Monday, April 15, 2024

March 2024 Book Haul

In March, I hauled 8 books and have read 7 of them. This year-to-date, I have read 75% of my hauled books. I have spent $1.99 in March and saved $82.75 for a total of $269.10 for 2024. I feel like I'm improving on reading the books I'm hauling and keeping up with them!

PURCHASED BOOKS

  1. Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep (Audio)

REVIEW BOOKS
  1.  Director's Cut by Carlyn Greenwald (Kindle)

LIBRARY BOOKS
  1. Twisted Love by Ana Huang (Audio) 
  2. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (Audio)
  3. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (Audio)
  4. Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (Audio)
  5. Sharpest Sting by Jennifer Estep (Audio)
  6. Last Strand by Jennifer Estep (Audio)

What did you buy, borrow, or receive in March?
Have you read any of my hauled books?

Monday, April 8, 2024

Books I Read in March 2024

I read 9 books in March.

  • The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead (Audio, 13 hr 1 min, 2016, YA Historical Fiction, Purchased) - 3 stars | My Review
  • Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann (Audio, 9 hr 5 min, 2018, NA Romance, Purchased) - 4 stars | My Review 
  • Twisted Love by Ana Huang (Audio, 10 hr 41 min, 2021, NA Romance, Library) - 3.5 stars | My Review 
  • Soul of Stars by Ashley Poston (Hardcover, 424 pages, 2019, YA Sci Fi, Purchased) - 4 stars | My Review
  • From the Jump by Lacie Waldon (Audio, 9 hr 18 min, 2022, Adult Romance, Netgalley) - 3.5 stars | My Review
  • The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (Audio, 19 hr 27 min, 2018, Adult Fantasy, Library) - 4 stars | My Review
  • Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (Audio, 20 hr 13 min, 2015, YA Paranormal, Purchased) - 4 stars | My Review
  • Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (Audio, 21 hr 22 min, 2023, Adult Fantasy, Library) - 5 stars | My Review
  • Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (Audio, 11 hr 29 min, 2024, Adult Romance, Library) - 3.5 stars | My Review
Pages read: 424 pages + 114 hr 36 min
Pages DNF: 0

Monday, April 1, 2024

April 2024 TBR

Last month, my goal was to finish some books that had been on multiple TBRs for a while and I finished 3 and am more than halfway through another. The final one is on my TBR for this month. However with that being said, I started reading some of my books in a series last month and also started some new series. Now the motivation is striking to finish some series. So in April, I am focusing on reading the remainder of the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep. I have books 16 through 19 in audiobook format, which means they will be read this month! Then the rest is just up to mood and honestly, whatever is ready for borrowing at the library off my holds list.

So far this year, I've finished 25 books (a third of my goal of 75) with 9 of those being last month. I feel pretty good about that pace and I'm really hopeful that I'm going to knock out a lot of old TBRs and finish some series this year!

My TBR for April:

  • Snared by Jennifer Estep
  • Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep
  • Sharpest Sting by Jennifer Estep
  • Last Strand by Jennifer Estep
  • Always Jane by Jenn Bennett
What are you planning on reading in April?

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Book Review: Manacled by SenLinYu

Publish Date: Apr 27, 2018
1,017 Pages [ebook edition]
Self-Published

SYNOPSIS:

Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a re-population effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret, lost but hidden in her mind, so she is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve until her mind can be cracked.

Author’s Notes:
This story diverges from canon following the conclusion of Harry Potter and "The Order of the Phoenix". The initial inspiration of this plot occurred when watching the first episode of The Handmaids Tale. In homage there are elements of it maintained throughout the story. This work is dark. Rape and non-consensual sex are a significant and ongoing aspect of the plot. There are also character deaths, psychological trauma, descriptions of battlefield violence, and references to torture. Reader discretion is advised.

REVIEW:

I have wanted to read this for so so long. I was reminded of it when I kept seeing book binding videos of it on TikTok. Then I discovered you could send it to your Kindle and it was all over. I honestly wanted nothing more than to just read this book. I would drive my youngest to school and go back to bed just to read this until I had to get dressed and leave for work (literally leaving myself 10 min each time). I'd get home and make dinner, eat, and do the same thing - straight to my comfy bed with my gooseneck and page turner. 

For those that don't know, this is a Harry Potter fanfiction that revolves around the idea that after Order of the Phoenix (book 5), Voldy and the Death Eaters win. All the main players die, except Hermione, who a la Handmaid's Tale, gets assigned to Draco Malfoy for the wizard repopulation program with the extra caveat that a magical pregnancy will unlock memories of the final member of the Order who Voldy believes is hiding somewhere. She has magical manacles on her that prevent her from harming him or Draco.

I knew this was a Dramione story but I was struggling to see how that was going to happen until the flashbacks started. The flashbacks were a bit repetitive in nature but I ate them up. Overall, I really did enjoy the ride. I know that SenLinYu is set to release published works in Fall 2025 and I'm very ready. Whatever they write is going to be incredible because the writing in this fanfiction was unbelievable. Hermione has always been my favorite and she was such a badass in this version. I really like what SenLinYu did with the character.  

Spice level: Kinda wavered on this because it really isn't graphic (despite the tw for rape), so 4 on the spice level scale. Trigger warnings for rape, violence, self harm, suicide, torture (some pretty hefty graphic descriptions of the violence in this)

Find on Goodreads

Monday, March 11, 2024

February 2024 Book Haul

In February, I hauled 7 books and have read 4 of them. This year-to-date, I have read 69% of my hauled books. I have spent $0 in February and saved $78.81 for a total of $186.35 for 2024. Not too shabby!

PURCHASED BOOKS

  1. The Spare Room by Laura Starkey (Kindle w/Prime)

REVIEW BOOKS
  1. Mortgage of Convenience by Dani McLean (Kindle)
  2. Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than The Life You Deserve by Drew Afualo (Kindle)

LIBRARY BOOKS
  1. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (Audio)
  2. Fireborne by Rosaria Munda (Audio)
  3. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (Audio)
  4. Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond by Henry Winkler (Audio)

What did you buy, borrow, or receive in February?
Have you read any of my hauled books?