Hoohoo, friends of the blade,
and welcome to the November wrap up of 2023!
PERSONAL LIFE
Well. There isn’t much to say about November. I did spend a lovely evening with a friend at a Simon & Garfunkel tribute concert and had some fun with friends in general but mostly the first two weeks of November were very stressful and the last two weeks I was sick. I’m still not exactly the epitome of health, but I’m finally feeling a lot better. My mom visited for a weekend though she was sick as well and we didn’t do much but chill and going for little walks. There isn’t really anything else to say about November.
BOOKS READ
I read quite a lot of books this November, thanks to sitting at home for two weeks. I enjoyed most of them a lot!
Salz und sein Preis by Patricia Highsmith
original title: The Price of Salt / Carol
Die erste deutsche Übersetzung erschien 1990 unter dem Titel ›Carol‹ im Diogenes Verlag.
Eine ganz normale Geschichte, nur daß 1952, als der Kultroman einer lesbischen Liebe in McCarthys Amerika erstmals unter Pseudonym erschien, dort alles als verdächtig galt, was etwas anders war. ›Salz und sein Preis‹ ist Patricia Highsmiths einziger Roman, der von erfüllter Liebe handelt, die als Glück empfunden wird und nicht als böser Wahn.
Das Buch war meine Auswahl für diesen Abschnitt des #readingclassics Buchclubs. Ich bin etwas Hin- und Hergerissen, was meine Meinung angeht. Salz und sein Preis wird mich definitiv noch eine Weile beschäftigen. Es ist jetzt über einen Monat her, dass ich es beendet habe, aber trotzdem lässt es mich nicht los. Einerseits habe ich mich von den Charakteren distanziert gefühlt, andererseits gingen mir ihre Schicksale sehr nah. Alle, die ein queeres historisches Buch von einer queeren Autorin, das mit einer hoffnungsvollen Note endet, lesen möchten, kann ich dieses hier sehr ans Herz legen.
My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.
Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…
This book was so much fun! I enjoyed the humor a lot and I also loved Cassie’s passion for her art. It means a lot to her and that really came through. Frederick was such a weird, but wonderfully sweet character and I liked how their relationship develops, how they always give each other the time and space the other needs, how they communicate once the secrets are on the table. This story was very fun and romantic.
This Spells Love by Kate Robb
Well, Gemma’s wish has come true. After one too many margaritas lead to her mystical aunt reading out a drunken spell, she wakes up in a parallel world where she didn’t give years of her life to the wrong man.
But you know what they say – be careful what you wish for… Because not only is her boring ex out of the picture, her extremely attractive male best friend also has no idea who she is.
And in this world, Gemma and Dax don’t have years of friendship history keeping them from becoming something more…
I really liked the premise of This Spells Love and its take on the “what would happen if I changed this one thing about my life?” question. The main character didn’t really grow on me, though, and at parts she was just acting so obliviously to everything but herself that I got really annoyed, though. I did enjoy the discussions of romantic and platonic love. You can read my full review for This Spells Love here.
The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard
The Luminaries #2
Winnie Wednesday has gotten everything she thought she wanted. She passed the deadly hunter trials, her family has been welcomed back into the Luminaries, and overnight, she has become a local celebrity.
The Girl Who Jumped. The Girl Who Got Bitten.
Unfortunately, it all feels wrong. For one, nobody will believe her about the new nightmare called the Whisperer that’s killing hunters each night. Everyone blames the werewolf, even though Winnie is certain the wolf is innocent.
On top of that, following her dad’s convoluted clues about the Dianas, their magic, and what happened in Hemlock Falls four years ago is leaving her with more questions than answers.
Then to complicate it all, there is still only one person who can help Jay Friday, the boy with plenty of problems all his own.
As bodies and secrets pile up around town, Winnie finds herself questioning what it means to be a true Wednesday and a true Luminary―and also where her fierce-hearted loyalties might ultimately have to lie.
Yes hello, we’re back in the creepy nightmare forest and we love it here. While I wouldn’t go near such a forest IRL, I absolutely adore reading about it with all its horrors and mysteries but also all its potential during the day. I simply love Winnie as an MC and her point of view. I like how she is torn between happiness of finding acceptance with the other Luminaries again and having friends again, and how she cannot forget what was done to her and her family. Her inner conflict is written very well but also her determination to prove herself and to find out the truth about what’s happening in Hemlock Falls. This was such a quick, yet very enjoyable and fast-paced read and I’m very hyped for the next book in the series!
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
The Empyrean #2
She survived her first year at Basgiath War College . . . but the danger is only beginning.
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College, Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is – unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits, and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College – and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
The more I think about this book, the worse my opinion of it is. There were some parts I highly enjoyed but most parts just made me angry and annoyed. Iron Flame was such an anticipated read for me and it did not turn out how I expected. Maybe slightly spoilery what comes next: First of all, there’s Violet who truly annoyed the hell out of me. She starts drama and unnecessary discussions left and right and especially with Xaden. The first half of the book could have been about 200 pages shorter is Violet would just have stopped for a minute to talk things out and not start the exact same trouble again and again. Then there was the whole unnecessary romantic drama and the jealousy, just no, thank you. We do not need that in this house. In general, Violet in book 2 was not the Violet from book 1 and I was – and still am – very annoyed, thank you very much.
I loved Andarna though and all her commentary and Tairn’s exasperation at it. That really was the best part, together with Ridoc’s equally fun commentary. I kind of wish we could read his perspective instead, that would probably be a 10/10 book.
Did I shed a tear once or twice? Yes. Was I emotionally involved? Also yes. Did I enjoy my read? Maybe. Do I think this was an objectively good book? No.
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.
Nolan’s loss to an unknown rookie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist….
As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)
I don’t understand shit about chess. I once knew how the pieces can go but I’ve forgotten even that. So whenever they talked strategy in this book I had absolutely zero clue what was going on. Did I very much enjoy my read anyways? Definitely. Ali Hazelwood’s humor and her characters really manage to enthrall me every time, usually right from the very first chapter and with Check & Mate, it was the same. I loved Mallory a lot, as well how her struggles were written and how she loves her family dearly but is also kind of shackled to them, how she tastes freedom and does something for herself for the first time in years but holds herself back. I also liked Nolan. I’m sorry but that ear biting? :)))
Anyways, I loved this book a lot and would recommend it for people who have never played a single game of chess in their life. It’s fun.
Bissle Spätzle, Habibi? by Abla Alaoui
audiobook, narrated by Vanida Karun
Amaya ist in Hamburg geborene Marokkanerin, 30 und Single. Eine Konstellation, die ihre Eltern in stete Sorge versetzt und ihre Schwester dazu veranlasst, das Projekt „Heirat“ für sie anzukurbeln. Bei einer Familienfeier lässt Amaya sich dazu überreden, Minder zu installieren, eine Dating-App speziell für Muslime – und selbst ihre Mutter swipt begeistert für sie.
Als Amaya mit Ismael, einem der potenziellen Ehemänner ausgeht, ist es jedoch dessen bester Freund, der ihr Herz schneller schlagen lässt. Daniel ist allerdings nicht nur Deutscher, was bei Baba schon für Sodbrennen sorgen würde, sondern schlimmer: Schwabe. Das ist von Amayas norddeutschem Aufwachsen weiter entfernt als Marrakesch, wie sie beim ersten Besuch in Stuttgart feststellen muss. Und als Amaya dann auch noch vor lauter Sorge vor der Ablehnung ihrer Eltern den beiden Ismael als potenziellen Schwiegersohn vorstellt, während Daniel staunend danebensitzt, ist das Chaos perfekt. Darauf erst mal ‘ne Portion Spätzle, Habibi.
Das Buch war einfach richtig, richtig gut. Und ich muss hier auch einfach mal loswerden, wie begeistert ich von der Sprecherin Vanida Karun war, die die Atmosphäre des Buches wunderbar mit ihrer Stimme eingefangen hat und die auch Akzente und Dialekte herrlich wiedergegeben hat.
Ich mochte Amaya und wie in ihr Welten aufeinanderprallen und wie sie damit umgeht. Ihren Gefühlen zu folgen und ihr Leben zu navigieren hat unheimlich viel Spaß gemacht, sowohl mit ihrer Familie, als auch mit ihren Freunden und ihrem beruflichen Leben. Als Schwäbin aus der Nähe von Stuttgart muss ich natürlich auch erwähnen, dass Daniels Familie erschreckend gut getroffen war und ich jedes Mal, wenn sein Vater etwas gesagt hat, laut lachen musste. Allgemein war das Buch sehr humorvoll, schildert aber trotzdem einen Alltag, der nicht immer leicht ist und so die nötige Tiefe in die Geschichte bringt. Bissle Spätzle, Habibi? ist ein überraschendes Highlight dieses Jahr!
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
The Night Empire will rule all.
Nothing can stand in the way of its might and power.
Little by little, year by year, the Hurricane Wars take more and more from those who resists the empire’s supremacy.
And yet, there is hope in the darkness.
One lone light stands against the empire.
Talasyn was left on the steps of a Sardovian orphanage as a baby. All she has ever known are the Hurricane Wars, as her people fight for freedom from the tyranny of the Night Emperor Gaheris. But are they her people? Talasyn dreams of one day finding where she comes from – her true place, family, and the source of the Lightweave magic that flows through her veins like sunlight.
Alaric of House Ossinast, Master of the Shadowforged Legion and Gaheris’s only son and heir has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating the Sardovian Allford alliance with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, all Alaric can see is their goal: extinguish all threats to the empire.
That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. He tries and fails to kill her, his now greatest enemy slipping through his fingers.
But a greater threat is coming. One that will overshadow the Hurricane Wars.
Will these mortal enemies be able to come together to confront it or is everything that has been fought over for so long about to be destroyed?
I’m so confused by the world building and the magic system. I understand slightly more than at the beginning of The Hurricane Wars but it’s still mostly question marks in my head. Even though I was mostly in a state of confusion, I very much enjoyed the two main characters and their relationship. I loved both of them separately. They’re both determined and sure they’re on the right side of the war. But they also allow feelings from time to time. I loved how Talasyn just speaks her mind, how passionate she is and how loud. And I liked that Alaric is contrary to her in almost everything and how they balance each other out, but also rile each other up. Their relationship was definitely the most fun about this book and I really hope the magic system will become clearer in the next books which I will definitely read because I need more of Talasyn and Alaric.
Ein ganzes Leben by Robert Seethaler
audiobook, narrated by Ulrich Matthes
Als Andreas Egger in das Tal kommt, in dem er sein Leben verbringen wird, ist er vier Jahre alt, ungefähr – so genau weiß das keiner. Er wächst zu einem gestandenen Hilfsknecht heran und schließt sich als junger Mann einem Arbeitstrupp an, der eine der ersten Bergbahnen baut und mit der Elektrizität auch das Licht und den Lärm in das Tal bringt. Dann kommt der Tag, an dem Egger zum ersten Mal vor Marie steht, der Liebe seines Lebens, die er jedoch wieder verlieren wird. Erst viele Jahre später, als Egger seinen letzten Weg antritt, ist sie noch einmal bei ihm. Und er, über den die Zeit längst hinweggegangen ist, blickt mit Staunen auf die Jahre, die hinter ihm liegen. Eine einfache und tief bewegende Geschichte.
Ich kann meine Meinung in einem Satz zusammenfassen: Nichts passiert, aber ich liebs trotzdem.
Keine Ahnung, warum ich einerseits so emotional distanziert von allen Büchern von Robert Seethaler bin, sie andererseits aber trotzdem sehr gerne mag. Vielleicht die Charakterzeichnungen. Alltägliche Menschen, die durch ihre Geschichten nicht mehr ganz so alltäglich sind oder gerade durch ihre Alltäglichkeit bestechen und so ganz normale Menschen zu etwas Besonderem machen. Egal, ich liebe Robert Seethalers Romane. Jedes Mal.
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
reread
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.
For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .
Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.
This book is my Roman Empire. It’s just so rich in history and world building and well written characters with many facettes. And I cannot put all my feelings into the right words. There are simply so many of them. This is not one of my favourite books for nothing. It’s just so, so good. Ugghhhnnn.
The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm by Christopher Paolini
Tales from Alagaësia #1
It’s been a year since Eragon departed Alagaësia in search of the perfect home to train a new generation of Dragon Riders.
Now he is struggling with an endless sea of tasks: constructing a vast dragonhold, wrangling with suppliers, guarding dragon eggs and dealing with belligerent Urgals and haughty elves. Then a vision from the Eldunarí, unexpected visitors and an exciting Urgal legend offer a much-needed distraction and a new perspective.
This volume features three original stories set in Alagaësia, interspersed with scenes from Eragon’s own unfolding adventure. Included is an excerpt from the memoir of the unforgettable witch and fortune-teller Angela the herbalist, penned by Angela Paolini, the inspiration for the character, herself!
Hello, I have forgotten everything that happened in the Inheritance Cycle so it took me some time to get back into this world. I have to admit that I was bored at some points, yet enjoyed the book generally speaking as is adds some perspectives to this world that hadn’t come up before.
A Not so Fictional Fall by Savannah Scott
I live for happily ever afters.
And I’m finally meeting my favorite romance author in person! Only, all this time, I thought author, Amelie De Pierre, was a woman. It turns out, Pierre Toussaint is the man behind the books that make me weak in the knees.
He could be the consummate book boyfriend with his dreamy hazel eyes, strong jawline, and those black-rimmed glasses. Not to mention that accent. Oh, that French accent. When Pierre speaks, I feel like I’m curled in his arms on a riverbank being fed chocolate-dipped strawberries. Not Pierre’s arms, of course. We barely just met. And I’m just me. And he’s Pierre, internationally renowned romance author. Seeing Pierre in person has me stammering and blushing—two things I don’t usually do. Imagine my surprise when I receive a call a few weeks after meeting Pierre—from his agent—proposing marriage. Not that I’d marry his agent. They want me to marry Pierre.
I did enjoy this book for the most part but some things just put me off. Like Pierre saying that in France they “use the euro and the franc”. Like no, you haven’t been using the franc for over two decades. Also some other things that just didn’t work out that well when you come from Europe.
It was a very cute story even though it developed rather fast and I would have loved to have so more details for some of the scenes.
BOOK HAUL
Fire With Fire by Destiny Soria
Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it’s kill or be killed where dragons are concerned.
Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.
Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist….
As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
The Empyrean #2
She survived her first year at Basgiath War College . . . but the danger is only beginning.
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College, Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is – unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits, and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College – and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard
The Luminaries #2
Winnie Wednesday has gotten everything she thought she wanted. She passed the deadly hunter trials, her family has been welcomed back into the Luminaries, and overnight, she has become a local celebrity.
The Girl Who Jumped. The Girl Who Got Bitten.
Unfortunately, it all feels wrong. For one, nobody will believe her about the new nightmare called the Whisperer that’s killing hunters each night. Everyone blames the werewolf, even though Winnie is certain the wolf is innocent.
On top of that, following her dad’s convoluted clues about the Dianas, their magic, and what happened in Hemlock Falls four years ago is leaving her with more questions than answers.
Then to complicate it all, there is still only one person who can help Jay Friday, the boy with plenty of problems all his own.
As bodies and secrets pile up around town, Winnie finds herself questioning what it means to be a true Wednesday and a true Luminary―and also where her fierce-hearted loyalties might ultimately have to lie.
My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.
Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…
Murtagh – Eine dunkle Bedrohung by Christopher Paolini
Die Welt ist nicht mehr sicher für den Drachenreiter Murtagh und seinen Drachen Dorn. Seit dem Sturz des grausamen Königs Galbatorix müssen Murtagh und sein Drache mit den Konsequenzen leben, die ihre widerwillige Zusammenarbeit mit seinem Schreckensregime nach sich zieht. Im ganzen Land verhasst, leben sie allein im Exil am Rande der Gesellschaft. Doch als Murtagh entdeckt, dass etwas Böses in den Schatten von Alagaësia lauert, beginnt er eine epische Reise in ein zugleich vertrautes und unbekanntes Land. Dort müssen er und Dorn mit allen Waffen kämpfen, die ihnen zu Verfügung stehen, um eine geheimnisvolle Hexe zu finden und zu überlisten. Eine Hexe, die so viel mehr ist, als es zunächst scheint.
Unten am Fluss by Richard Adams
English title: Watership Down
Richard Adams erzählt die spannende Geschichte vom Alltag und Leben in einem Kaninchengehege und von den Helden dieser kleinen Welt, wie dem mutigen Kaninchen Bigwig, dem klugen Hazel und dem hellseherischen Fiver. Sie brechen mit ihren Freunden zu einer gefährlichen und abenteuerlichen Reise auf, um ihr Gehege vor dem Aussterben zu bewahren. Die Kaninchen geraten in einen Krieg mit ihrem gewissenslosen Artgenossen General Woundwort, der seine Untertanen wie Sklaven behandelt und tyrannisiert. Zusammen mit der Möwe Kehaar nehmen sie den Kampfe gegen den General auf und es gelingt ihnen, mehrere Kaninchenweibchen aus seinen Fängen zu befreien. Doch schon nimmt Woundwort die Verfolgung der Flüchtlinge auf und droht, deren Heimat zu zerstören. Wird es ihnen gelingen, Woundwort zu besiegen?
Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco
Remy Pendergast is a masterful hunter, but rumours that he’s half-vampire are tarnishing his name among fellow Reapers. Desperate to clear his name and investigate newly mutated bloodsuckers, Remy sets out alone… until fate intervenes.
Enter Xiaodan Song, a kind-hearted heiress, and her arrogant lord fiancé, Zidan Malekh. While joining forces with the vampire couple may not help Remy’s reputation, they hold the key to defeating the deadly creatures.
As they navigate the dangerous terrain and face new threats, Remy develops complicated feelings for the couple. With each passing day, he begins to question everything he thought he knew about vampires, including the story behind his own family legacy.
As the vampire mutation spreads throughout the kingdom, Remy must choose between loyalty to his beloved kingdom and his newfound connections with the creatures he was sworn to destroy. Will he risk it all to save those he’s grown to care for?
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose—to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.
Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.
But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood—and her world—whole.
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland–and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot.
Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she’s never had: a home.
As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares.
If Opal wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it.
ON THE BLOG
- Exciting November Book Releases
- A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber Review
- 5 Underrated Fantasy Books You Should Stop Sleeping On
- Exciting December Book Releases
- This Spells Love by Kate Robb ARC-Review
BLOG VISITS
blog posts by other bloggers I’ve loved reading
- Rezension: Cleopatra and Frankenstein von Coco Mellors by Janine @ poesielos
- Rezension: From Lukov with Love von Mariana Zapata by Jennifer @ Beauty and the Book
- Blind Date with an Underrated YA Book: Fall edition by Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books
- Rezension: When the King Falls von Marie Niehoff by Missi @ himmelsblau
- Review: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett by Cait @ Paperfury
- 6 Types of Librarians by Zalia @ All My Other Lives
- Review: Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore by Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog
- Rezension: Die Buchbinderin von Oxford von Pip Williams by Cindy @ Behind the Book
- Is It Easier to Write Negative Reviews? by Krysta @ Pages Unbound
And that is November wrapped up. It had some ups and downs, some amazing and some disappointing books. I did more blog hopping than I did in quite a while and it was refreshing and so nice to read other people’s thoughts on books again.
How was your November? What was your favourite read? What was the last book that disappointed you?
Until next time,
