Book Tag: Fall Time, Cozy Time

I was tagged in this cute tag by The Travelling Reader! I am not sure who created this tag, so if you know let me know in the comments! I wanted to squeeze this in before December though, so let’s jump right into this!

CRUNCHING LEAVES: The world is full of colour! Choose a book with red/orange/yellow on the cover.

So, I have just discovered that I have pretty much no orange or yellow books. This is the closest one I could find, and I definitely feel like it fits the theme, even though there is some blue! Also, this is a spectacular book, so be sure to check it out!

COZY SWEATER: It’s finally cool enough for warm cozy clothing! What book gives you the warm fuzzies?

I know this book has made quite a few appearances on my blog, but for a good reason! Lovely War is such a lovely book, and although it has its sad moments, overall it will give you a warm happy feeling inside!

FALL STORM: The wind is howling & the rain is pounding. Choose a book that you like to read on a stormy day.

I feel like any thick fantasy would fit perfectly for this prompt, because I love reading fantasies when it is gloomy outside. The one that first came to mind for me was Serpent & Dove, because I think I read this during a rainy weekend! It definitely fits the vibes for this prompt.

COOL CRISP AIR: makes you breathe freely~ Who’s the coolest character you’d want to trade places with?

When I thought of a cool character, the first person I thought of was Alex from Red, White, and Royal Blue! And then I started thinking about how Henry is also super cool, so they are both going to be my answers for this prompt! They are sweet, funny, and I just want to be best friends with both of them!

HOT APPLE CIDER: warm autumn drink. What underhyped book do you want to see become the next biggest, hottest thing?

I recently made a whole post about books I think are underhyped (I’ll link it here!) Parachutes is definitely a book that deserves all the love in the world, and I haven’t heard anyone talk about it! This without a doubt will definitely make its way onto my best books of 2020 list. It is such an important story that needs to be told, and you will fall in love with the two main characters. Please, please read this!

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COAT, SCARVES, & MITTENS: the weather has turned cold & it’s time to cover up! What’s a book cover you don’t like?

I have never and will never read this book because I didn’t like Twilight, but this cover is just horrendous. Like, I don’t even know who thought this would be a good idea.

PUMPKIN SPICE: time for some Starbucks! What’s your favourite fall comfort food?

I hate to be that girl, but I am a sucker for anything pumpkin, especially pumpkin pie with whipped cream!

WARM, COZY BONFIRE: spread the cozy warmth! Who do you tag?

So, I’m not going to tag anyone because fall is almost over! But if you want to do this tag feel free to use this post as reference!

Happy reading!

The End of the Year Book Tag

This is my first time doing this tag! I am not sure who the creator is (if you know, leave it in the comments!) but I borrowed these questions from Kristin @ Kristin Krave’s Books, so thank you Kristin!

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

I usually tend to finish all the book I pick up, or DNF them all together. I know a lot of people like to start a bunch of books and then continue with whichever one they are feeling, but that doesn’t work for me. So I guess in short, my answer to this question is no!

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

So, I actually did a really good job at sticking with my October TBR this year, and so far I am on track with my November TBR as well. I am pretty ready for Christmas, so my TBR is definitely leaning more towards winter/Christmas reads. So I guess to transition into winter, I am really ready for some epic high fantasies. A few I am so excited to get into are Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles, and The City We Became by N.K. Jemison.

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

Yes!! I am so, so excited for These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. I preordered my copy, and so I just received it this weekend, even though it doesn’t come out until November 17 (by the time this is live, it may already be out!) So even though I have a copy, it isn’t technically released yet. I am so excited, and I think it may be the next book I pick up.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

Wow, there are so many books I want to read before 2021. I definitely want to get to all the books I have previously mentioned. Along with that, I really want to finish up The Lunar Chronicles and read Winter. I feel like if I don’t read it soon I never will. I also would love to get to Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin, which is the sequel to Serpent & Dove. I have heard mixed reviews so I have been pushing it off, but I really do want to finish it before 2021! Lastly, I would love to get to A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown! It’s been on my shelf since summer and I am ready to dive into it.

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?

Definitely! I’ve read so many incredible books this year and honestly haven’t even tried to pick a favorite yet. But right now, I am reading Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson, and I can already tell it is going to be something so special. I literally picked it up today and am already 40% through it. I already feel like it is going to be a favorite of mine for the year.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2021?

Hahahahaha no! I definitely do want to try to create a list of 12 books in January to read throughout the year to try to eliminate books that have been on my TBR since 2018, but I haven’t decided which books I want on them. I also think I am going to keep the same goal I had this year of reading 100 books. But other than that, I haven’t planned anything, which is fine because I am a very spontaneous reader.

I am not tagging anyone specifically, but if you are interested in this tag feel free to do so! It was a lot of fun!

6 Books That Are Worth The Hype- Part 1

If you’re at all like me, you may be skeptical of hyped books. Some of my most disappointing reads this year have been books that were so hyped up, that I was sure I would love them. So when I didn’t, I was quite let down. So, I have acquired a list of books that did live up to the hype for me!

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

I read this book just last month, and I put it off so long because I didn’t think there was any way I would like this as much as everyone else does. However, this book very much exceeded my expectations! The atmosphere was so dark and I loved the dual perspectives that this book follows! I would definitely recommend this book if you are skeptical about picking it up! You can read my full review here.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

This book took the entire Internet by storm when it first came out, and so I was hesitant to pick it up because there was no way I would like it as much as everyone else. But guys- this was the cutest thing I’ve ever read! This royal romance has everything you could ever want in it, and will leave you swooning. It has definitely been my favorite contemporary of 2020 so far! You can read my full review here.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

As soon as I started reading this book, I knew it was going to be a 5 star read. Sabaa Tahir is a master story teller, weaving in an intricate world with characters you would die for. This is a book set in a world inspired by Ancient Rome, and follows a female slave and male soldier in dual POV. This is definitely another favorite of mine for 2020, and I can’t wait to read book 2 soon! You can read my full review here.

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

This is another book I’m sure you have seen around, and rightfully so because it was so cute! This is a small town f/f romance that follows Liz as she campaigns to be prom queen so she can move out of rural Indiana. Growing up in a small town I definitely resonated a lot in this story, and watching Liz grow as a character was so much fun. You can read my full review here.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

You know, we can honestly just put all of Elizabeth Acevedo’s books on this list, but Clap When You Land is my favorite so far! I’m sure you know, but this book is written in verse and follows two sisters who discover one another after their father is killed in a tragic plane crash. This book will pull at your heart strings. I am still not okay and I read this in June!

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Even though I read this last year, it still definitely has a place in my heart as one of my favorite books of all time. This follows a band called The Six in the 70s as they make begin their rise in fame and their eventual downfall. This book is told in an interview style format and it really felt like I was reading about a real band. I didn’t even know it was fictional until about halfway through! I would highly recommend the audiobook as well, because it has an amazing full cast of characters.

I definitely plan on doing a part 2 of this, so let me know what you think about these books! Were they worth the hype for you?

Review: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

If she was destined to burn in Hell, I would burn with her.

Shelby Mahurin, Serpent and Dove

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Year: 2019
Page Count: 513
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

I had absolutely no intentions of reading this book until a few weeks ago, when a book club I am apart of decided this would be our September pick. I wasn’t super excited, because I heard such polarizing reviews, and many people who have the same taste in books as me didn’t love it.

I understand why people wouldn’t like this book. I’ll be honest, I was very tempted to DNF it in the first half. However, around the halfway point, I became obsessed.

The general premise of this book and all I knew going into it was that the romance involves a witch, Lou, who is forced to marry a witch hunter, Reid, who doesn’t know she is a witch. Lou and Reid’s relationship was the slow burn that I was looking for. I love the enemies to lovers trope, and this was not disappointing. Lou and Reid are complete polar opposites. Lou is crazy and free-spirited, while Reid is very conservative and does everything by the book. Their relationship doesn’t seem like it would work, yet it does. It was so much fun watching the couple going from hating each other to embracing their marriage. Reid was so sweet and romantic, and Lou was the less sappy one, giving the perfect balance.

As for the plot, it was slow at first. However, once it started to pick up I could not put the book down. There were so many plot twists that I did not see coming that left my 1 a.m. brain in shock.

There were a couple things I struggled with in the beginning of the novel that made me not able to give this book a full 5 stars. It took me quite a long time to understand the world these characters were in. There were a lot of characters who weren’t really explained until the last 150 pages or so, and so it was hard to keep track of what everyone’s role was.

I also was not the hugest fan of how the dual perspective was done in this book. The first 75% or so rely very heavily on Lou’s perspective and little on Reid’s. Especially in the beginning, I really wanted to read more about Reid and get to know him and his role as a chasseur. Instead of the perspectives being 50/50, it was probably closer to 75/25, which was frustrating because I felt like I knew Lou so much better than Reid until the ending.

All that being said, I still obviously very much enjoyed this story. If you are on the fence, I would definitely recommend it! I can’t wait to pick up Blood & Honey soon!

What were your opinions on this book? Leave them in the comments below!