listen. I’m sure my co-workers are glad I’m not working today since I’d probably be like “Y’ALL LOOK AT HOW AWESOME THIS BOOK IS EVERYBODY READ IT” and then they’d run away or fire me for being annoying. Which I’m surprised hasn’t happened already. You’ve probably already come to the conclusion I’m pretty annoying. Now imagine having to work with me. Yeah. Bet you’re grateful you only have to deal with my blog posts now.

Cool so I’m gonna go read. Review for Sadie coming very soon! Bye!

Kailey

August Releases

Miss me? No? Too bad. I’m back.

I gave you guys a week between posts so that you wouldn’t have to deal with me. That’s what nice people do, right?

Okay, you caught me, I wasn’t being nice. I was just busy and couldn’t get this posted right away. It’s back to school time and work sucks. But at least I’m getting paid for it, so it evens out.

I know you guys are so looking forward to all the releases this month. Me too. I was actually at Barnes & Noble last weekend and couldn’t wait for the coming weeks to see some books on the shelves. There are a few titles I’ve been waiting several months for releasing this month, and I’m so excited to squeal over them. What are they you ask? Well, I’ll tell you right now!

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch Adeluna is a soldier, but when the war is over and the peace accords fall apart she has to try and track down the missing delegate before bloody justice can be fulfilled. Devereux is a pirate, a stream raider, and, when the diplomat goes missing, a target. Benat is a prince with an impossible task–make Argrid stop fearing magic. Together, the three of them must team up to bring peace back before war starts once again. YA Fantasy. Release Date: August 7th (today!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Pillow Thoughts II: Healing the Heart by Courtney Peppernell A poetry collection that will capture your soul. Yes, I had the chance to read an early copy (thank you NetGalley) and yes, it tore my soul to shreds and put it back together again the way only good poetry can. Following the first collection, Pillow Thoughts II is a comfort and healing for anyone who has ever been heartbroken. Poetry collection. Release Date: August 7th (today!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N Indiebound.

A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan Despite that King Midas gave up his golden touch, his daughter Kora still wears her golden skin. She spends her days hidden away until a duke comes to visit. Kora is just starting to feel like maybe someone out there isn’t afraid of her curse when a thief takes everything the royal family has. Now it’s up to her to get it all back. Along the way she learns maybe her curse is more than she realized–and maybe she’s not ready to pay the price for it. YA Fantasy. Release Date: August 14th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J Maas Selina Kyle has returned to Gotham, two years after escaping its slums. Of course, she waited until Batman was out of town, and certainly wasn’t going to use her real name. Left behind to protect the city while Bruce Wayne is gone, Luke Fox is eager to prove his worth as Batwing. And what better way to do it than take down a thief who has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn? Selina and Luke are about to go head to head, and both might not walk away from this fight. YA Fantasy. Release Date: August 7th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Seafire by Natalie C Parker Caledonia has been captaining her ship since warlord Aric Athair murdered her family. Her crew is made of women and girls like her and they’ve dedicated their lives to bringing down the warlord who ruined them. Everything changes when Caledonia’s second-in-command gets injured. Now Caledonia has a hurt crew, a rogue Bullet supposedly looking to defect from Aric’s army, and a whole lot of questions. YA Fantasy. Release Date: August 28th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab Cassidy is an In-Betweener: she can see ghosts. Her parents? Not so much. But, they’re the ones with the ghost-hunting TV show. When the show goes to Scotland Cass and her best friend Jake tag along. Well, no one else knows about Jake, him being a ghost and all. Until Cassidy meets Lara, an In-Betweener like her. Now she has more questions than ever about her power, but no time to find answers. Dangerous ghosts are drawn to Cass, and one of the most dangerous just set its sights on her. MG Fantasy. Release Date: August 28th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram Darius is taking his first ever trip to Iran and he’s kind of nervous. It’s a lot for him to deal with on top of his depression, lack of friends, and a father who doesn’t do anything to hide his disappointment. Still, it’s not that bad. Getting to know his Iranian family is pretty cool, and getting to know Sohrab, the boy next door, is even better. Sohrab makes everything seem like it will be okay. But what’s going to happen when Darius has to leave Sohrab behind at the end of the summer? YA Contemp. Release Date: August 28th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

See All The Stars by Kit Frick Ellory’s friend group used to be inseparable. Now? They’ve been torn apart by secrets, lies, and something even worse. After a two-month suspension and an entire summer away, Ellory returns for her senior year alone and defeated. Some people support her, some hate her, some seek her out for advice. One person leaves her notes, reminding her of everything that happened and her complicity in it. Moving forward through all of this is going to be nearly impossible. Nearly. Release Date: August 14th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Toil & Trouble by Tess Sharpe All the witches across all the lands unite for these fabulous stories. An anthology of fifteen witch stories crossing genre lines to bring readers multiple diverse points of view. Contributors consist of Anna-Marie McLemore, Zoraida Cordova, and more. As it’s an anthology spanning across several different genre lines I can’t say much regarding content but I’ve heard good things and I’m excited for it. Release Date: August 28th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud All Amani wants is an adventure beyond her isolated little moon. She knows there’s a fate out there for her that doesn’t involve living under the Vathek occupation. Too bad no one ever gets what they want. When Amani is kidnapped by the royal family she finds out her true fate is to serve as the, truly despised, princess’s body double. Things aren’t all bad in the palace, but if Amani ever wants to see her family again, she has to play her part perfectly. If she doesn’t it’s her life on the line. YA Fantasy. Release Date: August 28th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi A set of short stories that take place in the world of the star-touched queen. As someone in love with Chokshi’s writing (have you seen her lush settings and gorgeous characters? No? What are you doing with your life?) I am personally looking forward to this collection immensely. That’s my version of a summary for this one. Get it. YA Fantasy. Release Date: August 7th (today!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Our Stories Our Voices by Amy Reed An essay collection containing stories from twenty-one different authors about empowerment and injustice in America. With contributors like Maureen Goo, Sandhya Menon, and so many more this anthology discusses what it’s like to grow up as a girl in America, and what that means when race, religion, and ethnicity are brought into the conversation. Release Date: August 14th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

We Regret to Inform You by Ariel Kaplan Mischa should have had no problem getting into her top choice colleges. She’s practically the poster-child for well-rounded after all. So why are all of the schools she applied to saying no? Even her safeties turn her down. In order to get to the bottom of things she and her best friend/sometimes crush Nate must team with a group of hackers to find out what’s really going on. But will it be enough to salvage the future Mischa had in mind? Release Date: August 21st. About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

The Dark Beneath the Ice by Amelinda Berube Marianne is not alright and it’s not just because her personal life is sort of messed up ever since she quit dancing. She’s blacking out and things keep breaking whenever she gets near them. She isn’t sure what exactly is happening but she knows it’s time to try and fix it. That’s when things go from bad to worse. Now Marianne has to find and deliver whatever the demon presence believes it’s owed or she’s going to end up trapped on the wrong side of the veil forever. Release Date: August 7th (today!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

Mother Knows Best by Serena Valentino We all know the story of Disney’s Rapunzel–kidnapped by an old witch so she may stay young forever but the princess escapes and gets her happily ever after. But what we don’t know is that’s only one side of the story. What made the witch the way she was? What is her story? A tale of mothers and daughters, magic and mundane, that is her story. Release Date: August 7th (today!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: B&N IndieBound.

So who here thinks they can read all sixteen of these books this month? I don’t. I can’t do it. Sixteen books in a month is insane to me. If you can do it though I swear I’ll buy you your 2019 release of choice because that’s impressive. I do hope y’all read some of these books though. I am on my way to pick up my copy of Catwoman from the library in just a few minutes, so there’s one for me! (Yes I pre-ordered a copy but it won’t be here until later this week and I am hugely impatient to read this book and LIBRARIES RULE DON’T FIGHT ME ON THIS.)

Okay I have a ton to do today and my to-do list still has more boxes open than checked and it’s driving me nuts. Must go. Read books. Enjoy them. Bye!

Kailey

 

July Releases

Hello!!

So, we survived June (wow that feels like a miracle, doesn’t it?) and now we are truly in the swing of summer. The 90+ degree weather was a dead giveaway for that I’m betting, though, right?

Today is going to be an incredibly quick post because I am really busy lately (which is why this is so freaking late). Sorry 😦 BUT I am off work today (that hasn’t happened in a while) and climbed out of my writing hidey-hole to bring you the July Book Releases!! Here are some books coming out this month that you should check out.

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas Five years ago tragic accidents befell the cheerleading squad, leading to their disbanding. Now Monica, the sister of one of those dead cheerleaders, has been chosen to help honor the fallen on the five year anniversary. Except, she just wants to forget. But that’s not about to happen. What went down five years ago was only the beginning and Monica is about to find that out firsthand. Release Date: July 31. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Bright We Burn by Kiersten White The epic conclusion to the best-selling Conqueror’s Saga. NO SPOILERS HERE (I can’t give any anyway. I’ve only read book one). All I’m gonna say here is there’s a reason everyone I’ve talked to is in love with these books. Release Date: July 10 (TODAY). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Dilga The world is at war and the royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end things once and for all. Prince Zach is one of the most skilled swordsmen in the kingdom. They need to work together to win this war. Now if only they could put aside their differences and actually do it. Release Date: July 3 (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning Before there was the Little Mermaid, there was a sea witch. And before there was a sea witch there was a girl. Evie has been an outcast since her best friend Anna drowned. But when a girl who looks eerily like Anna appears off-shore, Evie will do anything to help her save her humanity. But does ‘anything’ mean sacrificing the heart of the prince she loves? Release Date: July 31. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Yeah I wasn’t kidding when I said this was going to be short. I’m on fire with my WIP (and also in the middle of The Cheerleaders which you should all buy on July 31st). I hope you guys see some books you like here and that you’ll read! Bye!

Kailey

 

Some Pride Books for Your TBR

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

Ah, I love June. June is a great month. Even if it’s been cloudy the whole damn month. Isn’t June supposed to be sunny and fun? Where is the sun hiding? But, anyway.

Happy Pride Month to the LGBTQIA+ community. I’m deeply glad to celebrate pride this year and I hope everyone else is enjoying this important month as well.

So, since it’s Pride, I thought I’d put together a list of ten awesome books starring members of the LGBTQIA+ community that are coming out this year. Or already came out. I want to say I haven’t read all of these books yet (since some of them haven’t come out yet, I mean, that’s obvious) but they all have good reviews on goodreads and I’ve heard good things. And there are a couple I have read and . . . no spoilers but I LOVE.

Without further ado: Ten Books You Need on Your TBR This Pride Month

1. Ship It by Britta Lundin Claire is a fangirl hired onto her favorite show’s press tour. Forest is the reason she’s there–and he’s not happy about it. And Tess? Well, Tess is the cute artist who keeps showing up who Claire can’t help but notice. Read more here!

2. Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann Alice has a perfect plan that does not involve dating–not anymore, anyway. That is, until she meets Takumi. Read more here!

3. The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde Emmy King’s life is kind of a mess with her face splashed across the tabloids and her girlfriend in jail. Good thing her band mate Alfie is there to help her pick up the pieces. Read more here!

4. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli Leah’s friend group has started drifting apart at the worst time. On top of normal senior year stress she has a secret crush–and it’s someone she never thought she’d be crushing on. Read more here!

5. People Like Us by Dana Mele Kay has been keeping a secret for a long time. But if she can’t figure out who killed one of her classmates it’s not going to be a secret much longer. Read more here!

6. What If It’s Us by Adam Silvera & Becky Albertalli Told in alternating points of view, Ben and Arthur struggle throughout the course of the summer to find out if the universe really is on their side. Read more here!

7. The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding Abby is a private person who just nailed an internship at her local boutique. But when her co-worker/crush takes her out of the shadows and into the spotlight things go off the rails a bit. Read more here!

8. The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats & Piracy by Mackenzi Lee Sequal to Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue following Felicity as she dodges proposals and tries to make her way across Europe to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. Of course, getting there might prove to be a bit of a problem. Read more here!

9. All Out by Saundra Mitchell An anthology spanning across different time periods and genres. Featuring stories from 17 authors across the LGBTQIA+ community this anthology gives readers stories of queer characters shaping the world around them. Read more here!

10. Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro Moss has been dealing with his anger for years over the shooting of his father by an Oakland police officer. Now that he and his classmates are getting treated more like criminals than students, the anger is piling up. But when tragedy hits he starts to realize anger doesn’t have to be a curse. Read more here!

This is so far from a complete list it’s kinda ridiculous . . . but it is a good start for releases this year I think. If there’s any I missed or any books you’re SUPER excited about that I didn’t put on this list feel free to leave them in the comments! My TBR is a mile high right now but I am always looking for new books to add onto it.

ALSO!! Here are a few other lists I’ve seen floating around my twitter feed (do you see how I linked twitter there? you should totally click it)(and follow me)(come be my friend).

Epic Reads

Penguin

Tor

Alright I’ve got some reading to get back to. Happy Pride Month (again!!).

Kailey

June Releases

Hi hi hi!

I am hyper. And happy. And surrounded by books. Which is why I’m happy. As you’ve no doubt guessed from my previous post I am neck deep in background reading research at the moment. Which means lots of books hanging around my office. Even more than normal. Currently working my way through Miles Morales (it’s really good).

In between many life things going on (sadly no exaggeration I’m mega busy lately)(but at least only mega busy working in my house and at my job and not running around everywhere)(but I’m doing exciting stuff I can’t wait to see finished) I am bringing you what is one of my favorite posts of the month: the monthly releases post!!

So obviously it’s time for June releases (I know, the title of the post wasn’t a dead giveaway at all) but I want to say a little something before I get into the book list for this month. As I’ve already said, this has become one of my favorite posts to write. I know I mostly stick to book reviews and writing on here, but these kinds of posts have been insanely fun for me. I love looking through lists of books coming out, reading summaries, reviews, getting excited about all the amazing stories being released that month. I know these aren’t my most popular posts and that most people don’t even really read them, but I love writing them. I love putting these together for you guys, even if the majority of people aren’t really looking at them. If you are though, thanks. I hope you find a book or two to look at this month from this list.

And now, to the list!

Save the Date by Morgan Matson Charlie’s sister is getting married this weekend and she can’t wait. It’s the last time the whole family will be together before the house is sold and they’re all split up again. Except the weekend? Yeah, it’s an epic disaster. And amidst all of the chaos and things going wrong and the brother who didn’t tell her he was bringing home a girl she’s got to deal with the wedding planner’s nephew who is, surprisingly, kinda cute. Over the course of the next three days Charlie is going to realize exactly what her future has in store–and maybe let go of the past in the process. YA contemporary. Release Date: June 5th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir As this is part of a series I won’t say anything in order to avoid spoilers. But I WILL say that Sabaa Tahir is fabulous and you should all read her because she’s awesome and so is this YA fantasy series. Release Date: June 12th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Ellen Oh An anthology of YA fantasy short stories by fifteen acclaimed authors. Fifteen retellings of South and East Asian folklore and mythology. The writers contributing to this anthology are Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong. Release Date: June 26th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova Again as this is a sequel I won’t provide details in order to avoid spoilers. However, I will say that the Brooklyn Brujas books have an average four star rating and a multitude of good reviews. Not to mention Córdova’s writing it captivating and sucks you in until the very end. Release Date: June 5th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Miriam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim Miriam is looking forward to spending the summer after her freshman year of college with her best friends, Ghazala and Umar. But when a picture of Ghaz shows up on a billboard in Times Square they decide it’s time for a road trip. So, the friends pile in the car and head south the New Orleans. They have plenty of adventures along the way but there are still questions lingering. It is up to the friends to stick together and find the answers they’re looking for. YA contemporary. Release Date: June 5th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi Lulu Saad is fine. She’s totally fine. There were a few incidents–that boy almost drowning at the pool party and the minor scene during Ramadan–but she’s got it under control. Except, okay, maybe she doesn’t. And if she can’t figure out how to fix this there might be bigger things at stake than a few pissed off friends. Lulu might have to figure out just who she really wants to be. YA contemporary. Release Date: June 19th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Sooooooo you might notice that this list is shorter than in months past. That’s because since it’s pride month there will be an extra list coming your way soon! This won’t be specifically June releases, but it’s a list I’m looking forward to making nonetheless.

Let me know what books you’re looking forward to coming out this month in the comments!

Kailey