Tag: jennifer mcmahon

WWW

It’s “What are you reading?” Wednesday!

A Morrow

I’ve seen a lot of bookish memes and list ideas here on the book-blogging circuit, and I wish I could do all of them! One of my favorites has been a trend of bloggers posting their current reads on Wednesdays.

This week I’ll be taking inspiration from Taking On a World of Words, and trying out their “WWW Wednesday!”

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

What I’m currently reading:

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

I just started this, but I am eager! I really liked McMahon’s newest book, The Invited, and I’ve been really feeling thrillers and scary stories lately. This one was recommended to me many times by multiple people in my bookclub who know my tastes so I have high expectations. I’m not in far enough to judge yet, but so far I am really enjoying myself!

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

YESSSSS. Honestly, I would probably be done with this already except for two things: I’ve been crazy busy lately and I’ve been trying to savor it. I’ve just been really excited for this new Christina Lauren book. So far the story is sweet and sexy and has the classic CL style of tugging on my heartstrings while also writing something that feels fresh and familiar all at the same time. Will definitely be writing a full review for this one.

Still reading: The Hunger by Alma Katsu & Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

I have been so busy this week that I am still in the middle of so many books! These two in particular. I’m really enjoying Katsu’s The Hunger, but am still in the early stages. It’s a retelling of what “could have happeneded to the Donner party” and honestly I’m just eager as hell to find out what this theory includes. And I’m also loving Imaginary Friend! Damn, this book is loooong though. 720 pages. Usually that wouldn’t phase me in a week, but I haven’t been able to really sit down and devote my entire attention to this yet. I’m hoping this weekend will do the trick! Look for reviews or updates on these soon.

What I’ve recently finished:

The Return by Rachel Harrison

Omg guys this was so good and insane hahaha. No seriously, it was weird and then it picked up fast and then all of a sudden it was over. I had so much fun reading this one, sooo much fun. I loved that, at 80% way through the book, I still didn’t know what was going on but had a hundred theories and none of them were exactly right. Absolute success for me. This one doesn’t come out until 2020, so keep an eye out! I’ll be writing a full review of this closer to its publication date, so keep an eye out for that too!

No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg

I bought this on a whim after a shift at work (I work in a bookstore, it only feeds my habit) but I’m so glad that I did. This book is a collection of all of her speeches, from rallies to the UN, and a small amount of writing she’s done for this book. Greta is someone that really inspires me in the world right now. Reading her words makes me anxious, because I believe everything that she is saying and am so frustrated with the responses we’ve had, but also so hopeful: if half of the next generation is anything like her, we’ll all figure it out.

Almost Home by Madisen Kuhn

I really enjoyed this. In fairness, I knew that I would. Kuhn’s previous collection of work, Please Don’t Go Before I Get Better, is one of my favorite books of modern poetry. I don’t know what it is about her writing, if it’s the simplicity or empathy or perspective in her work, but something about her words has always connected deeply and often with me. I relate to her work and I was so excited to see a second book from her. This was even better than her first and I relate so much to the authenticity in her writing. Definitely recommend to poetry fans.

What I think I’ll read next:

Honestly, I’m still reading so many things that I don’t know exactly what I’ll pick up next and I’m focusing more on the books I’m still reading. I’ve also got a pile of ARCs to read before deadlines, so who knows. However, there is one book I’m kind of eager to pick up:

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

This just looks so interestiiiiing! I work in a bookstore and everyone has been buying this/talking about this/asking if we have this, not to mention that it was one of Book of the Month‘s picks this month too. It’s also a thriller and I have been in such a thriller mood lately, so. Yeah, it’s likely that I end up reading this one soon. Can’t wait!

Happy reading, friends! See you tomorrow! x

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Reviews

Mini-reviews!

A Morrow

That’s right, kiddos! It’s time for some mini-reviiiieeeewwwsss!

I spent all weekend reading, writing, posting updates, and generally getting as involved as possible in the 24 in 48 Read-a-thon! Because of which, I’m exhausted. So instead of one, big, long review, you get these!

Honestly, I love mini-reviews because I don’t get to fully review everything that I read and want to tell people about. So let’s do this!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This. Book. Was. Spectacular. I read Daisy Jones and The Six, by the same author, last week and after falling in love with Reid’s newest phenomenon, I immediately had to pick this one up too. I can’t believe what I was missing!! This book follows journalist, Monique, on the assignment of a lifetime: interviewing timeless Hollywood starlet Evelyn Hugo about her scandalous and luxurious lifetime of fame. The book was phenomenal. I found myself exclaiming and talking out loud when things happened that I didn’t want to happen, when characters grabbed much-deserved victories, when hearts broke. I laughed and cried, and the last sentence of this book made my heart grow three sizes. After these two fantastic novels, I can safely say that I am a hardcore Taylor Jenkins Reid fan. I may do a full review of this one just for the sheer love of it, and I’ll be reviewing Daisy Jones and The Six sometime this week! Wholeheartedly recommend them both.

The Voice of My Mind by T.A. Fish

I hate giving bad reviews, especially when its clear the author worked so hard, but this one didn’t do it for me. This book of poetry was provided to me through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review, and it was…okay. I love poetry and consider myself pretty lenient, though I do have one bias and this book hit it right on the head: everything rhymed. So is that really a critique or just a personal preference? Eh, both, honestly. I can get past any bias of mine if the work is stellar, but this just didn’t move me or touch me emotionally the way I expect poetry to do. The author explores themes of darkness and death, as well as feeling at home in your own mind and trying to understand the world. The work was clear and clean and if you like poetry that rhymes and reads quickly, you may love this way more than I did.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

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This was fun! Excepting the first couple of Harry Potter books, I haven’t read anything considered “Middle Grade” in SO LONG. It was fun to jump back into that childlike mindset! Small Spaces is an eerie little ghost story about a scrappy young girl, Ollie, and the history of the town she lives in. This book was sweet, creepy, and all about the power of strong friendships in the face of evil and selfishness. I had a lot of fun reading it and would recommend it to any kids looking for a fun, new book to enjoy over the Summer.

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris


Oh, what to say about Bring Me Back. I liked this, but it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I’m a big B.A. Paris fan, I’ve loved her previous two novels, Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown, so to be fair to this novel– my expectations were high. And it wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t as deliciously, spine-chillingly, satisfying as her others. The ending left something to be desired for me. If you’re someone who likes their Thrillers a little gentler and more domestic, this might be for you. If you’re someone who likes a long, slow burn, this might be for you. Don’t take it from me, check it out and you can decide for yourself.

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Oh, this was great. I had a funny time reading this: I borrowed it from my library’s digital audiobook lending service, and then…I had to return it before I was finished. So after that brief intermission of two weeks, it’s finally done! And I really enjoyed this new adventure in the city of Luthadel. This is the second book in the Mistborn trilogy. I loved the first and this one was just as brutal, character-driven, complex, and satisfying as the first. Maybe even more so, if I’m being honest, but I can’t decide. This book broke my heart open, but only because Sanderson does such a good job of making you love and care for the characters in his books. I can’t wait to read the final installment of this series, and I highly recommend the first two!

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon

The Invited was a really good time. I read the bulk of this while on long, monotonous drives and it was my saving grace, haha. The Invited was creepy, startling, interesting, and just perfectly weird, in my opinion. I loved the characters and, even though I kept yelling “Why would you bring haunted things into your house on purpose!!” at them, I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy that part too. The Invited is not an “in your face” jump-scare kind of a novel, instead its a slow unwinding of the historical ghost story that lives in this town and how those stories change with time, judgement, and blame. This book was about family and believing in what you see, and also in reaching out to help someone even when you’re afraid to do it. Definitely a fun read, perfect for dark, Summer nights around a bonfire. But- is that a shadow in the corner of your eye?

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

Last but certainly not least, Gilded Wolves was a fun read that I didn’t expect! While a little derivative sometimes, the sources of inspiration it draws from are some of my favorites and they all come together to create something…more original than I thought it’d be. I was not disappointed! I’ve seen such mixed reviews for this novel that I avoided it for a while, but I can’t deny now that I really enjoyed it. It has so many wonderful facets to the story that just drew me in: magic, mythology, A HEIST, a whole bunch of misfit characters. The world inside this book is so rich and luxurious, so easy to immerse yourself in. And if that wasn’t enough, have you seen this book? It’s gorgeous. The cover is gorgeous, the book under the cover is gorgeous, its beautiful. Regardless, I had a lot of fun reading this, and I think if more people gave it a chance they would too.

And that’s that! What have you been reading lately??

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WWW

It’s “What are you reading?” Wednesday!

A Morrow

I’ve seen a lot of bookish memes and list ideas here on the book-blogging circuit, and I wish I could do all of them! One of my favorites has been a trend of bloggers posting their current reads on Wednesdays.

This week I’ll be taking inspiration from Taking On a World of Words, and trying out their “WWW Wednesday!”

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

What I’m currently reading:

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

I’m halfway through this book and I have to say that I am enjoying it a lot. It hasn’t hooked me the way I was hoping it would, yet, but to be fair, my expectations for this book were HIGH. I love the fresh perspective of tying a characters powers and fate to religion and gods and it gives the whole story a new twist that I think is original and so fun to read. I’ll definitely be updating you all when I finish this one.

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon

Ha, I started this one kind of on a whim, but I got lucky. I saw it in a new release display at my library and the synopsis sounded utterly creepy and, dare I say it? SCARY. So, of course, I had to bring it home and read it. I’m really loving this one. Again, I’m about halfway through, maybe a little more, and I had to keep my hall light on last night. I know, I’m 12 years old again, I feel it haha. But seriously! The book isn’t “scary” per se, but it definitely holds some scenes that are keeping me up at night with vivid, tangible imagery, and eerie topics that creep into your head when you’re sitting in a waiting room or trying to fall asleep. I hope that the climax of this book lives up to my very high expectations, but we shall see!

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I started this book last week and I’m still reading it! I’ve been having to read in rotation, so I can get everything else I need to read by deadlines read, but I’m also kind of enjoying the way that its forced me to savor every moment of this book. Nevernight is SO DARK and I LOVE IT. Mia is unapologetic and brutally fierce, the story is a complex woven tapestry of a thousand different choices and consequences, and I am thoroughly impressed by this book. I’m already so excited to read the rest of the series.

What I’ve recently finished:

Harry Potter 1-3 by J.K. Rowling

I’m participating in a Harry Potter reread!! I haven’t reread these books in years and I am so. damn. excited. about reading them again now. I flew through the first three in the series, partly because they’re geared younger than the other four and partly because of excitement, but it feels like going home. I read HP for the first time the year that I too turned 11 and the magic of the twists and turns in this series has not been lost. I am falling back in love all over and over again.

I’m also thinking of doing some sort of blog feature as I read the other four! What do you think??

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

I started this book with the intention of reading as much as I could fit in before the deadline because I’m reviewing it for an exciting book tour tomorrow! (There’s also gonna be a GIVEAWAY! Keep on the look-out!) However, I fell head over heels into this book with no hope of getting out. It was driving, compelling, addicting, and I NEEDED to know the secrets inside the Bartholomew. Oh, and I learned them. I finished this book in one day, you couldn’t pry it out of my hands. I can’t wait to more fully review this book and I’m so excited to be participating! Check back here tomorrow for some exciting Lock Every Door stuff!

What I think I’ll read next:

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

I’m really looking forward to this one! I’ve heard the Jasmine Guillory is a hit and I’ve been reading a LOT of fantasy lately, so I think it’ll feel good to take a break with a fun contemporary. This book is about a girl who’s boyfriend (of like- weeks or something ridiculous) proposes to her in on the jumbotron at a baseball game- and the chaos that ensues after. I think it looks fun, fresh, and like a perfect Summer read. Here’s hoping!

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Ahhhh yaaaaay! It’s taken me a while to get through Nevernight, since I’m also trying to continue with my HP read-a-long and books for review, but I am so excited for the next book in the series. And also excited that I discovered these not too long before the third, and final, installment comes out this year. I cannot wait!! This series has hooked me hard.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

So excited for this one! I’ve been enjoying my HP reread like no other, but this book was my favorite in the series for a long time and I suspect that it still will be. I’m really looking forward to diving into it again as an adult and seeing what new things pop out at me, and what holds up and doesn’t. This series is so much fun and I’m having the time of my life reliving the nostalgia and love for these books.

What are you reading this week?? Tell me in the comments!