DNF The Last Ember

 Hello there Bookies,

I couldn't do it. I could not enjoy the book. It just felt too wrong to have a narrator being cheery as they told a depressing story. I'm still trying to get past the fact that this is a children's book. There are topics in this book that I feel like are not appropriate for children, even if they are middle grade. This book just feels wrong. I know that I didn't get far into the book to really judge, but with first impressions, this book is a dud. I can't do it. Since I DNF the book, it gets one out of five stars. There is so much wrong with this book that I was not comfortable with and that is just my opinion. I'm sure it is a great book but to have it advertised at a middle grade book, I just can't. I feel like there are too mature topics in this book for even that age. 

So until next time...

-Lys

Started reading Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe

 

Hey Bookies, 

I am attempting to read a book. I gave myself a goal to read a certain amount of chapters a day and so far it seems to be working out okay. I only say that because I literally just started the book and I am already halfway through my goal. That is a win to me. From what I have learned of the book so far is that it takes place in a city called New Found Haven. The city is broken up into three parts and each part has its struggles. The set up kind of reminds me of the city set up in Quicksilver, so it is pretty easy for me to picture. Anyway the book opens up with our main male character Greyson Steele and he is known as the president's son and executioner. But you quickly learn that he is only playing a part. He isn't actually as cold and heartless everyone believes. But I will let you read the book to find out how. Anyway our main female character is part of a gang that is call the same name as the title of this book. She resides on the outer circle of the city called The Boundery. The Boundry is considered the poorest part of the city since it is the farthest from the Heart of the city where out main male character lives. From what I hear, this book is a romance. Here is the thing about one of the laws in this city we are present in, it is illegal to have relationships with people in different rings from your own. If you do so, you will be executed. You can see the foreshadowing taking place here. Someone from the Heart falling in love with someone from the Boundry? I sense an enemies to lovers trope? Especially when our main female character has a job to kill our main male character and she is more than happy to do it. Not just for the money but for also the fact that she hates his family with a passion for killing her parents.

So until next time...

-Lys

Started listening to The Last Ember by Lilly Berlin Dodd

 

Hello Bookies, 

Well I am onto the next audiobook. This one is a middle grade book supposedly. I say supposedly because this book starts out pretty depressing. It's a little unhinged when the narrator is reading in a cheerful tone while talking about death. That is right, for a kid's book and only three chapters in I have heard about a man's cabin mate dying. Which resulted the man going through the dead man's things tossed what he could sell. That is just the prologue. The first chapter is a girl's twelve birthday and her mother wrote her a letter to have many crushes and then crush them. The second chapter starts with a boy who wakes up every morning wondering how much time he had left before he dies. I guess once he reaches a certain age he get drafted into the military where he is sure he will die. I'm a little surprised that this is a kid's book. Especially with the topics being mentioned so early on in the book. I predict that I probably won't finish this book. The tone of the narrator does not fit the tone of the book. It's a little weird for me to get around.

So until next time...

-Lys

Finished Pen Pal

 

Hey there Bookies, 

Well I finished the book and none of my theories were correct. Well maybe one was a little bit but you will have to read the book to figure out which one. But I will say that the book did take a turn I didn't expect. Again you will have to read the book to find out. I can't tell you everything about the book and ruin it for you. But I will say that the house is in fact haunted. By who? Now where is the fun in that if I told you? Anyway I did enjoy the quick read. Okay not read, more like listen. It took me only two days to finish this book with minor interruptions. I liked the book, but I didn't love it. I still feel like the plot was a little neglected throughout the book. There really isn't any character development either. I know there was a reason for it once you get to the end of the book, but you kind of have to think that someone might not even get to the end of the book. There are some very picky readers out there. Luckily I am not one of them. Anyway the book gets three solid stars from me. I liked it and would recommend, but I didn't love it. 

So until next time...

-Lys

Halway through Pen Pal

 

Hello Bookies, 

I am actually a little over halfway through this book. Maybe almost two thirds through. So far I am not learning much. I think the plot is more focused on our main female lead, Kayla, finding something new after her husband passed. Also I am starting to think the plot is more secondary to the spice of this book. I am not sure yet and it is just a feeling. But the good thing is that I can just have to story play while I do things without feeling I am missing anything important. Anyway Kayla is told by her housekeeper that her house could be haunted. Is it actually? I will have to find out by listening more. But I have a few theories with what is going on in the book. One theory is that her husband isn't actually dead. It's a stretch but he seems like a guy who might pull something off. Especially when she notices the bruise in her wedding photo. Her husband could have been abusive and she blocked that part out. So now he is seeing if she will move on without him and will punish her if she does. That's just the theory. The other theory is that Aiden is the pen pal from prison named Dante. Or maybe Kayla's husband is Dante. Again, I will have to finish the book in order to find out if I am correct. At the rate I am going, I could finish tonight or before work tomorrow. 

So until next time...

-Lys

Started listening to Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger

 

Hello bookies,

I am trying to tackle my TBR before my bif move. Meaning I am trying to read and listen to as many books as I can from my local library. All because it will take me a while to find the local library in the new town and state I am moving to. Anyway i have no idea what this book is about. I know once upon a time it was popular on TikTok. But that is about it. I am only an hour into the book because my family has an extra need to bug me now that I am moving. Have I learned anything in that hour? Not really. But our main female character had just lost her husband in an accident and now she is left with a house that is falling apart alone. But weird things are starting to happen in the house that our main female character has been writing off. Flickering lights that must be electrical issues, even though the handyman said everything is fine. Mysterious letter addressed to her on the kitchen counter? She must have checked the mail and forgot she did. You know because she is so stressed from losing her husband. Markings on her neck that could be fingerprints? Must be left over from the accident even though things should have been healed by now. But as I listen, I wonder if our female lead is getting drugged, which will put this book in dark romance territory if that is true and things are going on that she can't remember. But we also have the mysterious Aiden that has come to her place to check out her roof. Our main female character is both attracted and annoyed by him. I stopped listening at the part our main female character goes to a grief support group. But I didn't get far because my mother wanted to spend time with me. So far I am just trying to figure out if I like the book. The first few chapters are just the reader learning about the characters. I don't expect a whole lot until I am a little bit further in the book.

So until next time....

-Lys

Let's Get Personal #34

 Hey there Bookies,

Well my mood on what I want to read is changing yet again. But I am halfway through revisiting Cinder since I got my hands on the second book. So I will probably finish that and hopefully by then I will figure out what my new mood of reading is so I can continue. Right now I am breezing through graphic novels. I read at least four of them today. Also I am a little overwhelmed because I am preparing to move. That's right, I am moving and to a whole different state. I ended up getting a new job that will give me more time to explore more of my creative side and literary side. I'm a little nervous about it and also excited. It's a big step, but I think this will be good for me. At least i have my books to help me get my mind off of how stressful my life just got.

So until next time...

-Lys

Finally finished Electric Idols

 

Hey there Bookies, 

Thanks to revisiting series that I never finished, I was able to finally finish Electric Idol. The first time I tried to read this book i had only made it halfway. I can't remember why. It could have been a personal reason or my mood shifted since I am a mood reader. But I finished and I can say it is still like a 180 from the first book in the series. The trope is a marriage of convenience that still doesn't go as planned. Our female character is Prosephone's sister Psyche. She ends up in a situation where Aphrodite wants her literal heart, but Aphrodite's son Eros can't go through with killing Psyche. So he comes up with an idea to marry Psyche in order to prevent his mother from killing her. Sadly Aphrodite doesn't care and still wants Psyche dead. Why? I can't remember why. To get back at her mother Demeter? Probably. Aphrodite and Demeter have a bit of a fued going on that their children suffer for it. Also what seems to be popular with these books is that the female character always leaves to sacrifice herself for the man she loves and then the man gets tangled up in someone dying. Now I have to be honest, I haven't exactly finished this book. I have about 30 minutes left but I am starting to see a pattern. Especially when all the intense stuff happens right when the book is about to end. It kind of makes it a little predictable. I even bet the next book is going to have the main male character as Zeus. Guess I will just have to find out.

So until next time...

-Lys

Finished reading Immortal

 

Hey there Bookies,

I finished listening to Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan. Sadly I didn't liked this book as much as the duology that I love by her. I do like that it takes place in the same world as the duology. But there was a few more things that needed to be explained a little better in the book in order to make this book a little bit better. Maybe if she explained when this book took place compared to the duology it would have been easier to visualize. Now I have no idea what to say about this book that doesn't ruin all of the things that would reveal certain events in the book. There is an enemies to lovers feel to the beginning in the book but it eventually changes tropes after about halfway through the book. It changes after our main female character enters a cave and is presented to two different fates that she must choose from. But of course our main female character decides that she doesn't want either of them. She wants to make her own fate. That is as much as I can't comfortable say without ruining the book. If you want to know what happens, I do recommend the book to read. I really enjoyed the book, but I don't love it as much as the duology that I read from this author. The book will probably get three stars from me. I would give it three and a half stars but I can't. Either way, please go support this author because her books are pretty good and focus around Chinese Mythology that I find pretty fascinating. 

So until next time....

-Lys

Listening to Immortals by Sue Lynn Tan

 

Hey there Bookies,

I'm attempting to get out of my reading slump and what better way than reading a book by the author of my absolute favorite duology. I listen to this book while I am alone in the car to pick up my mom from work or after I drop her off. I am already about the quarter of the way through and this book takes place in the same realm as the Cilestial Duology. We are following a female character who's name i know but can't spell. I don't have the physical copy to look it up either. Anyway our main female character is a weak woman who is slowly dying in the beginning. Her grandfather risks his life to give her a rare relic that the celestial queen sent him to get called the Pearl Lotus. The lotus binds itself to our main female character and cures her of all her illness. But she is to never reveal that her grandfather gave it to her. Shortly afterwards, our female character's grandfather dies of a heart condition in the presence of the celestial queen and the god of war. Making our main female character believe that they had a part in her grandfather's death. Then an interaction happens between the main female character and the god of war after he saves her from being attacked by winged creatures that somehow get past the protective barrier around the city that was placed years ago through a deal. The god of war tells the main female lead that she has a month to get settled in her new position and mourn her grandfather before he comes back to take her to present herself in front of the celestial queen. A few chapters focus on our main female character getting used to being the new ruler of her city. It explains how the ministers are trying to use her weak state to their advantage, but she doesn't tolerate it much. She isn't blind to what they are doing. Then the day where she needs to visit the Celestial Kingdom approaches. She assign rival ministers to handle issues while she is away under the supervision of her childhood friend. Then the god of war takes her to his home because something had happened at the palace of the celestial queen, delaying our female character meeting her. As we read about her stay in the god of war's home, you get hints of a romance brewing. It gives you the whole enemies to lovers trope. I stopped at the point where our female character ends up going into the forbidden southern courtyard and encounters a woman there. That's all I got so far. I am enjoying the book so far. I do plan on getting the physical copy by the time of my next post on this book so I can give names. I just can't wait to see where things play out from where I left off.

So until next time...

-Lys

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

 

Hey there Bookies,

I'm trying to get back into reading or listening to audiobooks. Really I'm trying to get out of my reading slump. I picked this book because it was short. The audiobook is about two hours long and that is it. Anyway as I listened to this book, I was a little confused on what was going on. Our main female character has a perfect like that she never questioned. At least until somethings start happening that aren't normal. She finds a locked drawer, but things are never locked where she is. A brush is found that isn't hers with hair that doesn't match hers. She finds a finger bone in her knife block. She questions it but everyone just brushes it off. Because everything is perfect, there are no reasons for that. Anyway as I listened to this short book, it kind of reminds me of the story with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This book is kind of a retelling of that story, but our female character has to be made to be perfect and happy or things will go wrong. She questions things towards the end when she meets a man who kind of feels like he resembles a snake, the animal. He talks to her and she talks to him. With this book feeling like a retelling, I can already imagine how this book is going to end. But I won't share it. The book is a good quick read but not a whole lot happens in it. I guess that is the point of being such a short book. Sadly, I just couldn't enjoy this book and I give it about two out of five stars. It's okay but it just isn't for me. 

So until next time...

-Lys

Let's Get Personal #33

 Hey there Bookies,

I am in a reading slump. After finding a few duds and boring audiobooks that I just couldn't get into right now, I have pretty much stopped trying. Even graphic novels are hard for me to focus on. I think it has to do with all of my appointments going on. Which brings me to my update on my wrust injury. I am not fully functional, but i can do so much more than I could in the last six months. I just have three more appointments left and I should be good to go. I just need to remember to not fully push myself like I have a habit of doing. I just feel happy to not be stuck in a brace anymore. Anyway if you have ideas on how to get out of my slump, feel free to share. 

So until next time...

-Lys

Listened to All Systems Red By Martha Wells

 

Hello there Bookies,

Well I tried out a science fiction and I can't tell you anything about the book. Why? Because I remember absolutely nothing. This wasn't a very memorable book to me. It's short and I was able to listen to the whole thing in one day. But I can say that this book reminded me why I don't really read science fiction. I just find it boring and if there was action in this book, it wasn't very noticeable. All I remember is that someone hacked into the murder bots' system and turned them into killing machines. Why? Because they were greedy and wanted a whole planet to themselves. That is all I remember. I don't remember names of characters or what they did throughout the book. This book gets a two out of five stars from me. It's safe to say that this isn't the book for me.

So until next time...

-Lys

Let's get personal #32

 Hello Bookies, 

It's been a while since I did one of these. A lot has happened in my personal life. My grandpa passed away shortly after Thanksgiving and my mom's cousin also passed unexpectedly shortly after Easter. So it's been an adjustment. Of course between Easter and Christmas, my mom broke her leg and I took the time to take care of her. Then when it seemed that everything was going back to normal, I fell down my porch steps messing up my right wrist. It's been a slow process of figuring out what happened and then fixing the process. Luckily, I decided to turn to audiobooks to keep me busy while I healed. With everything that was going on in my life, I lost the motivation to actually read. I like to look at this wrist injury as a way to just sit back and enjoy the words of a good book. Sadly, I have only been finding duds among the books I had. I'm even revisiting books I read so I can finally finish the series I started. ACOTAR series is one of them. I am determined to get past the third book finally. Quicksilver's sequel is on its way and I am very excited for that book to listen too. I know once the Fourth Wing series has the announcement for the fourth book, I'll have to revisit that series as well. But at least with audiobooks and this healing injury, I will get a lot of reading done.

So until next time...

-Lys

Finished reading Nothing More to Tell

 

Hey there Bookies, 

I actually finished this book a while back, but due to therapy for my wrist and mental health, this post kind of went on the back burner. Anyway the book was okay. There were plenty of suspects with motives for killing the the teacher. But I will sadly have to say that you won't get the ending you expect. It's a little frustrating to say the least. Even though I enjoyed the book, I can't say I loved it. To me it was okay. It was interesting with the split point of view between Brea and Tripp, especially when Tripp was barring the weight of having found the body and what he thought. The book gets three out of five stars from me. It was okay but not for me. But it is still nice to read something other than adult. It provides a good break from all the smut the wheel suggests.

So until next time...

-Lys

Listening to Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus

 

Hey Bookies,

Well the wheel has finally picked something that isn't romance or smut. Instead we got a YA mystery thriller. Well I think it's a mystery thriller. Anyway this book has different views, which is good because you get different points of view through the mystery. The mystery being who killed the teacher last school year. At least I think that was the time line. It's hard to keep track when you keep getting interrupted. The ones we follow most is Bryn, who is interning at a true crime show and they are covering the case of the teacher at Bryn's suggestion. Bryn really liked the teacher and couldn't imagine what they could have done that resulted in murder. The other point of view is Tripp. He used to be Bryn's best friend until he found the teacher with two fellow students. They were out in the woods doing a science project when they found the body. Tripp then pushed Bryn away and started hanging out with the two students who were with them. Which raises suspicion to us readers, especially when they never want to talk about it. Anyway as we get into the book, we slowly learn that the teacher might not have been as great as the students have thought. Some people believe the teacher got what he deserved. But I am only halfway through the book and Bryn's secret is out about her internship with the crime show.

So until next time...

-Lys

Finished listening to Filthy Rich Fae

Hello Bookies,

I'm going to say it, I hated the ending of this book. Not only did it take almost the whole book to have the two main characters finally giving in to the sexual tension, but also the ending scenes could have been written better. That is just my opinion. To me it feels like the author rushed the ending because they just wanted the book to end because they were running out of ideas. That is literally what the last 20 percent of the book felt like to me. The author achieved the goal of the main characters finally giving into their desires, then didn't know where to go from there. The book was going to get a full solid three out of five stars from me, but then the ending ruined it. So the book dropped to two stars. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the book and the storyline, but I feel like we could have taken out the romance and things would have turned out fine. Plus this book literally leaves you with so many questions. Nothing is explained at the end and it forces you to get the second book. I would have liked some of the questions answered by the end, instead I was confused and unsatisfied. 

So until next time...

-Lys 

Listening to Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee

 

Hey there Bookies,

I am on my long road of recovery after destroying my wrist. Audiobooks are still my best friend but downside is that no one leaves me alone to actually listen to the book. Anyway I have been listening to Filthy Rich Fae and all I can describe the two thirds of the book I have gone through as just a load of sexual tension. Our main female character, Kate, is a nurse that pretty much sold her soul to save her foster brother. And the person she supposedly sold her soul was a very powerful man who owned half the city named Lockland Gage. And it turns out she literally sold her soul and was stuck in a bargain with Lock until she figured what he could get out of it. Time limit being a month. But a lot can happen in a month. Especially in an enemies to lovers trope. Of course it doesn't help when Kate thinks that Lock was using some kind of magic to make her attracted to him. The whole time I am listening I am sitting there thinking 'You find him attractive because you are attracted to him' and continue to listen about the never ending sexual tension. At this rate, the book will be almost over by the time they finally give in. Well at least I can say that it keeps you reading/listening to the book. I personally hate slow burns and I find them boring as hell. But at least the fantasy part of this book keeps me entertained. The romance? Not so much. I am starting to think this book is just an urban fantasy novel with a hint of romance. Maybe I will update again when I finish the book. Unless nothing continues to happen. I would really like to find a book that is more than three stars at this point. I feel like all the romantasy books have just been the same. Some dark prince getting into some agreement with a strong willed woman and they pretend to hate each other because the woman is attracted to him but she doesn't want to admit it because it goes against what she believes. We can have strong willed female characters that don't come off contradicting and kind of a spoiled brat. I am starting to think the writers are getting this whole strong female thing wrong.

So until next time...

-Lys

Listened to King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair

 

Hello Bookies, 

Still recovering from surgery here but i finished another book. We have an enemies to lovers trope. The book starts with our main female character who is named Isolde. She is a princess of a time where mortals live in fear of monsters. She gets in a fight with the commander she was having relations with and storms off back to the castle without him. On the way she runs into a monster, defeats it, and then runs into a vampire who heals her wounds. Isolde returns to the castle and realizes that she was highly attracted to the vampire she encountered. She tries to take care of things but gets interrupted by her lady in waiting. News of the blood king's arrival has been released and so Isolde does the princess thing and stands by her father's side as the blood king joins them in talks of peace. But when the blood king comes in the room, Isolde realizes that it's the vampire from before and he is asking for her to be his wife. Isolde accepts her fate and marries the blood king. She does try to kill him a few times but he still ends up consuming her in a spicy kind of way. Of course Isolde is disgusted with herself for being with the vampire king in such an intimate way. But as she learns more about the vampires, the more she learns they aren't what she was taught. Now this is the part where I struggle telling you about the book without spoiling it. Let's just say Isolde finds out she can't trust who she thought she could. Especially her father. Anyway I did enjoy the book. Can't say that loved it but I do plan on getting the second book to read. If I could, the book would get three and a half out of five, but I can't. I will have to settle with three stars out of five. 

So until next time...

-Lys

Listening to Pucking Around by Emily Rath

 

Hello Bookies,

I am a little disappointed that my library only has the digital audiobook for this book. Sure, it's convenient for me because of my injury, but it would be a pain if I wanted the actual physical book. Also it gets awkward when things get spicy and your mother shows up. Anyway this book is a 'why choose' romance. The main female character is named Rachel and she becomes the team doctor of a new hockey team. There she runs into her former one night stand and things take off from there. When I say take off, I mean this book is spicy. I literally went from mild spice to extra spicy. This book isn't any dark romance, but it does mention some kinks in a subtle way...ish. But if you really like spicy books with some intense steamy scenes, this book is probably for you. I am not much of a sports romance kind of person, but I am enjoying the book. It will probably still get three out of five stars from me. I liked it, but i didn't love it. 

So until next time...

-Lys