10 Books I Meant to Read in 2020, But Didn't Get To...

If you have been following my blog for a while, or my Instagram, then you probably know that 2020 has not been the best reading year for me, unfortunately. I had planned to read SO many books, but instead fought reading slump after reading slump throughout the whole year...

(Reading slumps: Worst experiences ever. I do not recommend. 0/5 stars.)

I have SO much hope that 2021 will be better, and that I will get to tackle all of the books I had hoped to read this year then, and more!

But until then... here are a few books I had hoped to read this year...

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty



The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The Damned by Renee Ahdieh



The Gilded Wolves by Rhosani Chokshi
Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater



Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness



The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

•     •     •

So those are just some of the books I had hoped to read this year, but didn't get to... (And some of these have been on my TBR for even longer than that. yikes.) Here's hoping that I can get to these next year!

Are there any books that you had hoped to read this year, but didn't get to??

Waiting on Wednesday: Concrete Rose & Cast in Firelight

 Concrete Rose
(The Hate U Give #0)
by Angie Thomas

Release Date: January 12th 2021
by Balzer + Bray

International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

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Cast in Firelight
(Wickery #1)
by Dana Swift

Release Date: January 19th 2021
by Delacorte Press

The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renée Ahdieh.

Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.

Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.

Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.

Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross...and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.

Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

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•     •     •

Two more awesome upcoming January releases for my WOW picks this week!
I am super excited for both.
Hurry January!!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore

A Rogue of One's Own
(A League of Extraordinary Women #2)
by Evie Dunmore

Publication Date: September 1st 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 448
ISBN: 9781984805706
Genre: Adult, Romance, Historical
Source: Own

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Available for Purchase:
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A lady must have money and an army of her own if she is to win a revolution - but first, she must pit her wits against the wiles of an irresistible rogue bent on wrecking her plans...and her heart.

Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses, with one purpose: to use it in a coup against Parliament. But who could have predicted that the one person standing between her and success is her old nemesis, Lord Ballentine? Or that he would be willing to hand over the reins for an outrageous price—a night in her bed.

Lucie tempts Tristan like no other woman, burning him up with her fierceness and determination every time they clash. But as their battle of wills and words fans the flames of long-smouldering devotion, the silver-tongued seducer runs the risk of becoming caught in his own snare.

As Lucie tries to out-manoeuvre Tristan in the boardroom and the bedchamber, she soon discovers there’s truth in what the poets say: all is fair in love and war… (Goodreads)

A Rogue of One’s Own is the second book in the League of Extraordinary Women series by Evie Dunmore, and was also a book that I was super excited to read! I read Bringing Down the Duke back in March of this year and very much enjoyed that story, so of course I couldn’t wait to check out its sequel. This book did not disappoint!

There is so much about this book that I really enjoyed. It looks like all of the women that we originally met in the first book are going to get their own books as the series goes along, and I am so here for it.  The characters in this book fantastic. We originally met Lady Lucie in Bringing Down the Duke, and I think she’s is just fantastic. I love a good feminist, and her work as a suffragist was inspiring. And it doesn’t hurt that there’s lots of steamy romance between her and Lord Ballentine. *grin*

I also really love the setting and storyline for the book. I do not read nearly enough historical fiction anymore, and this book definitely makes me want to read more. (Which I hope to do soon!) I am fascinated by the time period, so give me all the historical romances, please!

While I have a paperback version of this book, I opted to listen to the audiobook after learning that it was narrated by Elizabeth Jasicki, who also narrated Bringing Down the Duke! I really enjoyed the voices that Elizabeth did for the characters and loved having her read the story to me. The voice in my head was not nearly as good as hers, and I hope that she narrates the rest of the series as well!

Overall; If you couldn’t already tell, I really enjoyed A Rogue of One’s Own! It was a fantastic sequel to Bringing Down the Duke, and I am beyond thrilled that there are going to be at least two more books in the series.  I will be anxiously waiting to get my hands on them!

My Thoughts: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
by V.E. Schwab

Publication Date: October 6th 2020
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 442
ISBN: 08414280252-00001
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Historical
Source: Own

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A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. (Goodreads)

I think The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab was at the top of everyone’s reading list for this year, and it was definitely one of my most anticipated reads for 2020. I have read and enjoyed quite a few of Victoria’s books over the years, I couldn’t wait to meet Addie LaRue. I am thrilled to tell you that I very much enjoyed this book, so, so, so much more than I expected to.

Let me warn you ahead of time that this will probably be a super ramble-y review. You’ve been warned. (I’m also going to try to write this without giving any spoilers away, so bear with me if I am super vague.)

Let’s start with the characters from the book since I loved them so much. The main character, Addie LaRue, obviously, is my favorite. What a fascinating life Addie lived. Can you imagine making a bargain that curse you so that no one remembered who you were? How lonely that would be. And it was, for Addie. You could read that plainly on the pages.

The storyline for the book was like nothing I have ever read before. To say I was hooked would be an understatement. The journey over time from the beginning of the curse to over 300 years later was both fascinating and painful, at times, to read. But I loved every minute of it.

The ending of the book was both satisfying and frustrating. It was satisfying because it was a damn good ending, but it was frustrating because I didn’t want the book to end at all. (Especially the way it did.) I’m not saying that I would love to see a sequel for this book, (I would), but I want to know more about Addie’s future, especially after the long life she has lived. I mean, of course her future was implied, or at least what she planned to do, but I really just wanted to keep reading more and more of this wonderful story.

I also really loved the settings for the book. And by settings, I mean multiple places. Addie went everywhere, and we get to go along with her throughout the book. Victoria was so detailed with her descriptions; I could visualize everything perfectly in my mind. I loved both the past and present time periods!

I should also mention that I listened to this book in audio format, and I am SO glad that I did. I’m sure the story is magical all on its own, but the narrator, Julia Whelan, brought her own brand of magic to it with her wonderful voice. I will definitely be checking out more books narrated by her in the future!

Overall; The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was not at all what I expected, but it was just the book I didn’t know I needed. I very much enjoyed the story, and I know it will be one that I remember for a long, long time. I would love to have more books like this from Victoria in the future, because it definitely left me wanting more.

My Thoughts: Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Kingdom of the Wicked
(Kingdom of the Wicked #1)
by Kerri Maniscalco

Publication Date: October 27th 2020
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Pages: 448
ISBN: 9780316428460
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy
Source: Own

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Available for Purchase:
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Two sisters.

One brutal murder.

A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…

And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems… (Goodreads)

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco was high on my list of anticipated reads for the second half of 2020, and I am so thrilled that I was able to read the book! I really enjoyed her *Stalking Jack the Ripper series, and I couldn’t wait for this brand new story. It was definitely worth the wait.

Where do I even begin with this story? I really liked everything about it. Let’s start with the characters. Emilia was interesting. She had a wonderful family, (which is something I absolutely love in books), and a twin sister as well. After her sister is murdered, Emilia sets out to find out who took her sister's life. I love that she is fierce and wanted to get revenge, but I also felt she was a bit too hasty at times. But, I suppose I would feel the same way if I had a twin and something like that happened to them.

I was also absolutely fascinated by the princes of hell. They were all interesting, but Wrath especially. He was not at all what I expected, and I’m super suspicious about his motives and the future of the story with Emilia. I hope we see more of him in the future.

The storyline of the book was really interesting. There were quite a few twists that I didn’t see coming, but that I enjoyed nonetheless. I also really enjoyed the setting for the book as well. Kerri did such a fantastic job with the descriptions and I totally felt like I was there with the characters. Also, I loved the family restaurant and the historical aspects in the story as well.

I should also add that I opted to listen to the audio for this book after listening to a sample and loving it. The narrator, Marisa Calin, did a fantastic job with the voices and story. If you have an opportunity to check out the audiobook, you should definitely do so!

Overall; If you can’t tell by my rambling above, I definitely enjoyed Kingdom of the wicked! I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel, which is currently untitled and without a release date other than 2021, but I am hoping that we will get some information on that soon. I can’t wait to check it out as well.

My Most Anticipated December 2020 Book Releases

It's finally December, and there's a brand new batch of books coming out! There aren't nearly as many as usual this month, but there are a few that I am really looking forward to!

Keep scrolling to find out more!

A Sky Beyond the Storm
 (An Ember in the Ashes #4)
by Sabaa Tahir

Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows.

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The Cousins
by Karen M. McManus

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You'll never feel the same about family again.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family's past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

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How to Fail at Flirting
by Denise Williams

One daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever’s world upside down.

When her flailing department lands on the university's chopping block, Professor Naya Turner’s friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for an evening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she’ll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Let the guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check…almost.

Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she’s flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship—except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career.

Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she can flirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she's finally living again.

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Warmaidens
 (Gravemaidens #2)
by Kelly Coon

Warmaidens is the dark, action-packed conclusion to the heartwrenching Gravemaidens fantasy duology. Kammani and the maidens are now going to war against the ruler who tried to entomb them.

Just a few moons after escaping the tomb in Alu, Kammani and the other runaway maidens have found refuge in the city-state of Manzazu. There, Kammani has become a respected healer, especially among the warriors she’s brought back from the brink of death. Now that the nightmares of Alu are fading, she can finally decide whether or not to take Dagan’s hand in marriage.

But when an assassin murders a healer he believes is Kammani and attempts to kill the displaced queen of Alu, the maidens realize they’ve been found.

Hungry for revenge, Manzazu’s queen wants to strike back at Alu with her fiercest weapons—her scorpion warrior maidens—but Kammani knows that war harms more than it heals. To save the innocents and any chance of a future with Dagan, Kammani must take down Alu’s ruler before their lives burn up in the flames of war.

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A Universe of Wishes
by Dhonielle Clayton (editor)

From We Need Diverse Books, the organization behind Flying Lessons & Other Stories, comes a young adult fantasy short story collection featuring some of the best own-voices children’s authors, including New York Times bestselling authors Libba Bray (The Diviners), Victoria Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic), Natalie C. Parker (Seafire), and many more. Edited by Dhonielle Clayton (The Belles).

In the fourth collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, fifteen award-winning and celebrated diverse authors deliver stories about a princess without need of a prince, a monster long misunderstood, memories that vanish with a spell, and voices that refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice. This powerful and inclusive collection contains a universe of wishes for a braver and more beautiful world.

AUTHORS INCLUDE: Samira Ahmed, Libba Bray, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Kwame Mbalia, Anna-Marie McLemore, Tochi Onyebuchi, Mark Oshiro, Natalie C. Parker, Rebecca Roanhorse, Victoria Schwab, Tara Sim, Nic Stone, and a to-be-announced debut author/short-story contest winner.

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•     •     •

So many great books! I am hoping to read all of these!

Are there any books you're excited for this month??

Waiting on Wednesday: A Vow So Bold and Deadly & We Free the Stars

A Vow So Bold and Deadly
(Cursebreakers #3)
by Brigid Kemmerer
(website)

Release Date: January 26th 2021
by Bloomsbury YA

Face your fears, fight the battle.
Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone—even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.

Fight the battle, save the kingdom.
Meanwhile, Lia Mara struggles to rule Syhl Shallow with a gentler hand than her mother. But after enjoying decades of peace once magic was driven out of their lands, some of her subjects are angry Lia Mara has an enchanted prince and magical scraver by her side. As Grey's deadline draws nearer, Lia Mara questions if she can be the queen her country needs.

As two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and an old enemy resurfaces who could destroy them all, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker series.

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We Free the Stars
(Sands of Arawiya #2)
by Hafsah Faizal
(website)

Release Date: January 19th 2021
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The sequel to the New York Times–bestselling We Hunt the Flame, Zafira and Nasir must conquer the darkness around—and inside of—them.

The battle on Sharr is over. The dark forest has fallen. Altair may be captive, but Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah are bound for Sultan’s Keep, determined to finish the plan he set in motion: restoring the hearts of the Sisters of Old to the minarets of each caliphate, and finally returning magic to all of Arawiya. But they are low on resources and allies alike, and the kingdom teems with fear of the Lion of the Night’s return.

As the zumra plots to overthrow the kingdom’s darkest threat, Nasir fights to command the magic in his blood. He must learn to hone his power into a weapon, to wield not only against the Lion but against his father, trapped under the Lion’s control. Zafira battles a very different darkness festering in her through her bond with the Jawarat—a darkness that hums with voices, pushing her to the brink of her sanity and to the edge of a chaos she dare not unleash. In spite of the darkness enclosing ever faster, Nasir and Zafira find themselves falling into a love they can’t stand to lose…but time is running out to achieve their ends, and if order is to be restored, drastic sacrifices will have to be made.

Lush and striking, hopeful and devastating, We Free the Stars is the masterful conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya duology by New York Times–bestselling author Hafsah Faizal.

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•     •     •

2021 is already looking great with these two upcoming January releases that I am SO excited for! I feel like I've been waiting for both books for FOREVER, and I'm thrilled that I will soon have them in my hands. But first, I have to do re-reads of the first books! Yay!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My December 2020 TBR!

We've somehow made it to December, fellow Bookworms!

2020 has been the worst year ever, and I am more than ready to say goodbye to it, in hopes that 2021 is much, much better. But before it ends, I have a stack of books that I am hoping to read!

Unfortunately 2020 has not been a great reading year either. I've had a few good months, and a lot of bad ones, and I'm hoping that this will be another good one. There are so many books that I want to read, and I want to *enjoy* them while I'm reading them. (It's totally an *it's not you, book, it's me* situation.) lol

This month I am going to try to finish some of the books I've been working my way through this year, and a few that I meant to read, but haven't yet. I am also hoping to read a few holiday books as well!

Here's what I'm hoping to read in December!

Books I'm Re-Reading:

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle


Books I'm Reading:
(and/or hoping to finally finish)

Ninth House by Leigh Barudgo
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

•   •   •

There are also a few new releases coming out that I'm looking forward to as well:

The Cousins by Karen McManus
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams

•   •   •

And I have a few library, ebooks, and audiobooks to check out as well.

That's my TBR for this month! I hope I can read some/most of these.

What books are you reading in December?

15 Bookish Blog Post Ideas for December!

Happy December, Bookworms!!

I'm back with another list of blog post ideas for December!

If you're like me and struggling to find fun things to post about on you book blog, this post may help! For the past few months I have been making these list of blog posts ideas to help inspire me to post more... and while I rarely ever have the time or energy to post, it's still fun to come up with ideas!

I'm actually hoping to be able to do some of these posts this month, especially since I should have some extra free time on my hands soon, hopefully! I am also hoping to get in some much needed reading time this month as well. :)

If you see anything you'd like to post about, please do so! And send me a link so I can check your post out as well.

Happy Blogging!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to Read Again

December 1: Books I Want to Read Again

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
It's no secret that I love Cassandra Clare's books, and Chain of Gold quickly became a favorite. I definitely plan to do a re-read before Chain of Iron is released!

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
This is one of my most favorite series ever, and I have been thinking that a re-read is due soon!



A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab
I read this series a while back and really enjoyed the story, but I want to re-read it soon now that I have read even more books by Victoria!

Scythe by Neal Schusterman
I loooved this first book, but never started the rest of the series. Definitely need to re-read!



Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Both of these are also series that I need to restart because I never finished them!



Graceling by Kristin CashoreI definitely need to re-read this one so I can finally read Fire, Bitterblue and Winter

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
I read this one a while back, but I don't feel like I remember as much from it as I do from the Shadow and Bone series. Definitely need to re-read before the adaptation comes out.



We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
This book and I got off to a rough start, and I was worried that I was never going to be able to read it. But, I tried one last time, and something clicked! I ended up LOVING the book. I definitely need to do a re-read before We Free the Stars is released in January!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This is my most favorite book ever, and a few years ago I started doing a yearly re-read of the book. This year will be my 5th year reading it, and I'm very excited to visit Lizzie Bennett and Mr. Darcy again!