Something To Look Forward To – Week of March 11th, 2019

March 11, 2019 Bonnie Something To Look Forward To 0 Comments

Here’s what’s releasing this week: a blend of YA, Adult, and the occasional Middle Grade. Something for everyone to look forward to! All book purchase links go to their respective Amazon page.
Help support this blog and use the purchase links to get your copy!

_________________________________________________

Week of March 11th, 2019

When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Razorbill

Bloodleaf (Bloodleaf Trilogy #1) by Crystal Smith [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Beware the Night by Jessika Fleck [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Swoon Reads

The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Delacorte Press

Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Greenwillow Books

The Tesla Legacy by K.K. Pérez [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Tor Teen

Ruse (Want #2) by Cindy Pon [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Simon Pulse

The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Titan Books

Heroine by Mindy McGinnis [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Katherine Tegen Books

Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Viking Books

Izzy + Tristan by Shannon Dunlap [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Poppy Books

Meet Me in Outer Space by Melinda Grace [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Swoon Reads

Squad by Mariah MacCarthy [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Angel Thieves by Kathi Appelt [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Amulet Books

Little Apocalypse by Katherine Sparrow [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by HarperCollins

The True Queen (Sorcerer Royal #2) by Zen Cho [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Ace Books

The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Grove Press

The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Orbit

Titanshade by Dan Stout [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Daw Books

Ruin’s Wake by Patrick Edwards [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Titan Books

New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color by Nisi Shawl [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Solaris

The Dazzle of Day by Molly Gloss [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Saga Press

Mercy River (Van Shaw #4) by Glen Erik Hamilton [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by William Morrow

The Last Act: A Novel by Brad Parks [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Dutton Books

All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Turner

A Lethal Legacy (New York Confidential #4) by Heather Graham [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Mira Books

The First Lady by James Patterson & Brendan DuBois [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing

The Liar’s Child by Carla Buckley [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Ballantine Books

All the Wrong Places by Joy Fielding [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Ballantine Books

The Woman in the Dark by Vanessa Savage [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing

Fall Back Down When I Die by Joe Wilkins [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Little, Brown and Company

A Beautiful Corpse (Harper McClain #2) by Christi Daugherty [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Minotaur Books

Wolf Pack (Joe Pickett #19) by C.J. Box [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

House on Fire by Bonnie Kistler [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Atria

Toxic Game (GhostWalkers #15) by Christine Feehan [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Berkley Books

Crashing Heat (Nikki Heat #10) by Richard Castle [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Kingswell

The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Simon Schuster

A Dangerous Collaboration (Veronica Speedwell #4) by Deanna Raybourn [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Berkley Books

Murder in Belgravia (A Mayfair 100 Murder Mystery #1) by Lynn Brittney [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 13th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books

American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt by Stephanie Thornton [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Berkley Books

This Scot of Mine (The Rogue Files #4) by Sophie Jordan [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Avon

The DNA of You and Me: A Novel by Andrea Rothman [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by William Morrow

Why Mommy Swears by Gill Sims [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by HarperCollins

Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Mira Books

My Very 90s Romance by Jenny Colgan [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

Me for You by Lolly Winston [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Touchstone

Tomorrow There Will Be Sun by Dana Reinhardt [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Pamela Dorman Books

Tiny Americans by Devin Murphy [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Harper Perennial

The Dragonfly Sea by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Knopf Publishing Group

If, Then by Kate Hope Day [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Random House

Too Much Is Not Enough by Andrew Rannells [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Crown Archetype

The Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books: Christopher Columbus, His Son, and the Quest to Build the World’s Greatest Library by Edward Wilson-Lee [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Scribner

See You in the Piazza: New Places to Discover in Italy by Frances Mayes [Purchase]
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Crown Publishing Group (NY)

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Life’s Too Short – Courting Darkness, The Cassandra, The Wolf and the Watchman

February 28, 2019 Bonnie 2019, Book Reviews, Life's Too Short 5 Comments

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Life’s Too Short – Courting Darkness, The Cassandra, The Wolf and the WatchmanCourting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
Series: Courting Darkness Duology #1
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on February 5, 2019
Pages: 512
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Audible
Goodreads

Also by this author: Grave Mercy, Dark Triumph, Mortal Heart

dnf

Death wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning…

Sybella has always been the darkest of Death’s daughters, trained at the convent of Saint Mortain to serve as his justice. But she has a new mission now. In a desperate bid to keep her two youngest sisters safe from the family that nearly destroyed them all, she agrees to accompany the duchess to France, where they quickly find themselves surrounded by enemies. Their one ray of hope is Sybella’s fellow novitiates, disguised and hidden deep in the French court years ago by the convent—provided Sybella can find them.

Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she struggles to remember who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. Her only solace is a hidden prisoner who appears all but forgotten by his guards. When tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands—even if it means ignoring the long awaited orders from the convent.

As Sybella and Gen’s paths draw ever closer, the fate of everything they hold sacred rests on a knife’s edge. Will they find each other in time, or will their worlds collide, destroying everything they care about?

DNF @ 10%

Courting Darkness returns the focus to Sybella (originally from Dark Triumph) and her new mission in life. I adored the original trilogy and while it has been said that it’s not necessary to read them to appreciate the new duology, I found a definite lack of world-building and establishment of character in this installment. Whether or not it’s necessary, I would highly recommend reading them for the background knowledge alone since it does not appear to be given in Courting Darkness. And while it must be said that there isn’t anything necessarily wrong with this story (despite my obvious DNF) I realized shortly into this that while I was originally excited for more stories set in this world, I felt that the original trio’s stories had been told and nothing more was needed.

I received this book free from Library Thing in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Life’s Too Short – Courting Darkness, The Cassandra, The Wolf and the WatchmanThe Cassandra by Sharma Shields
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on February 12, 2019
Pages: 304
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fairy-Tales/Retellings
Format: ARC
Source: Library Thing
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Audible
Goodreads


dnf

The Cassandra follows a woman who goes to work in a top secret research facility during WWII, only to be tormented by visions of what the mission will mean for humankind.

Mildred Groves is an unusual young woman. Gifted and cursed with the ability to see the future, Mildred runs away from home to take a secretary position at the Hanford Research Center in the early 1940s. Hanford, a massive construction camp on the banks of the Columbia River in remote South Central Washington, exists to test and manufacture a mysterious product that will aid the war effort. Only the top generals and scientists know that this product is processed plutonium, for use in the first atomic bombs.

Mildred is delighted, at first, to be part of something larger than herself after a lifetime spent as an outsider. But her new life takes a dark turn when she starts to have prophetic dreams about what will become of humankind if the project is successful. As the men she works for come closer to achieving their goals, her visions intensify to a nightmarish pitch, and she eventually risks everything to question those in power, putting her own physical and mental health in jeopardy. Inspired by the classic Greek myth, this 20th century reimagining of Cassandra's story is based on a real WWII compound that the author researched meticulously. A timely novel about patriarchy and militancy, The Cassandra uses both legend and history to look deep into man's capacity for destruction, and the resolve and compassion it takes to challenge the powerful.

DNF @ 21%

In Greek mythology, Cassandra was cursed to speak prophecies that no one would ever believe. Sharma Shields’ Cassandra is a woman who also possesses the ability to prophesize and when she goes to work for the research facility that created the atomic bomb during WWII, her protestations fall on deaf ears when she tries to warn everyone of what’s to come. The plot of this one sounded fascinating and I was anxiously awaiting my opportunity to read it but unfortunately, I found Cassandra’s character to be insufferable and the rest of the characters were completely depthless. Whether or not they were developed further on in the story is a moot point since I obviously did not finish this story, however, character development is not a better late than never sort of thing and should have been done in the very beginning. The bit of story I did read left a lot to be desired plot-wise as well. Cassandra’s story lacked fluidity and felt rather like she was simply checking off boxes on a list of what she knows she does in life. Considering she’s got the gift of prophecy it’s thoroughly possible that this could have been the reason, except, Cassandra never felt like an active participant in her own life and seemed much more likely that it was the author checking off boxes instead. It was at about the point I hit this quote that I decided this just wasn’t for me:

“I admired his stridency. I wanted to bake it, to eat it like a large meat loaf so that it would enter my bloodstream and become my own.”

I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Life’s Too Short – Courting Darkness, The Cassandra, The Wolf and the WatchmanThe Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag
Published by Atria Books on March 5, 2019
Pages: 384
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: ARC
Source: the Publisher
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Audible
Goodreads


dnf

In this breathtakingly bold, intricately constructed novel set in 18th century Stockholm, a dying man searches among the city’s teeming streets, dark corners, and intriguing inhabitants to unmask a ruthless murderer—perfect for fans of Perfume and The Alienist.

It is 1793. Four years after the storming of the Bastille in France and more than a year after the death of King Gustav III of Sweden, paranoia and whispered conspiracies are Stockholm’s daily bread. A promise of violence crackles in the air as ordinary citizens feel increasingly vulnerable to the whims of those in power.

When Mickel Cardell, a crippled ex-solider and former night watchman, finds a mutilated body floating in the city’s malodorous lake, he feels compelled to give the unidentifiable man a proper burial. For Cecil Winge, a brilliant lawyer turned consulting detective to the Stockholm police, a body with no arms, legs, or eyes is a formidable puzzle and one last chance to set things right before he loses his battle to consumption. Together, Winge and Cardell scour Stockholm to discover the body’s identity, encountering the sordid underbelly of the city’s elite. Meanwhile, Kristofer Blix—the handsome son of a farmer—leaves rural life for the alluring charms of the capital and ambitions of becoming a doctor. His letters to his sister chronicle his wild good times and terrible misfortunes, which lead him down a treacherous path.

In another corner of the city, a young woman—Anna-Stina—is consigned to the workhouse after she upsets her parish priest. Her unlikely escape plan takes on new urgency when a sadistic guard marks her as his next victim.

Over the course of the novel, these extraordinary characters cross paths and collide in shocking and unforgettable ways. Niklas Natt och Dag paints a deliciously dark portrait of late 18th century Stockholm, and the frightful yet fascinating reality lurking behind the powdered and painted veneer of the era.

DNF @ 20%

The Wolf and the Watchmen is a story set in 1793 involving the brutal murder of a man and the duo on the hunt for the perpetrator. This is quite a violent and graphic story but it paints a vivid portrait of 18th century Sweden. Did anyone watch the show Taboo with Tom Hardy? It reminded me a lot of that except Taboo has a facet of the supernatural and this story did not. While I don’t normally need supernatural additives in my historical fiction for them to suceed, it did make me realize that I felt like there was something missing to this story that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. This story is admittedly very well-written and I can see why it was awarded best debut novel by The Swedish Academy of Crime Writers, unfortunately, the bleakness of the story was absolute and I couldn’t find the motivation to finish.

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Waiting on Wednesday – Sapphire Flames (Hidden Legacy #4) by Ilona Andrews

February 27, 2019 Bonnie Waiting on Wednesday 4 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday – Sapphire Flames (Hidden Legacy #4) by Ilona AndrewsSapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy #4
Published by Avon on August 27, 2019
Pages: 384
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Goodreads

Also by this author: Magic Bites, Magic Rises, Burn for Me

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrew comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines are the new currency of society…

In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.

About Ilona Andrews

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs, and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

SO excited but August is so far away.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

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Top Ten Tuesday – Literary Traveling

February 25, 2019 Bonnie Top Ten Tuesday 15 Comments

Stories can take us on the most wondrous adventures. I love a good fantasy world, but I especially love a story that tells me of a place that I could possibly visit someday. These 10 stories are set in a few locations I wouldn’t mind seeing with my own eyes.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor | Prague

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio | Bora Bora

Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light by Amy Thomas | Paris

One Day in December by Josie SIlver | Thailand

Still Me by Jojo Moyes | New York City

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon | Scotland

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent | Iceland

Timeless by Gail Carriger | Egypt

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan | Greece

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave | Sonoma – I’ve been here before but I wouldn’t mind a repeat visit 🙂

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Something To Look Forward To – Week of February 26th, 2019

February 25, 2019 Bonnie Something To Look Forward To 0 Comments

Here’s what’s releasing this week: a blend of YA, Adult, and the occasional Middle Grade. Something for everyone to look forward to! All book purchase links go to their respective Amazon page.
Help support this blog and use the purchase links to get your copy!

_________________________________________________

Week of February 26th, 2019

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Feiwel & Friends

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

The Dysasters by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Wednesday Books

Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Scholastic Press

The Stars Below (Vega Jane #4) by David Baldacci [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Scholastic Press

The Deceiver’s Heart (The Traitor’s Game #2) by Jennifer A. Nielsen [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Scholastic Press

An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Page Street Kids

We Set the Dark on Fire (We Set the Dark on Fire #1) by Tehlor Kay Mejia [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Katherine Tegen Books

Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Crown Books for Young Readers

Tell Me Everything by Sarah Enni [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Point

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Arthur A. Levine Books

That’s Not What I Heard by Stephanie Kate Strohm [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Scholastic Press

On Thin Ice (Juniper Falls #3) by Julie Cross [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Entangled: Teen

Hold Still by Nina LaCour [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Penguin Books

Pretend She’s Here by Luanne Rice [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Scholastic Press

Sorry Not Sorry by Jaime Reed [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Point

The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Game of Stars (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #2) by Sayantani DasGupta [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Scholastic Press

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Orbit

Phoenix Falling (Wildlands #5) by Laura Bickle [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Harper Voyager

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing

Circle of the Moon (Soulwood #4) by Faith Hunter [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Ace Books

No Way (Frank Kitteridge #2) by S. J. Morden [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Orbit

The Blackest Heart (Five Warrior Angels #2) by Brian Lee Durfee [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Saga Press

In the Land of the Everliving (Eirlandia #2) by Stephen R. Lawhead [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Tor Books

The Praxis (Dread Empire’s Fall #1) by Walter Jon Williams [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Harper Voyager

Miss Violet and the Great War (Strangely Beautiful #4) by Leanna Renee Hieber [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Tor Books

Everything About You by Heather Child [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 28th 2019 by Orbit

The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Simon Schuster

The Border: A Novel (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by William Morrow

Dead of Winter (Mattie Winston Mysteries #10) by Annelise Ryan [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

A Justified Murder by Jude Deveraux [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Mira Books

Hunting Game (Embla Nyström Investigation #1) by Helene Tursten [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Soho Crime

The Lost Night: A Novel by Andrea Bartz [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Crown

The Huntress by Kate Quinn [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

We Must Be Brave by Frances Liardet [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Graydon House

American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt by Karen Harper [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by William Morrow

Forever My Hero (Blessings, Georgia #7) by Sharon Sala [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Unforgettable You (Silver Springs #5) by Brenda Novak [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Mira Books

California Girls by Susan Mallery [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Mira Books

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Entangled: Amara

Otherwise Engaged: A Novel by Lindsey J. Palmer [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Skyhorse

An Unconditional Freedom (The Loyal League #3) by Alyssa Cole [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Kensington

The Scoundrel in Her Bed (Sins for All Seasons #3) by Lorraine Heath [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Avon

It’s Getting Scot in Here (Wild Wicked Highlanders #1) by Suzanne Enoch [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

Lady Derring Takes a Lover (The Palace of Rogues #1) by Julie Anne Long [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Avon

Best Laid Plans by Lauren Blakely [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 27th 2019 by Lauren Blakely Books

Vacuum in the Dark: A Novel by Jen Beagin [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Scribner

Dead Men’s Trousers (Mark Renton #5) by Irvine Welsh [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Melville House Publishing

Mother Country by Irina Reyn [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Thomas Dunne Books

The Body Myth by Rheea Mukherjee [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by The Unnamed Press

Binstead’s Safari by Rachel Ingalls [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by New Directions

The Perfect Predator: A Scientist’s Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: A Memoir by Steffanie Strathdee & Thomas Patterson [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Hachette Books

A Year in Paris: Season by Season in the City of Light by John Baxter [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Harper Perennial

Magic Is Dead: My Journey into the World’s Most Secretive Society of Magicians by Ian Frisch [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Dey Street Books

That Time I Loved You: Stories by Carrianne Leung [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Liveright

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 26th 2019 by Doubleday Books

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Showcase Sunday | February 23, 2019

February 24, 2019 Bonnie Sunday Book Haul 4 Comments

Last Week’s… Posts

Last Week’s… Book Mail

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this one so waking up to an approval for this was the best news.

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

Last Week’s… Obsession

I moved to a new state a few months ago so my bestie thought that on top of our buddy reading we should do some buddy watching. Our first buddy binge was the new Sabrina and I must say, it was quite entertaining and not what I was expecting. I didn’t much care for the graphic novel actually so I was glad to see that they didn’t follow (the first volume at least) completely.

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Book Review | In ‘Golden State’, Anything but the Truth is Illegal

February 22, 2019 Bonnie 2019, Audiobooks, Book Reviews 10 Comments

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | In ‘Golden State’, Anything but the Truth is IllegalGolden State by Ben H. Winters
Narrator: Kiff VandenHeuvel
Published by Mulholland Books on January 22, 2019
Length: 10 hours and 26 minutes
Genres: Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic
Format: Audiobook
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Audible
Goodreads

Also by this author: Countdown City, World of Trouble


three-stars




A shocking vision of our future that is one part Minority Report and one part Chinatown.

Lazlo Ratesic is 54, a 19-year veteran of the Speculative Service, from a family of law enforcement and in a strange alternate society that values law and truth above all else. This is how Laz must, by law, introduce himself, lest he fail to disclose his true purpose or nature, and by doing so, be guilty of a lie.

Laz is a resident of The Golden State, a nation resembling California, where like-minded Americans retreated after the erosion of truth and the spread of lies made public life, and governance, increasingly impossible. There, surrounded by the high walls of compulsory truth-telling, knowingly contradicting the truth--the Objectively So--is the greatest possible crime. Stopping those crimes, punishing them, is Laz's job. In its service, he is one of the few individuals permitted to harbor untruths--to "speculate" on what might have happened in the commission of a crime.

But the Golden State is far less a paradise than its name might suggest. To monitor, verify, and enforce the Objectively So requires a veritable panopticon of surveillance, recording, and record-keeping. And when those in control of the truth twist it for nefarious means, the Speculators may be the only ones with the power to fight back.

‘Each is an interesting fact, and each fact, each piece of truth, is valuable and precious in and of itself, every fact beloved in our good and golden world […]’

Golden State is set in a dystopian, and sovereign, California where cops possess the ability to detect lies and emitting falsehoods will earn you years in prison. Video cameras capture everything and it is all stored in the permanent record as a part of what is “Objectively So,” people greet one another with undeniable statements to vocalize their commitment to the truth, and at the end of each day, citizens are required to itemize their day in a journal (making sure to include any applicable receipts or documentation available). Laszlo Ratesic is a speculator in the Speculative Service and his job is to seek out lies which appear to him as a slight ripple; a dissonance in the air. His current case is investigating the irregularities surrounding the death of a construction worker that fell off a roof. Despite the seeming straightforwardness of the case, Laszlo’s investigation will lead him to the center of a grand conspiracy seeking to undermine the fundamentals of the Golden State.

‘[…] the preservation of reality’s integrity is the paramount duty of the good citizenry and of this government alike. Imagine what kind of mad society would be organized otherwise.’

Golden State reads like a blend of 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Minority Report but really played well on what Winters is becoming known for: well-written speculative futures + noir style mysteries that easily play on fears of possible futures to come. This plot is most definitely a play on the current administration’s continued insistence regarding “Fake News” and “alternative facts” and brings to life a world where the truth is absolute. Winters intent is obviously to show just how dangerous this concept is but for me, the plot got a little messy, the end goal really missed the mark, and the whole story strayed instead into predictable territory. What could have been a fascinating inside look at a corrupt government instead transformed into your standard corruption thriller.

‘…he has made his monstrous point about the rings of truth, about context and omission: he has illustrated that no matter how much we know, there are parts of the story that are missing.
There are elements unknown and unknowable, whether we know it or not.’

Oryx and Crake (MaddAddam #1) by Margaret Atwood [Purchase|Review]
The Last One by Alexandra Oliva [Purchase|Review]
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker [Purchase|Review]

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Waiting on Wednesday – Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl

February 20, 2019 Bonnie Waiting on Wednesday 3 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday – Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth ReichlSave Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl
Published by Random House on April 2, 2019
Pages: 288
Genres: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Format: Hardcover
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Audible
Goodreads

Trailblazing food writer and beloved restaurant critic Ruth Reichl took the risk (and the job) of a lifetime when she entered the glamorous, high-stakes world of magazine publishing. Now, for the first time, she chronicles her groundbreaking tenure as editor in chief of Gourmet, during which she spearheaded a revolution in the way we think about food.

When Condé Nast offered Ruth Reichl the top position at America's oldest epicurean magazine, she declined. She was a writer, not a manager, and had no inclination to be anyone's boss. And yet . . . Reichl had been reading Gourmet since she was eight; it had inspired her career. How could she say no?

This is the story of a former Berkeley hippie entering the corporate world and worrying about losing her soul. It is the story of the moment restaurants became an important part of popular culture, a time when the rise of the farm-to-table movement changed, forever, the way we eat. Readers will meet legendary chefs like David Chang and Eric Ripert, idiosyncratic writers like David Foster Wallace, and a colorful group of editors and art directors who, under Reichl's leadership, transformed stately Gourmet into a cutting-edge publication. This was the golden age of print media--the last spendthrift gasp before the Internet turned the magazine world upside down.

Complete with recipes, Save Me the Plums is a personal journey of a woman coming to terms with being in charge and making a mark, following a passion and holding on to her dreams--even when she ends up in a place she never expected to be.

About Ruth Reichl

Ruth Reichl is an American food writer, the editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine and culinary editor for the Modern Library.

Born to parents Ernst and Miriam (née Brudno), she was raised in New York City and spent time at a boarding school in Montreal. She attended the University of Michigan, where she met her first husband, the artist Douglas Hollis. She graduated in 1970 with a M.A. in art history.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

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Top Ten Tuesday – Underrated on my TBR

February 19, 2019 Bonnie Top Ten Tuesday 30 Comments

Today’s topic was essentially Underrated Gems and I’ve done almost too many of those that I seem to have run out.

Underrated Gems
Underrated Gems Pt. 2
Underrated Gems Pt. 3
Underrated Gems Pt. 4

Instead, I’m focusing on a handful of underrated books on my TBR that I’m hoping end up being an as of yet undiscovered gem.

The House of War and Witness by Mike Carey, Linda Carey, Louise Carey | 147 ratings
A Tree Born Crooked by Steph Post | 172 ratings
Zazen by Vanessa Veselka | 236 ratings
In the Valley of the Sun by Andy Davidson | 308 ratings
Love and Other Wounds: Stories by Jordan Harper | 362 ratings

Bluegrass: A True Story of Murder in Kentucky by William Van Meter | 370 ratings
The Last Four Days of Paddy Buckley: A Novel by Jeremy Massey | 1,099 ratings
Donnybrook by Frank Bill | 1,249 ratings
Six Stories (Six Stories #1) by Matt Wesolowski | 1,791 ratings
Voracious: A Hungry Reader Cooks Her Way through Great Books by Cara Nicoletti | 1,831 ratings

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Something To Look Forward To – Week of February 19th, 2019

February 18, 2019 Bonnie Something To Look Forward To 3 Comments

Here’s what’s releasing this week: a blend of YA, Adult, and the occasional Middle Grade. Something for everyone to look forward to! All book purchase links go to their respective Amazon page.
Help support this blog and use the purchase links to get your copy!

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Week of February 19th, 2019

Tarot by Marissa Kennerson [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Razorbill

Mist, Metal, and Ash (Ink, Iron, and Glass #2) by Gwendolyn Clare [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Imprint

Honor Bound (The Honors #2) by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Katherine Tegen Books

The Afterward by E.K. Johnston [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Dutton Books for Young Readers

A Soldier and a Liar by Caitlin Lochner [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Swoon Reads

The Great Unknowable End by Kathryn Ormsbee [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Simon & Schuster books for Young Readers

Immoral Code by Lillian Clark [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Simon Pulse

The Art of Losing by Lizzy Mason [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Soho Teen

Snowhook by Jo Storm [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Dundurn

The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away by Ronald L. Smith [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Clarion Books

The Rising: The Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Orbit

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Tor.com

The Very Best of Caitlín R. Kiernan by Caitlin R Kiernan [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 18th 2019 by Tachyon Publications

Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation by Ken Liu [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Tor Books

Gates of Stone by Angus Macallan [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Ace Books

Where Oblivion Lives (Los Nefilim #4) by T. Frohock [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Harper Voyager

Fleet of Knives (Embers of War #2) by Gareth L. Powell [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Titan Books

Firstborn (The House War #7) by Michelle West [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Daw Books

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing

The Next to Die: A Novel by Sophie Hannah [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by William Morrow

Never Tell (Detective D.D. Warren #10) by Lisa Gardner [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Dutton Books

American Heroin (Lola Vasquez #2) by Melissa Scrivner Love [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Crown Publishing Group (NY)

Court of Lies by Gerry Spence [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Forge

The Vanishing Man (Charles Lenox Mysteries, #12) by Charles Finch [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Minotaur Books

The Chef by James Patterson & Max DiLallo [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 18th 2019 by Little, Brown and Company

Who Killed the Fonz? by James Boice [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Simon Schuster

Run Cold (An Edna Ferber Mystery #10) by Ed Ifkovic [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 20th 2019 by Poisoned Pen Press

Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Riverhead Books

Cherokee America by Margaret Verble [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Daughter of Moloka’i (Moloka’i #2) by Alan Brennert [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

Dear George, Dear Mary: A Novel of George Washington’s First Love by Mary Calvi [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

The Familiars by Stacey Halls [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Mira Books

The Object of Your Affections by Falguni Kothari [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Graydon House

The Moon Sister: A Novel (The Seven Sisters #5) by Lucinda Riley [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Atria Books

Devil’s Daughter (The Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Avon

The Secret of Clouds by Alyson Richman [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Berkley

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Berkley

The Study of Animal Languages by Lindsay Stern [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Viking

A Weekend in New York by Benjamin Markovits [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Faber & Faber

Aerialists: Stories by Mark Mayer [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing

The Polar Bear Expedition: The Heroes of America’s Forgotten Invasion of Russia by James Carl Nelson [Purchase]
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by William Morrow

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