The three W’s are: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you plan to read next?
This is Book 2 in the Villains series and I’m liking the book so far.
Going in blind on this audiobook, thanks to the always awesome Macmillan Audio Influencer Program!
I’ve been a busy bee, listening and reading my heart out this past week!
Both audiobooks were decent enough, I gave 3 and 3.25 stars respectfully.
The Butterfly Garden I gave FIVE STARS, and The Lies of The Ajungo I gave four stars.
I’m 100% going with whatever I feel like reading this month. These are on my radar for May, but I am not holding myself to anything this month… I am just going with the flow.
On Saturday I just decided to get out of the house and head to the library. I walked around and browsed the shelves and just randomly chose all of these books. I honestly haven’t been in an audiobook mood lately, which is sooooooo rare for me. I’m gonna try to really focus on reading this stack as soon as possible (I am famous for returning library books unread, lol).
The Beast Within by Serena Valentino:
A cursed prince sits alone in a secluded castle.
Few have seen him, but those who claim they have say his hair is wild and nails are sharp–like a beast’s But how did this prince, once jovial and beloved by the people, come to be a reclusive and bitter monster? And is it possible that he can ever find true love and break the curse that has been placed upon him?
Poor Unfortunate Soul by Serena Valentino:
The tale of the sea king’s daughter Ariel is a beloved one of losing-and then finding-one’s own voice. The story has been told many times and in many ways. But always the mergirl wants more than her world can offer, and her father demands that she live within the confines of his domain. Her rebelliousness costs the little mermaid her voice and nearly her soul. But the power of good prevails, and Ariel emerges proud and unchanged. And yet this is only half the story. So what of Ariel’s nemesis, Ursula, the sea witch? What led to her becoming so twisted, scorned, and filled with hatred? Many tales have tried to explain her motives. Here is one account of what might have shaped the sea witch into a detestable and poor unfortunate soul.
The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman:
Collecting books can be a dangerous prospect in this fun, time-traveling, fantasy adventure from a spectacular debut author. “One thing any Librarian will tell you: the truth is much stranger than fiction…” Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, a shadowy organization that collects important works of fiction from all of the different realities. Most recently, she and her enigmatic assistant Kai have been sent to an alternative London. Their mission: Retrieve a particularly dangerous book. The problem: By the time they arrive, it’s already been stolen. London’s underground factions are prepared to fight to the death to find the tome before Irene and Kai do, a problem compounded by the fact that this world is chaos-infested the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic to run rampant. To make matters worse, Kai is hiding something secrets that could be just as volatile as the chaos-filled world itself. Now Irene is caught in a puzzling web of deadly danger, conflicting clues, and sinister secret societies. And failure is not an option because it isn’t just Irene s reputation at stake, it s the nature of reality itself…
Recursion by Blake Crouch:
Memory makes reality.
That’s what NYC cop Barry Sutton is learning, as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome–a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.
That’s what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It’s why she’s dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.
As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face to face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease–a force that attacks not just our minds, but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.
But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?
At once a relentless pageturner and an intricate science-fiction puzzlebox about time, identity, and memory, Recursion is a thriller as only Blake Crouch could imagine it–and his most ambitious, mind-boggling, irresistible work to date.
We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz:
Emily is having the time of her life — she’s in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women are feeling closer than ever. But on the last night of the trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she brought back to their room attacked her, and she had no choice but to kill him in self-defense. Even more shocking: The scene is horrifyingly similar to last year’s trip, when another backpacker wound up dead. Emily can’t believe it’s happened again — can lightning really strike twice?
Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena:
Welcome to Stanhope. A safe neighborhood. A place for families.William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.
Hours later, Avery’s family declares her missing.
Suddenly Stanhope doesn’t feel so safe. And William isn’t the only one on his street who’s hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery’s neighbors become increasingly unhinged.
Have you started a series but haven’t finished it yet? Well now is your chance. This must be a series you ALREADY started not the start of a new series. So if you are three books in and want to read 3 more but the series has 9 books, it counts to just read the 3. Have a trilogy and need to read the last book or the last two. Well that counts too. The goal is to catch up or finish what you started in a current series. All the books don’t have to be out and you can read as many or as few in the series as you want. If you want to read just the next book go right ahead. The point is to get caught up or finish that series you have been working on.
Books I Plan To Read For This Challenge:
I think I can get the next two books of the Villains series complete before the month is over. That is my plan, anyway!
I am starting The Beast Within after church and before my Mother’s Day plans actually begin, which are gonna be low key as usual, just how I like it.
The three W’s are: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you plan to read next?
This month I am not focusing on any of my challenges whatsoever and plan to read exactly whatever I feel like reading at that time. This is my plan for the entire month of May and I’m going to see how it goes.
I really like how this story is written, but it’s intense right from the start so I am taking my time with this one. Definitely creepy vibes! At the time of this post I am only 50 pages in, but thoroughly enjoying the book.
I am trying to alternate between genres this month, so I don’t get into a slump or anything. This is a short fantasy novel I saw on TikTok and knew I wanted to read. I borrowed the ebook from the library! I’m over halfway done with it and it’s such a great story!!!!
I have this ARC thanks to Novel Suspects, but I also borrowed the audiobook through Libby to dual read this one, and help myself keep up with my NetGalley shelf.
I posted my review on my blog, so check it out here. Four stars!
I binged this book so freaking hard! Another four star listen! Read my review here. Thanks Macmillan Audio Influencer Program!
I wanted to read some trashy erotic novel, to pallet cleanse in between all the fantasy and thrillers I’ve been reading. This was all spice and not a real good plot.
I’m 100% going with whatever I feel like reading this month. These are on my radar for May, but I am not holding myself to anything this month… I am just going with the flow.
Title: If Something Happens To Me Author: Alex Finlay Series: n/a Publisher: Macmillan Audio When Published: May 28, 2024 Format: audiobook Duration: 7 hours 16 minutes Rating: 4 stars
My Thoughts: Another freaking great listen for me this month. The plot of the story is told so well that you’re immersed into it right from the start. The multiple POV seems like it wouldn’t all go together as the settings of the story are in Kansas, Pennsylvania, Italy and France, but as you go along with the plot it all starts to come together and make total sense. I liked the mystery of it, like what actually happened to Ali? Why do they think Ryan murdered her? Alex Finlay really knows how to do a twist and I plan to read/listen to more of his books.
All of the narrators did a fantastic job, even with the British accent. Helen Laser is becoming one of my top narrators.
Thank you to Minotaur Books, SMP Influencer Program and Netgalley for the ARC, and Macmillan Audio Influencer Program for the ALC.
Storygraph Preview:If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a gripping thriller that will captivate readers who crave a suspenseful, character-driven story with a complex web of mysteries, twists, and turns, and who are drawn to themes of mystery, revenge, and the darker aspects of human nature.
The Sunday Salon, hosted by Readerbuzz, is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week plus it’s a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there.
The week was totally uneventful! The weather has been beautiful and I’ve been taking advantage of it by sitting out on the back deck and reading.
This month I am planning out a small TBR list and trying my very best to stick to that plan. I am not worrying about challenges or literally anything else. I am reading what I want to read and that’s gonna be that!
With the banning of Tiktok alomst upon us, I have been trying to post more on my Instagram page. And I am using the Stories more lol! Follow me there if you haven’t already.
Title: One Dark Window Author: Rachel Gillig Series: The Shepard King #1 Publisher: Hachette Audio When Published: September 27, 2022 Format: audiobook Duration: 12 hours 44 minutes Rating: 4.5 stars
My Thoughts: Yoooooooo!!! I’m not normally a fantasy girly but this has been popping up left and right on all my socials so I thought I’d request it from my library and see how it goes. I binged this book sooooo hard!!! The pacing is great, not rushed and not slow either. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will totally continue on with the series! This is my best rated book of 2024!
Storygraph Preview: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig is a captivating read that will enthrall fans of dark fantasy and romance, particularly those who delight in atmospheric, Gothic-inspired tales of mystery and adventure, with a strong focus on the complex, slow-burning tension between enemies-turned-lovers.
Good morning, readers! This was a good month for me, although when I was in the thick of it it didn’t feel that way. Some short audiobooks to keep me in the reading mood really helped also.
This next month I am planning out a small TBR pile and sticking with it, not worrying about challenges or anything else.
I physically read 4 ebooks & 1 physical books. I listened to 10 audiobooks.
I read 1,043 pages. I listened to books for 69.78 hours.
The three W’s are: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you plan to read next?
This month I am not focusing on any of my challenges whatsoever and plan to read exactly whatever I feel like reading at that time. This is my plan for the entire month of May and I’m going to see how it goes.
I put myself on the waiting list for this audiobook awhile back, and it was finally my turn to borrow it. I’m in the mood for a fantasy book so I’m digging right in!
This has been on my TBR for a little bit, and I borrowed a physical copy from my library. I am starting this one today after work!
Four stars!!!!!
I enjoyed this book. I thought some parts of it were a little long, but towards the end you know those slower parts were needed to wrap up the story nicely. None of the characters in the book were on my nerves so that’s always a plus in my book. I would recommend this book to my Instagram followers!
I absolutely love Karissa Vacker as a narrator. She was paired up nicely with Helen Laser, as they both did a great job with this book!
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this ALC.
Definitely check your trigger warnings though.
I’m 100% going with whatever I feel like reading this month. These are on my radar for May, but I am not holding myself to anything this month… I am just going with the flow.
Melissa The Reading Nerd Blog 