Posts By: Bonnie

Lover of tea. Crazed Bibliophile. Daydreamer.
I have a ridiculous love for the written word. I read anything and everything: Adult fiction, YA, Middle Grade, even the occasional Non-Fiction.

When I'm not reading I'm caring for my step-children, drinking obscene amounts of tea and contemplating what life will be like in the impending apocalypse.

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Something To Look Forward To – Week of May 20th, 2019

May 20, 2019 Bonnie Something To Look Forward To 1 Comment

Here’s what’s releasing this week: a blend of YA, Adult, Middle Grade, and the occasional Non-Fiction. Something for everyone to look forward to!

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Week of May 20th, 2019

Kingsbane (Empirium #2) by Claire Legrand
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Sourcebooks Fire

Alex Rider: Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Philomel Books

The Bone Charmer by Breeana Shields
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Page Street Kids

The Missing Season by Gillian French
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by HarperTeen

Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by AW Teen

Girl Gone Viral by Arvin Ahmadi [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Gather the Fortunes (Crescent City #2) by Bryan Camp [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by John Joseph Adams/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The Bone Charmer by Breeana Shields [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Page Street Kids

Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Algonquin Young Readers

The Living God (The Living God #1) by Kaytalin Platt [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Inkshares

No Place Like Here by Christina June [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Blink

Amelia Westlake Was Never Here by Erin Gough [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Poppy

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Katherine Tegen Books

Going Off Script by Jen Wilde [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Swoon Reads

Brave Face: A Memoir by Shaun David Hutchinson [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Simon Pulse

Birthday by Meredith Russo [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Flatiron Books

Hold My Hand by Michael Barakiva [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Happily and Madly by Alexis Bass [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Tor Teen

The Pursuit of Miss Heartbreak Hotel by Monique Bonneau [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Triumphant (The Genesis Fleet #3) by Jack Campbell [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Ace Books

Starship Repo by Patrick S. Tomlinson [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Tor Books

An Illusion of Thieves (Chimera #1) by Cate Glass [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Tor Books

Shadowblade by Anna Kashina
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Angry Robot

The Sign of the Nine (Warlock Holmes #4) by G.S. Denning [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Titan Books

Queenslayer (Spellslinger #5) by Sebastien de Castell [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Orbit

Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water by Vylar Kaftan [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Tor.com

Year of the Orphan: A Novel by Daniel Findlay
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Arcade

The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Graydon House

Exit Wounds by Paul Kane & Marie O’Regan [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Titan Books

The Vanishing Season (The Collector #4) by Dot Hutchison [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Thomas & Mercer

Cari Mora by Thomas Harris [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Grand Central Publishing

Deception Cove (Neah Bay #1) by Owen Laukkanen [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Mulholland Books

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Knopf Publishing Group

The Summer of Ellen by Agnete Friis [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Soho Crime

Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Delacorte Press

Prairie Fever by Michael Parker [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Algonquin Books

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Harper

It’s Hot in the Hamptons: A Novel by Holly Peterson [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Crown Publishing Group (NY)

The Royal Secret by Lucinda Riley [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Atria Books

The Scent Keeper: A Novel by Erica Bauermeister [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

You May Kiss the Duke (The Brides of Belgravia #3) by Charis Michaels [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Avon Impulse

Riots I Have Known by Ryan Chapman [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Simon Schuster

Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Little, Brown and Company

Biloxi: A Novel by Mary Miller [Purchase]
Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Liveright

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Audiobook Sync 2019: Week 4 Titles | Spill and Meet the Sky (May 16 – May 23)

May 16, 2019 Bonnie Sync 0 Comments

A new week of free audiobooks! Be sure to sign up for email and/or text alerts at Audiobook Sync to remind you when new titles are available. The audiobooks can be downloaded onto your computer and easily transferred to your smartphone for easy listening — and remember that these audiobooks are yours to keep! In case you’re new to the Audiobook Sync program, here are the details:

Each audiobook will be available for you to download onto your computer and/or mobile device for one week. The files are available from Thursday morning 7am Eastern Time until the following Thursday morning at 7am Eastern time when the new audiobook titles become available. You may download more than once if you have more than one device. When you have downloaded the MP3 files they are yours to keep.

Spill by Leigh Fondakowski | Read by Elisa Bocanegra, Gilbert Glenn Brown, Nicholas Hormann, Travis Johns, Jane Kaczmarek, James Morrison, Darren Richardson, Kate Steele, Mark Jude Sullivan
Published by L.A. Theatre Works | Download available here!

In April of 2010, British Petroleum gave orders to speed up production on its colossal drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon. Despite the objections of many on the rig, safety measures were ignored or overlooked. On April 20th, the Deepwater Horizon exploded. Eleven men paid the ultimate price and countless thousands who call the Gulf Coast home found their lives irrevocably altered. Includes a conversation with Jim Morris, Managing Editor for the Environment and Worker Safety for the Center for Public Integrity. Spill is part of our Relativity Series, presented with major funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world. Directed by Martin Jarvis. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording, starring: Elisa Bocanegra as Arleen Weise, Andrea Fleytas Gilbert Glenn Brown as Obama, Jorey Danos, Christopher Pleasant Nicholas Hormann as Bob Bea, Pat O’Bryan, Gary Bartholemy, Wyman Wheeler Travis Johns as Keith Jones, Steve Bertone, Jonathan Henderson Jane Kaczmarek as Narrator, Lillian Miller James Morrison as Bill Anderson, Randy Ezell, Billy Nungesser Darren Richardson as Tony Hayward, Jimmy Harrell, Gordon Jones, Don Vidrine Kate Steele as Shelley Anderson, Jolene Danos Mark Jude Sullivan as Jason Anderson, Mike Williams Production Manager, Nikki Hyde. Music Supervisor, Ronn Lipkin. Associate Artistic Director, Anna Lyse Erikson. Editor, Julian Nicholson. Recording Engineer, Sound Designer and Mixer, Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Recorded live in performance at UCLA’s James Bridges Theater in May 2018.

Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle | Read by Morgan Fairbanks
Published by Blink | Download available here!

From award-winning author McCall Hoyle comes a new young adult novel, Meet the Sky, a story of love, letting go, and the unstoppable power of nature. It all started with the accident. The one that caused Sophie’s dad to walk out of her life. The one that left Sophie’s older sister, Meredith, barely able to walk at all. With nothing but pain in her past, all Sophie wants is to plan for the future—keep the family business running, get accepted to veterinary school, and protect her mom and sister from another disaster. But when a hurricane forms off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and heads right toward their island, Sophie realizes nature is one thing she can’t control. After she gets separated from her family during the evacuation, Sophie finds herself trapped on the island with the last person she’d have chosen—the reckless and wild Finn Sanders, who broke her heart freshman year. As they struggle to find safety, Sophie learns that Finn has suffered his own heartbreak; but instead of playing it safe, Finn’s become the kind of guy who goes surfing in the eye of the hurricane. He may be the perfect person to remind Sophie how to embrace life again, but only if their newfound friendship can survive the storm.

Happy listening!

Waiting on Wednesday – Second Sight by Aoife Clifford

May 15, 2019 Bonnie Waiting on Wednesday 3 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday – Second Sight by Aoife Clifford

Second Sight by Aoife Clifford
Published by Pegasus Books on July 2, 2019
Pages: 272
Genres: Mystery
Format: Hardcover
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Goodreads

When the biggest legal case of her career brings Eliza Carmody back to Kinsale, the hometown she thought she had left forever, she witnesses an old friend commit a crime that sends her on a dangerous quest to uncover the mysteries of her childhood that the rest of the town seems willing to ignore.

With her friend on the run and the police investigating the bones of an unidentified dead body at a historic homestead near town, Eliza becomes convinced that the truth lies in her memories of the New Year’s Eve years ago when her friend Grace disappeared from Kinsale forever.

While Eliza desperately explores the connections between the crimes of the present and those of the past, she begins to suspect that no one — even her own family — is telling the truth.

About Aoife Clifford

Aoife Clifford is the author of Second Sight and the best-selling novel All These Perfect Strangerswhich was long listed for both the Australian Industry General Fiction Book of the Year and the Voss Literary Prize.

Born in London of Irish parents, she grew up in New South Wales, studied Arts/Law at the Australian National University, Canberra and now lives in Melbourne.

Aoife's short stories have been published in Australia, United Kingdom and the United States and has won two premier short story prizes for crime fiction in Australia - the Scarlet Stiletto (2007) and the S.D. Harvey Ned Kelly Award in 2012, among other prizes. She has also been short listed for the UK Crime Association’s Debut Dagger. In 2014 she was awarded an Australian Society of Authors mentorship.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

I discovered this one after Liberty Hardy did a post about this Australian crime novel and honestly, I need more mysteries that keep me guessing.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Something To Look Forward To – Week of May 13th, 2019

May 13, 2019 Bonnie Something To Look Forward To 2 Comments

Here’s what’s releasing this week: a blend of YA, Adult, Middle Grade, and the occasional Non-Fiction. Something for everyone to look forward to!

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Week of May 13th, 2019

We Hunt the Flame (We Hunt the Flame #1) by Hafsah Faizal
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Scholastic Press

The Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Candlewick Press (MA)

The Obsoletes by Simeon Mills
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Skybound Books

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Scholastic Press

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Push

There’s Something about Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Simon Pulse

Testimony from Your Perfect Girl by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Road Tripped by Pete Hautman
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Disney-Hyperion

Red, White Royal Blue: A Novel by Casey McQuiston
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by St. Martin’s Griffin

The Queen’s Secret (The Rose Legacy #2) by Jessica Day George
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Time Sight by Lynne Jonell
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Henry Holt & Company

The Clockwork Ghost (York #2) by Laura Ruby
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by HarperCollins

The Plague Stones by James Brogden
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Titan Books

Pariah (Donovan Trilogy #3) by W. Michael Gear
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Daw Books

Children of Ruin (Children of Time #2) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Orbit

A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Berkley

Tears of the Trufflepig: A Novel by Fernando A. Flores
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by MCD x FSG Originals

Orange World and Other Stories by Karen Russell
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Knopf Publishing Group

The Night Before by Wendy Walker
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

The Never Game (Colter Shaw #1) by Jeffery Deaver
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

The Night Window (Jane Hawk #5) by Dean Koontz
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Bantam

The Scholar (Cormac Reilly #2) by Dervla McTiernan
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Penguin Books

Dream Sequence by Adam Foulds
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Farrar Straus and Giroux

Exile (Marc Dane #2) by James Swallow
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Forge

The Killer You Know by S.R. Masters
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Redhook

If She Wakes by Michael Koryta
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Little, Brown and Company

The Satapur Moonstone (Perveen Mistry #2) by Sujata Massey
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Soho Crime

A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing

Dawson’s Fall by Roxana Robinson
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Sarah Crichton Books

The Song of the Jade Lily: A Novel by Kirsty Manning
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait (Six Tudor Queens #4) by Alison Weir
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Ballantine Books

The Den by Abi Maxwell
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Knopf Publishing Group

Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by William Morrow

America Was Hard To Find by Kathleen Alcott
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Ecco

My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding by Wendy Wax
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Berkley Books

Strangers and Cousins: A Novel by Leah Hager Cohen
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Riverhead Books

The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Gallery Books

Not Bad People: A Novel by Brandy Scott
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

The Desert Sky Before Us: A Novel by Anne Valente
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Penguin Press

Floyd Harbor: Stories by Joel Mowdy
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Catapult

Nirvana Is Here by Aaron Hamburger
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Three Rooms Press

Lanny: A Novel by Max Porter
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Graywolf Press

You Will Be Safe Here by Damian Barr
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing

Home Remedies by Xuan Juliana Wang
Expected publication: May 14th 2019 by Hogarth

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Friday Favorites | Recommended I Read

May 10, 2019 Bonnie Friday Favorites 2 Comments

This week’s topic is about books recommended to me. My bestie gives me the best romance and classic recommendations and my mom gives me recommendations for everything in between. Try as I might, I can’t get to all of them but these books are the ones I’m honestly determined to get around to sooner rather than later.

Recommendations from Dani
The Winter King (Weathermages of Mystral #1) by C.L. Wilson
The Heist (Fox and O’Hare #1) by Janet Evanovich
Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire #1) by Grace Draven

Recommendations from my Mum
The Magus by John Fowles
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang
Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore

Audiobook Sync 2019: Week 3 Titles | The Epic Crush of Genie Lo and Shadow of the Fox (May 9 – May 16)

May 9, 2019 Bonnie Sync 1 Comment

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee | Read by Nancy Wu
Published by Recorded Books | Download available here!

The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie’s every waking thought. But when she discovers she’s a celestial spirit who’s powerful enough to bash through the gates of heaven with her fists, her perfectionist existence is shattered. Enter Quentin, a transfer student from China whose tone-deaf assertiveness beguiles Genie to the brink of madness. Quentin nurtures Genie’s outrageous transformation-sometimes gently, sometimes aggressively-as her sleepy suburb in the Bay Area comes under siege from hell-spawn. This epic YA debut draws from Chinese folklore, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie’s grounded high school life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.

Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox #1) by Julie Kagawa | Read by Joy Osmanski, Brian Nishii, Emily Woo Zeller
Published by HarperAudio | Download available here!

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos. Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.

Happy listening!

Waiting on Wednesday – Shorefall: A Novel (Founders #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

May 8, 2019 Bonnie Waiting on Wednesday 7 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday – Shorefall: A Novel (Founders #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett
Series: Founders #2
Published by Del Rey Books on January 21, 2020
Pages: 512
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Hardcover
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Goodreads

Also by this author: American Elsewhere, Foundryside

The upstart firm Foundryside is struggling to make it. Orso Igancio and his star employee, former thief Sancia Grado, are accomplishing brilliant things with scriving, the magical art of encoding sentience into everyday objects, but it's not enough. The massive merchant houses of Tevanne won't tolerate competition, and they're willing to do anything to crush Foundryside.

But even the merchant houses of Tevanne might have met their match. An immensely powerful and deadly entity has been resurrected in the shadows of Tevanne, one that's not interested in wealth or trade routes: a hierophant, one of the ancient practitioners of scriving. And he has a great fascination for Foundryside, and its employees - especially Sancia.

Now Sancia and the rest of Foundryside must race to combat this new menace, which means understanding the origins of scriving itself - before the hierophant burns Tevanne to the ground.

About Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett is a two-time award winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel, an Edgar Award winner for Best Paperback Original, and is also the 2010 recipient of the Sydney J Bounds Award for Best Newcomer, and a Philip K Dick Award Citation of Excellence. City of Stairs was shortlisted for the Locus Award and the World Fantasy Award. City of Blades was a finalist for the 2015 World Fantasy, Locus, and British Fantasy Awards. His seventh novel, City of Miracles, is in stores now.

Robert lives in Austin with his wife and large sons. He can be found on Twitter at @robertjbennett.

Website | Blog | Twitter

Founders Series

Foundryside (Founders #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

I honestly can’t remember a time when I was more excited about a book. Foundryside was absolutely spectacular and I am so eager to get my hands on the next installment! January is SO far away.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Book Review | In ‘The Unhoneymooners’, Enemies Become Lovers

May 7, 2019 Bonnie 2019, Adult, Book Reviews, Early Review 4 Comments

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

Book Review | In ‘The Unhoneymooners’, Enemies Become Lovers The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Published by Gallery Books on May 14, 2019
Pages: 432
Genres: Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Edelweiss
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Audible
Goodreads

Also by this author: My Favorite Half-Night Stand, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, Love and Other Words

three-stars

Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Amy, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of... lucky.

Olive’s twin sister Ami just got married to a dudebro named Nate yet before the party was even over, everyone had become violently ill from the free seafood buffet Ami had won in a contest. Everyone except Olive (due to a fortunate shellfish allergy) and her new brother-in-law Ethan (because of a general aversion to buffet style eating). Being too sick to go on their free honeymoon (also won in a contest) Ami convinces Olive to go for her and Nate convinces Ethan to go for him. Ten days in Maui would be a complete dream, however, Olive and Ethan hate each other so it’s not expected to feel like paradise. Their plan to stay as far away from each other as possible goes awry when Olive runs into her new boss and quickly buries herself in the lie that she’s actually there for her honeymoon. Then Ethan runs into his ex who is there with her new fiancé and suddenly he’s telling her that he and Olive are there on their honeymoon too. Suddenly they find themselves spending far more time than planned together, only to keep up appearances, of course. It’s not like they’re enjoying each others company or anything.

Do you know how you showed someone in fifth grade that you had a crush on them? By being the rudest prick on the playground? Well, Olive and Ethan act like they never graduated to sixth grade. Their rudeness slowly begins to morph into playful banter and they finally started to leave their fifth-grade antics behind. The characters themselves weren’t the easiest to like (which made it hard to root for them) what with Olive’s continued insistence that she possesses the worst luck on Earth, convinced that everything she touches is going to end up going wrong somehow. She can’t even manage to enjoy her day at the spa while she’s being pampered in Maui.

‘This type of blissful, transcendent spa experience isn’t for me. I’m the one who gets a fungal infection from a pedicure in the Cities and a bikini wax burn at a spa in Duluth.’

It became tiresome, quickly. Ethan wasn’t much better with his strange attitude he has towards Olive that wasn’t explained away till the latter half of the story and not in the most explainable way either. The biggest flaw in this romance, and what makes this my least favorite Christina Lauren to date, is the overwhelming amount of drama. There are multiple sub-plots that are clearly meant to cause that “necessary” tension in a romance, but it felt like they had gone overboard with the unnecessary angst. Admittedly though, the authors turned my doubts around with some stellar character development that made these intolerable people actually likable. They manage to create such enviously romantic pairs (yet still never straying into far-fetched territory) that you can’t help but hope to find a love that makes you feel just as good.

“What are we doing tonight?” he asks […]
“Do we really want to push it?” I ask. “We’ve been together for…” I pick up his arm and glance at his watch. “Like eighty years straight. There are bruises, but no bloodshed yet. I say we quit while we’re ahead.”
“What does that entail?”
“I get the bedroom and Netflix, you wander the island to check on your hidden horcruxes.”

Something To Look Forward To – Week of May 6th, 2019

May 6, 2019 Bonnie Something To Look Forward To 0 Comments

Here’s what’s releasing this week: a blend of YA, Adult, Middle Grade, and the occasional Non-Fiction. Something for everyone to look forward to!

_________________________________________________

Week of May 6th, 2019

Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Flatiron Books

Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Tor Teen

Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle #1) by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Freeform

Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale by Lauren Myracle
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by DC Ink

Last Things by Jacqueline West
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Greenwillow Books

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Balzer + Bray

Castle of Lies by Kiersi Burkhart
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Carolrhoda Lab (R)

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by HarperTeen

Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Simon Pulse

All Our Broken Pieces by L.D. Crichton
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Disney-Hyperion

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Delacorte Press

Her Royal Highness (Royals #2) by Rachel Hawkins
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

The Goodbye Summer by Sarah Van Name
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Sourcebooks Fire

Again, but Better by Christine Riccio
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Wednesday Books

This Is Not a Love Scene by S.C. Megale
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Wednesday Books

How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dial Books

Finding Orion by John David Anderson
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Walden Pond Press

The Absence of Sparrows by Kurt Kirchmeier
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Hurricane Season by Nicole Melleby
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Algonquin Young Readers

Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds (Jane Doe Chronicles #1) by Jeremy Lachlan
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Carolrhoda Books (R)

Dream Within a Dream by Patricia MacLachlan
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Tor.com

A Chain Across the Dawn (The Universe After #2) by Drew Williams
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Tor Books

Westside: A Novel by W.M. Akers
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Harper Voyager

Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Knopf

Empire of Grass (The Last King of Osten Ard #2) by Tad Williams
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Daw Books

Stranger Things: The Other Side (Stranger Things Comics #1-3) by Jody Houser
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dark Horse Books

Tangle’s Game by Stewart Hotston
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Abaddon

The Stone Circle (Ruth Galloway #11) by Elly Griffiths
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Theater of Spies (Tales from the Black Chamber #2) by S.M. Stirling
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Ace Books

Such a Perfect Wife by Kate White
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Harper Paperbacks

The East End by Jason Allen
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Park Row

The Big Kahuna (Fox and O’Hare #6) by Janet Evanovich & Raymond Benson
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

The Runner (The China Thrillers #5) by Peter May
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Quercus

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Harper

Spring Cleaning: A Novel by Antonio Manzini
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Harper Paperbacks

First Kill (Kirk McGarvey #24) by David Hagberg
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Forge

The Scent of Murder (Jazz Ramsey #1) by Kylie Logan
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Minotaur Books

The Kremlin Strike: A Novel by Dale Brown
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by William Morrow

The Guest Book: A Novel by Sarah Blake
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Flatiron Books

Blackberry and Wild Rose by Sonia Velton
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Blackstone Publishing

The Daughter’s Tale by Armando Lucas Correa
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Atria Books

The Welsh Fasting Girl by Varley O’Connor
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Bellevue Literary Press

The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Knopf Publishing Group

The Tubman Command by Elizabeth Cobbs
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Arcade

The Road to Grantchester by James Runcie
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing

A Murderous Malady (Florence Nightingale Mystery #2) by Christine Trent
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books

The Unquiet Heart (Sarah Gilchrist #2) by Kaite Welsh
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Pegasus Books

The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna: A Novel by Juliet Grames
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Ecco

The Yankee Widow by Linda Lael Miller
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Mira Books

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark

Tightrope by Amanda Quick
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Berkley

The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient #2) by Helen Hoang
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Berkley

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

You, Me, and the Sea: A Novel by Meg Donohue
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by William Morrow Paperbacks

The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Hqn

Drawing Home by Jamie Brenner
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Little, Brown and Company

Blessing in Disguise by Danielle Steel
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Delacorte

The Southern Side of Paradise (Peachtree Bluff #3) by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Gallery Books

Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

The Farm by Joanne Ramos
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Random House

The Unpassing by Chia-Chia Lin
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The Archive of Alternate Endings: Stories by Lindsey Drager
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dzanc Books

Light from Other Stars by Erika Swyler
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing

State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts by Nick Hornby
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Riverhead Books

Juliet the Maniac: A Novel by Juliet Escoria
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Melville House

The Castle on Sunset by Shawn Levy
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Doubleday Books

Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America by Bill Geist
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing

Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague by David K. Randall
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by W. W. Norton & Company

The Killer Across the Table: Unlocking the Secrets of Serial Killers and Predators with the FBI’s Original Mindhunter by John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dey Street Books

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Monthly Rundown | April 2019

May 3, 2019 Bonnie Monthly Rundown 4 Comments

Books Read = 11

After “Mediocre March”, April went immensely better, thank goodness. I thought for sure I was headed straight for Slumpville. I finally managed to find a non 3-star read (and even read my second 5 star of the year!) I participated in the OWL’s Magical Readathon and while I didn’t do as well as I had hoped (I thought I could read all 12, lol) I did manage to read 8 (with the 9th being a DNF). Not bad, if I do say so myself.

I got a little sidetracked and ended up reading a few unplanned ones as well.

I’ve been once again having a hard time writing reviews and I’ve been trying to brainstorm ways to make reviews fun and interesting again not just for me but for my readers. Is it just me or are standard reviews just not as exciting anymore? For me, at least in terms of writing reviews, I need to get back to basics and start doing what I used to do and what worked for years: keeping a notebook, taking notes, writing down quotes, jotting down random feelings. Being able to refer to this when I actually sit down to write makes it so much easier for me because it gives me a starting point rather than sitting down with all my thoughts and being overwhelmed and just moving on to the next book. Hoping to get find my groove in May a little more.

Best of the Month: Like Lions: A Novel (Bull Mountain #2) by Brian Panowich ★★★★★
I absolutely loved Bull Mountain (that one got 5 stars from me too) and I was so anxious to get my hands on this sequel that I ordered a copy from across the pond before it was available in the US. I’m so glad I did. This was just as fantastic. I can’t wait to see what Panowich has in store for us next.

Least Favorite: The Right Swipe (Modern Love #1) by Alisha Rai ★★
I’ve heard many great things about Alisha Rai and was drawn to this new contemporary romance series of hers that involves the world of online dating. I was definitely in the mood for some fluff but the characters + story just didn’t do it for me.

Biggest Surprise: Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #1) by Stacia Kane ★★★★
I bought this way back in 2015 and it’s always been one of those I mean to start but never do, typically because I’m unwilling to commit to a new series. I’m a huge Urban Fantasy fan though so I always felt guilty when I’d see it on my TBR. I’m not sure why I’m quite as surprised as I am that I loved it. I never knew I needed some dark Urban Fantasy in my life but this was the answer. I can’t wait to pick up the next installment.

Biggest Disappointment: Vicious (Villains #1) by V.E. Schwab ★★
I bought this one in 2015 too! This was the month of knocking out the metaphorical dust bunny collecting ebooks, apparently. It was one of those that I kept holding off on picking up because everyone truly raved about this title (and Schwab in general.) Yes, this was my first Schwab too. I’m disappointed on many levels.