Starting reading Penthouse Prince by Kendall Ryan

 

Hey there Bookies,

I started a new book. I'm only a chapter in and I have no idea what this book is about. So far I have a workaholic single dad trying to balance his work life and his home life. Also one top of that, he gets news that his mom is sick and doesn't have much more time to live. He decides to change his life around and move back to him hometown. Only because he wants to be close to his mom. Understandable since she is the only parent he really has known. I kind of relate to this character in  away. Anyways I'm sure it won't take me long to read this book. 

Sadly I'll be out of town again for a business trip and won't be able to update until tomorrow. 

So until next time....

-Lys

Almost done reading The House in the Cerulean Sea

 

Hello Bookies,

Well I'm almost done with the book and I already can see how this book is going to end. It is kind of predictable if you ask me. But since I'm a completionist, I'll keep reading until I get to the last page. Anyways, I did enjoy the read. But would I give it five stars? Probably not. It's more like three, if I'm feeling generous. The book is okay and it was a nice read but it didn't grip me. I was just reading it because it was enjoyable but I feel like the book just wasn't for me. I did enjoy some of the characters but the storyline was a little....repetitive. I've seen so many stories where the main character is so set in their ways that they end up in a place that changes their views on life to the point that their old life doesn't suit them before. Like I said, I enjoyed the read but we could have a little bit of a uniqueness to the story. It seems like since losing my passion in reading I've become a little harsher with my thoughts on books that I read and I feel a little bad about it. Sadly, it is the truth. That is how I feel and I like to be honest. Will I recommend this book to someone? I would. It's not a bad book, it is just something I've seen many times before and it isn't for me, because that kind of storyline gets old after a while. But feel free to check out the book, I'm sure some of you will love it.

So until next time...

-Lys

Reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

 

Hey there Bookies,

I meant to inform you of my new read but I was out of town when I started this book. I'm now about halfway through and not a whole lot is happening. The story focuses around a caseworker investigating an orphanage. But this isn't a normal orphanage. This is a home for children that are special. I'm saying special because they are magical in a way. One of the children at this orphanage is a type of shifter of some sort and that is all I'm going to say. You'll have to read the book to learn about the different children at this orphanage. Anyways, the caseworker is at the orphanage to see if everything is running fine. I guess the company that they work for wasn't getting reports up to their satisfaction and had to send someone to do it for them. The caseworker at first feels like they are in over their heads when they first arrive but eventually it seems that they are warming up to the children and everything going on. But there is still the big mystery that has to be solved. That mystery is the master of the orphanage, Mr. Arthur Parnassus. I'm quite curious who he is and that keeps me reading. Also this book tends to go by faster than you realize because you get pulled in right away. I'm curious on how this book will end.

So until next time...

-Lys

Finished reading Hereafter

 

Hey there Bookies,

I meant to update sooner but I was out of town for three days. Nothing like participating in a three day event and getting sunburnt to put you in a reading mood. I'm amazed with how much reading I got done during my three days. One of them being Hereafter.

There comes a point when you get so busy with life that you forget that you have an audiobook. That is what happened with this book and when I finally remembered it, it was already returned. So I figured it was best to have the book in my hands and I was correct. I finished the book. Now nothing is special about this book but being a young adult book, its okay. Not one of my favorites. Also it is similar to another young adult book I read a few years back that I really enjoyed. So I can't help but compare this book with that one. Especially when they both kind of have the same thing going on. The book I'm talking about is one called Anna Covered in Blood or something like that. As far as I remember, I really enjoyed that book. But anyways, Hereafter has a lot of similarities to the book. Both books have a mortal young man with ghost seeing abilities. Both books have a ghost girl that is the love interest for ghost seeing boy. The only differences is that at the end of this book mortal boy gets to keep the ghost girl. Even after she does her major battle at the end, which wasn't even a battle. The ending could have played out completely more epic. More of a battle between ghost girl and the evil ghost. Instead all we get is a few cracks in the road and the big bad ghosts come and take evil ghost away. Battle over. Also the book is kind of a drag. It's a slow one and not a whole lot happens. The story is just the two main characters building this relationship as they try to discover the ghost girl's past. I understand this is a young adult book and it isn't supposed to be too complicated, but it could have a bit more....excitement. Even the exorcism was kind of lame when it happened in the book. There was so much more potential for this book and it feels like it just fell flat. I hate to say it but I didn't really care for this book. It was okay but it wasn't fantastic. If I could give it two and a half stars I would but it will have to be stuck with two. But feel free to check out the book. Maybe you will like it, maybe you won't. 

So until next time....

-Lys

Almost done reading From Blood and Ash

 

Hey there Bookies,

I have almost finished From Blood and Ash and it was a task. There are things about this book that show its potential but its still pretty boring. I remember nothing from this book other than the interesting parts where it caught my interest. Like the battle on the Rise against a hoard of Craven. The attack during The Rite. I know some people love this book and some hate this book. I'm kind of in between. The book is okay but needs some improvement. There are two ways this book could be improved. The first way is that we eliminate the whole romance thing. No love or lust interest. Just Poppy's journey of being the Maiden and trying to figure out if that is truly want she wants. Where during her journey she finds out the truth of all that is going on and her process of accepting what she as discovered. The second option is we focus on the romance. Eliminate the whole Maiden thing and make it like a Romeo and Juliet retelling. And how they use their love to overcome the obstacles in there way. Mixing the two options together in my opinion is actually hurting the story. But will I read the second book of the series? Maybe. Did I hate the book? No but I do think it could be improved. I think it is a little harsh to see people call this book trash. It's not trash. It's just okay. If you read this book and you love it, more power to you. Love what you want to love. I'm a huge fan of Jennifer L Armentrout. She wrote one of my favorite series, if not my favorite. But to read this book and not get what I expected from her is a bit of a disappointment. I'm not sure what I'll be rating this book but I'll have to sit down and really think about it for a bit. 

So until next time....

-Lys

Dragonbane by Sherrilyn Kenyon

 

Hello Bookies,

Did I forget to update you on this lovely book? Yes. Yes, I did. In my defense it was an audiobook and I was listening to it while doing stuff for my business. Did I pay attention while listening to the book? Not really. But honestly, not a whole lot happens since the last time I updated you on the book...three years ago. The pandemic was rough with my love for books. But now that the library is open I can officially finish this book. Of course, that isn't why we are here. I need to update you. I don't remember any of the names of the characters so I'll just be calling them lead male character or lead female character. Stuff like that. So our two leads are finally together but our lead female character is slowly turning back to stone. In a desperate attempt to save her, our lead male character asks for help from....I can't remember his name. This is why I wish I had the book actually in my hands. I can look up names. Anyways, the person our lead male goes to helps the lead female and she is no longer turning to stone. With that they dive into the pit of demons wanting to kill our lead male for something he has control of. I guess they are trying to overtake the world, the same usual stuff that demons do in this series. Our lead gets some sort of tablet but not all is good. He comes back and he has to go on trial to see whether his friends are going to kill him or not. Then we get a little bit of history on our lead and see how he became what he was. The dragonbane. That is also pretty much where I left off. I'm almost done with the book and I'm sorry I couldn't tell you names. I feel a little bad about it, but I'll try to do better next time. Anyways, if you want to know how the book ends, you'll just have to read it yourself like always.

So until next time....

-Lys

Started reading From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout

 

Hey there Bookies,

It's been a while but I gave up on the whole audiobook thing. Also the ebooks. It turns out that if I don't physically have the book in my hands, I forget that it exists. So now I'm just requesting one book at a time right now through my library. And the first one I got is From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout.

We all know how much of a fan I am of Jennifer Armentrout. She is the author of one of my favorite series, which reminds me that I need to replace the ones that got water damaged. Anyways when I saw this book, I had high expectations. I did see a review on Youtube about the book and the person was a little harsh in the book. I thought to myself that it can't be that bad, so I got the book. I'm about a fourth of the way through the book right now and right now, I'm a little disappointed. The book has a bit of a slow start and it is a little boring. I'm going to give the book the benefit of the doubt and continue reading, but it isn't looking too good. I can't even remember half of the things I read because it just felt like it was repetitive or was too focused on a certain scene for too long. So far if feels like the book focuses on things that aren't that interesting and not on the things that are interesting. Like the part where a girl is found dead in the castle. That would have been interesting. Instead our main character just get a glance and the body before being casted away back to her room where she just speculates what happens. Yeah, she goes back the room to see if she can find anything. Which she finds a petal of a flower that isn't even in the room, thinks it's strange, and then leaves. Never to be visited again as far as I know. Then there is the part where Rylan gets shot with an arrow. A huge epic fight scene could have taken place, Royal Guards could have come to see the assailant and chased after him. Or even having someone save Poppy right at the last second before the assailant takes her life, and it could be her love interest in the book. But instead we get her attacking the assailant twice and then him running off after hearing a whistle. Now let's talk about the things I found completely not important enough to focus so much time on. Like when Poppy came into contact with the guard she admired at the Red Pearl. The whole time she was focused on his looks and was talking about how inexperienced she was. She talked about how what she was doing was completely forbidden because she was The Maiden. With how long this part was, I actually got to a point where I wanted to be like "Okay, I get it. She is being awkward around a hot guy. Can we get a move on?" Another part that I felt like didn't need a lot of focus on it was when she went with Vikter to take care of the cursed. When this came up, I was expecting someone going insane in the town and they had to fight them in order to protect everyone. That wasn't what I got. Instead I got a slow scene where Poppy felt the pain of a grieving wife whose husband was bitten and was turning into a monster. I get that this scene is to make Poppy look more human but it was boring. She talked to the husband and did things she wasn't supposed to before ending his suffering. There is so much that I could have changed in this book and I'm only a quarter of the way. I'm disappointed so far and like I said, there are high expectations because this author wrote one of my favorite, if not my most favorite, book series. I just hope the book improves the more I read. 

So until next time...

-Lys