First Line Friday: 12/6

I feel like I’ve got a system going again. Recovering from Thanksgiving week is always a bit rough, but I think I’ve been doing okay. (Haven’t gotten a book review out this week yet, or my November reading wrap-up, but I’m planning on posting both this weekend.)

Anyway, First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it to the first page
📝 Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
📙 Finally… reveal the book!

Here’s the first line:

At the height of the long wet summer of the Seventy-Seventh Year of Sendovani, the Thiefmaker of Camorr paid a sudden and un- announced visit to the Eyeless Priest at the Temple of Perelandro, desperately hoping to sell him the Lamora boy.

Know the book yet? (There’s a huge giveaway here, lol.) If not, here’s another hint or two for you…

Still no idea? Go on and look at these awesome pictures of books if you need a little more time…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch!!

(Did you guess it?)

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

SERIES: Gentleman Bastards Sequence #1

LENGTH: 752 pages

GENRE: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Random House

RELEASE DATE: June 27, 2006

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The first book of the epic fantasy caper Gentleman Bastard Sequence about a roguish group of conmen, which George R. R. Martin says “captured me right on the first page and never let me go.”

An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges relentless danger, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentlemen Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

WWW Wednesday: 10/23

It’s been a couple of weeks, but I’m finally currently reading something on a Wednesday again, so here I am.

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that used to be hosted at A Daily Rhythm, but has been taken over by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 3 Ws!

The 3 Ws of WWW Wednesday:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Thing I’m Currently Reading

Bloodguard by Cecy Robson

Bloodguard by Cecy Robson

CURRENT STATUS: 76%

CURRENT FEELS: 😡 (irritated)

The Thing I Most Recently Finished Reading

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

The Thing(s) I Might Read Next

One Piece: Volumes 52 – 53 – 54 (Sabaody Arc) by Eiichiro Oda
  • One Piece: Volumes 52 – 53 – 54 (Sabaody Arc) by Eiichiro Oda: So, uh, I might have lied a bit when I said that I was definitely reading this next the last time that I participated in WWW Wednesday. But I’m serious this time, reading the rest of the pre-time skip stuff is next. (Though, admittedly, I am considering reading a little graphic novel first. But this is definitely next after that!!)
Sheets by Brenna Thummler
  • Sheets by Brenna Thummler: I’m also considering reading this one next. It – by which I mean the three volumes Sheets consists of – seems like a nice, quick little read. This is also the little graphic novel I just mentioned. In case it wasn’t obvious, lol.

What books has everyone been reading lately? What have you thought of them? What are you thinking of reading next?

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope that you have a great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

WWW Wednesday: 10/2

Whoa, it’s been a month since the last time I did this! Whoops! Happy Wednesday everyone!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that used to be hosted at A Daily Rhythm, but has been taken over by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 3 Ws!

The 3 Ws of WWW Wednesday:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Thing I’m Currently Reading

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

CURRENT STATUS: 2%

CURRENT FEELS: 😁😥 (very excited but a little nervous – I’ve been looking forward to reading it for a while, but I’m a bit afraid about whether it’ll live up to my expectations)

The Thing I Most Recently Finished Reading

Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan

Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan

The Thing(s) I Might Read Next

One Piece: Volumes 52 - 53 - 54 (Sabaody Arc) by Eiichiro Oda
  • One Piece: Volumes 52 – 53 – 54 (Sabaody Arc) by Eiichiro Oda: There’s no might about this one – I’m definitely reading this one next! Then I’m gonna read the Impel Down and Marineford arcs immediately after. (I’m buddy reading this with my spouse and we’re loving it.) Then it’ll finally be the end of the pre-time skip stuff.
Prince of Fortune by Lisa Tirreno
  • Prince of Fortune by Lisa Tirreno: Regarding stuff I’ll be reading next that’s not One Piece, this book might be a contender. I try to read one new release every month, and this novel might be it.

What books has everyone been reading lately? What have you thought of them? What are you thinking of reading next?

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope that you have a great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Fall TBR

Woohoo! Double post! I haven’t double posted on the same day in a while!

Anyway, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly post currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It celebrates lovely lists, wonderful books and the bookish community. This week’s topic is Books on Your Fall To-Be-Read. I haven’t really ever posted about my TBR on the blog (beyond what I might be reading next whenever I participate in WWW Wednesday), so I’m looking forward to this!

Here are ten of the books on my TBR – what I consider my more immediate TBR, at least – in no particular order. Without further ado, let’s be off!

Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan: I haven’t started reading this yet, so I can technically put it on this list, lol. Gonna start reading it tomorrow, though, definitely.

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein: I just discovered this one and it looks interesting. It also seems to have some chill October and Halloween-y vibes, and I love that when I read novels during spooky season.

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (aka: MDZS) by MXTX: This has been on my TBR for around two years now, and I honestly don’t know why I’ve been putting it off. I’ve already seen the animation and read tons of fanfiction for it and love the story… so yeah, don’t know why I haven’t read it yet.

Skyshade by Alex Aster: I’ve been enjoying hate-reading this series, and I’m gonna continue it with this next installment.

Snow Drowned by Jennifer D. Lyle: Saw it when looking at new books coming out in November 2024. It looked interesting and I haven’t read much horror/thriller in a while.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas: I’ve been planning on reading this series for like a year now, but still just haven’t gotten around to it. The books are just so long, and I wasn’t really in the mood earlier this year, I guess.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers: I’ve had my eye on this since I read the first novella earlier this year. Still planning on it, I’ve just been distracted by new books and reading One Piece.

Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher: This has been on my radar for a couple of years, since around the time it came out. I got the book a couple of months ago, and I guess I’ve just been waiting for the right time to read it? (I’ve also gotten distracted by other books, new or otherwise.)

One Piece by Eiichiro Oda: Of course I’m still continuing reading One Piece with my husband. We’re almost to the time skip! Planning on continuing on with all the little arcs up to said time skip next month!

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: I tried reading this a couple years ago but couldn’t get into it and DNF-ed it. I’m thinking about trying again. We’ll see.

WWW Wednesday: 9/4

Happy Wednesday everybody!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that used to be hosted at A Daily Rhythm, but has been taken over by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 3 Ws!

The 3 Ws of WWW Wednesday:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Thing I’m Currently Reading

Darker by Four by June C.L. Tan

Darker by Four by June C.L. Tan

CURRENT STATUS: 4%

CURRENT FEELS: 😁 (optimistic or positive – I’ve got my hopes up!)

The Thing I Most Recently Finished Reading

Lake of Souls: The Collected Short Fiction by Ann Leckie

Lake of Souls: The Collected Short Fiction by Ann Leckie

The Thing(s) I Might Read Next

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
The Librarian of the Haunted Library by Brian Yansky
Unsouled by Will Wight
  • Unsouled by Will Wight: This has been on my radar for a year and a half maybe? Not sure. I’ve heard good things about the author’s writing, though. So maybe I’ll read it.

What books has everyone been reading lately? What have you thought of them? What are you thinking of reading next?

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope that you have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

WWW Wednesday: 8/28

Happy Wednesday everyone! What’s everybody been reading lately?

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that used to be hosted at A Daily Rhythm, but has been taken over by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 3 Ws!

The 3 Ws of WWW Wednesday:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Thing I’m Currently Reading

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

CURRENT STATUS: 20%

CURRENT FEELS: 🥱😒 (bored and annoyed – there’s something about the way this story is told (and how slow it’s being told) that’s getting to me; I’m probably going to DNF it)

The Thing I Most Recently Finished Reading

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

The Thing(s) I’ll Probably Read Next

Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie
  • Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie: This has been on my radar since it came out this April. It’s kind of been floating in the back of my mind, but it’s also been a bit forgotten about. It’s also gotten a little lost in the shuffle of new releases that have been on my TBR lately. Nonetheless, I’m still interested in reading it!
Darker by Four by June C.L. Tan
Noragami: Stray Stories by Adachitoka
  • Noragami: Stray Stories by Adachitoka: I’m gonna read this this week definitely, though I’m not sure if it’ll be before or after the other two books. Depends when I get ahold of it, I guess. I’ve followed and loved this series for like seven years, and I’m looking forward to the final volume at the end of the year, though I’ll be sad to see it finally end. (Yes, I know the ending has already been out for months. But I’ve managed to stay unspoiled and I want to keep it that way until I have the physical copy in my hands in December!)

What books has everyone been reading lately? What have you thought of them? What are you thinking of reading next?

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope that you have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 8/23

Been a couple of weeks again. Oh well…

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it to the first page
📝 Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
📙 Finally… reveal the book!

Here’s the first line:

The first time Eliza Grey laid eyes on the baby was at dusk in a slow-moving boxcar on a rain-swept stretch of the line three miles west of Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, England.

Don’t know? Here’s another hint for you if you need one. Or two.

Need to give it some more thought? Admire these beautiful pictures of books while you think about it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro!!

(Didja guess it?)

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

SERIES: The Talents Trilogy #1

LENGTH: 660 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Historical, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Flatiron Books

RELEASE DATE: 7 June 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

England, 1882. In Victorian London, two children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness ―a man made of smoke.

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Ovid, despite a lifetime of brutality, doesn’t have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When two grizzled detectives are recruited to escort them north to safety, they are forced to confront the nature of difference, and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.

What follows is a journey from the gaslit streets of London, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh, where other children with gifts―the Talents―have been gathered. Here, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, Marlowe, Charlie and the rest of the Talents will discover the truth about their abilities, and the nature of the force that is stalking them: that the worst monsters sometimes come bearing the sweetest gifts.

With lush prose, mesmerizing world-building, and a gripping plot, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastophic vision of the Victorian world―and of the gifted, broken children who must save it.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

WWW Wednesday: 8/21

I’m so happy to be reading more books again. Sort of. Summer is weird for me – for some reason, I have trouble getting into and reading books. I dunno why.  But it feels like it’s picking up again for me?

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that used to be hosted at A Daily Rhythm, but has been taken over by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 3 Ws!

The 3 Ws of WWW Wednesday:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Thing I’m Currently Reading

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

CURRENT STATUS: 25%

CURRENT FEELS: 🤔 (unsure…)

The Thing I Most Recently Finished Reading

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow

The Thing I Might Read Next

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

This has been on my TBR since last year. It was even on my Christmas list, so I received a copy then. I just haven’t gotten around to reading it, unfortunately. But with the sequel, Bringer of Dust releasing next month, I’ve decided that I gotta get on this.

What books are you guys currently reading? Have you read any of the ones on my list this week? What did you think of them, if you had? How do you feel about the book(s) you’re reading now?

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope that you have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

WWW Wednesday: 8/7

It’s been… forever since I’ve participated in this post. Like, it’s been over half a year. Geez. I dunno why I dropped it for so long, though part of it was ’cause I was still doing Weekly Wrap-Ups at the time, so doing WWW Wednesday felt redundant when I was already recapping which books I read recently and planning on reading next for my wrap-ups.

But then I got burned out on that too, so I wasn’t doing either. Basically, what I’m trying to say, is that I’m gonna be doing this post pretty regularly again.

So yeah.

Anyway.

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that used to be hosted at A Daily Rhythm, but has been taken over by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 3 Ws!

The 3 Ws of WWW Wednesday:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Thing I’m Currently Reading

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow

CURRENT STATUS: 2%

CURRENT FEELS: 😁 (excited – this is one of my anticipated books from my July, Aug, Sept list)

The Thing I Most Recently Finished Reading

The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor

The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor

The Thing(s) I Might Read Next

A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers
  • A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers: This has been on my TBR for a few months, ever since I read its predecessor, but has been pushed around for a while. I think I might be in the mood for a smaller read next, though, so it’s here as a potential.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
  • Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: This is another that’s been on my radar for awhile – years in fact. But with the announcement of a movie produced by Laika, I’ve been reminded that it’s been buried in my TBR. It’s also shorter, so it’s also here for similar reasons as to A Prayer for the Crown Shy.
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
  • Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro: This has been on my TBR since last year. It was even on my Christmas list, so I received a copy then. I just haven’t gotten around to reading it, unfortunately. But with the sequel, Bringer of Dust releasing next month, I’ve decided that I gotta get on this.

What books are you guys currently reading? Have you read any of the ones on my list this week? What did you think of them, if you had? How do you feel about the book(s) you’re reading now?

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope that you have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

WWW Wednesday: 12/6

It’s been, what, like two and a half months since I left did this post? Yeah, I fell off of it for a bit for whatever reason. I don’t really know why. (Also, I know I said I was gonna do a Tasteful Tuesday yesterday, but… yeah, the stars just didn’t align.)

Anyway.

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that used to be hosted at A Daily Rhythm, but has been taken over by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 3 Ws!

The 3 Ws of WWW Wednesday:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?


The Thing I’m Currently Reading

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

CURRENT STATUS: 22%

CURRENT FEELS: 🫤 (really bored, I think it’s too slow for me) (this is why I don’t normally go for 800+ page books) (might DNF it)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, Book One of the Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter. 

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them. 

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable. 

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity. 

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar’s niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan’s motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war. 

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making. 

Speak again the ancient oaths: 

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination. 

and return to men the Shards they once bore. 

The Knights Radiant must stand again. 


The Thing I Most Recently Finished Reading

One Piece: Volumes 22 - 23 - 24 by Eiichiro Oda

One Piece: Volumes 22 – 23 – 24 by Eiichiro Oda

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Join Monkey D. Luffy and his swashbuckling crew in their search for the ultimate treasure, the One Piece. 

As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, an enchanted Devil Fruit that gave him the ability to stretch like rubber. Its only drawback? He’ll never be able to swim again–a serious handicap for an aspiring sea dog Years later, Luffy sets off on his quest to find the “One Piece,” said to be the greatest treasure in the world… 

Luffy’s epic clash with Baroque Works pirate captain Crocodile continues, while deposed princess Vivi and the rest of the Straw Hat crew race against time to save the ancient kingdom of Alabasta. Just when it seems smooth sailing is ahead, Luffy and crew discover an interloper among their ranks Who is this former Baroque Works member, and what does she want from the Straw Hats?


The Thing I Might Read Next

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

(This is something I got years ago but never read. I think I’m interested in reading it now, though)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Stop the Magician.
Steal the book.
Save the future.

In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.

Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.


What books are you guys currently reading? Have you read any of the ones on my list this week? What did you think of them, if you had? How do you feel about the book(s) you’re reading now?

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope that you have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar