Colleen's bookshelf: read en-US Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:49:23 -0800 60 Colleen's bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Mythology of the World 1344086 160 Neil Philip 0753457792 Colleen 0 mythology, research Excellent research book. 3.70 1999 Mythology of the World
author: Neil Philip
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1999
rating: 0
read at: 2013/03/03
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: mythology, research
review:
Excellent research book.
]]> Thirteen Rising (Zodiac, #4) 32195037 Romina Russell’s epic sci-fi fantasy series reaches its breathtaking conclusion with this fourth and final novel.

The master has been unmasked. Rho’s world has been turned upside down. With her loved ones in peril and all the stars set against her, can the young Guardian from House Cancer muster the strength to keep fighting? Or has she finally found her match in a master whose ambition to rule knows no limits?]]> 332 Romina Russell 0448493551 Colleen 0 to-read 4.20 Thirteen Rising (Zodiac, #4)
author: Romina Russell
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.20
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)]]> 17849112 Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world. When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans, where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

]]> 320 Susan Ee 1477867287 Colleen 0 4.09 2013 World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)
author: Susan Ee
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2015/07/13
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: angels, dreams-nightmares, dystopian, monsters, ocean, paranormal, religion-gone-wrong, science-gone-wrong
review:
This one picks up right after the first book leaves off. Tons of action and danger. Fascinated by what the sword can do. Laughed about the sword's new name. Loved when Raffe showed up. Also very curious about Beleil and his back story.
]]> The Blood Spell (Ravenspire) 40205275 A dark and romantic epic fantasy retelling of the Cinderella story, about a girl who must team up with the prince she despises to defeat an evil creature threatening their kingdom. The fourth standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Ravenspire series by C. J. Redwine.



Blue de la Cour has her life planned: hide the magic in her blood and continue trying to turn metal into gold so she can help her city’s homeless. But when her father is murdered and a cruel but powerful woman claims custody of Blue and her property, one wrong move could expose her—and doom her once and for all. The only one who can help? The boy she’s loathed since childhood: Prince Kellan.

Kellan Renard, crown prince of Balavata, is walking a thin line between political success and devastating violence. Newly returned from boarding school, he must find a bride among the kingdom’s head families and announce his betrothal—but escalating violence among the families makes the search nearly impossible. He’s surprised to discover that the one person who makes him feel like he can breathe is Blue, the girl who once ruined all his best adventures.

When mysterious forces lead to disappearances throughout Balavata, Blue and Kellan must work together to find the truth. What they discover will lead them to the darkest reaches of the kingdom, and to the most painful moments of their pasts.

When romance is forbidden and evil is rising, can Blue save those she loves, even if it costs her everything?

]]> 400 C.J. Redwine 0062653032 Colleen 0 to-read 4.23 2019 The Blood Spell (Ravenspire)
author: C.J. Redwine
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Agent 355 202016880 A novella

A fictional portrayal of a real-life Revolutionary spy and her daring deeds, from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room.

Agent 355 is a result of author Marie Benedict’s quest to bring history’s most fascinating and courageous women to life for contemporary readers. Known to history only by her alias, this mysterious female spy, able to move freely and unobtrusively in loyalist circles, became a member of George Washington’s New York–based Culper Ring. This thrilling novella depicts who Marie Benedict thinks Agent 355 could have been, though her true identity remains unknown. During the sweltering summer of 1779, eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Morris attends the social events of the British-occupied city, but the forced merriment holds no charm for her.

She finds herself in the company of enemy soldiers, who think nothing of discussing matters of government and war in front of mere women. This invisibility becomes Elizabeth’s greatest asset as she offers her services to Robert Townsend, a Continental sympathizer. Her bravery will bring down one of the most notorious traitors in American history and ultimately seal her fate as a woman willing to sacrifice everything for love and country.]]> 75 Marie Benedict 1504090942 Colleen 0
Merged review:

Wow. I am floored that this whole thing could be true. I loved it! Such a cool story.]]> 3.74 2020 Agent 355
author: Marie Benedict
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/01
date added: 2024/06/11
shelves: historical, short-story, politics, novellas-worth-reading, my-recommendations, powerful-women
review:
Wow. I am floored that this whole thing could be true. I loved it! Such a cool story.

Merged review:

Wow. I am floored that this whole thing could be true. I loved it! Such a cool story.
]]> Virals (Virals, #1) 7800188
As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot--if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends--they're a pack. They are Virals.]]> 454 Kathy Reichs 1595143424 Colleen 0 3.95 2010 Virals (Virals, #1)
author: Kathy Reichs
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at: 2018/04/02
date added: 2024/02/07
shelves: animals, bullying, contemporary, crime, dancing, death, friends, high-school, island, outdoors-camping, risk-taking, science-gone-wrong, secrets, super-powers, suspense, wealth
review:
This one is a very suspenseful mystery. I doubt you'll see the end coming. It certainly wasn't what I expected. My favorite scenes were any time the group's new powers came into play. Loved seeing through their eyes during those times. Also loved when they discovered the bones. If you liked the Michael Vey series, you'll love this!
]]> <![CDATA[The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4)]]> 8130423 In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.]]> 361 Rick Riordan Colleen 0 4.44 2008 The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4)
author: Rick Riordan
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/16
shelves:
review:
I think this is my favorite of the Percy Jackson series so far. I loved the maze and all the creative stuff about it. I like how it changed into different styles and grew over the years and all the twists and turns. Lots of fun!
]]> <![CDATA[Inheritance Cycle (The Inheritance Cycle #1-4)]]> 14892034 880 Christopher Paolini Colleen 0 to-read 4.57 2011 Inheritance Cycle (The Inheritance Cycle #1-4)
author: Christopher Paolini
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Mr. & Mrs. Witch 60784574 In Mr. & Mrs. Witch, the next novel from bestselling author Gwenda Bond, a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they’ve kept from each other.

Savannah Wilde is a witch, a very powerful one—an identity that only her fellow witches know. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised herself and her family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life. But she isn’t the only one with a secret that needs to be kept, even from her soon-to-be husband.

Griffin Carter is a top agent for a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches, but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can’t wait to lay his eyes on the woman he’s about to spend the rest of his life with.

As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from blessed day to shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there’s bad blood between their factions is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out, but when they discover a secret that could take down both of their agencies, they realize the only way to survive is to team up. With assassins hot on their trail, will Savvy and Griffin make it out alive to try again at ‘I do’?]]> 352 Gwenda Bond 1250845955 Colleen 0 to-read 3.45 2023 Mr. & Mrs. Witch
author: Gwenda Bond
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Countess (The Scandalous Ladies of London, #1)]]> 61391161 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan kicks off her amazing new high concept series, The Scandalous Ladies of London, which chronicles the lives of a group of affluent ladies reigning over glittering, Regency-era London, vying for position in the hierarchy of the ton. They are the young wives, widows, and daughters of London’s wealthiest families. The drama is big, the money runs deep, and the shade is real. Life is different in the ton.


“My husband is a good man… just ask all the women he has bedded.”

Wealthy society maven Lady Gertrude knows how the world works. If her husband is less than faithful, it’s an acceptable price to pay for her coveted position at the apex of London’s most fashionable set. No exclusive soirée or lavish ball is complete without her and her group of decadent, well-connected friends. And this Season promises more excitement than usual: Tru is launching her daughter into Society, helping her navigate the cutthroat Marriage Mart, complete with fortune hunters, jealous debutantes, and malicious gossips.

As skilled as Tru is at playing the high-stakes games of the ton, she never expects to meet her match—until Jasper Thorne begins to court her daughter. Jasper needs a titled bride, but when he meets Tru, all his carefully laid plans go up in smoke. The attraction between Tru and Jasper is undeniable…and unacceptable. To indulge in an affair with her daughter’s suitor would be ruinous. If it becomes public, she’ll never survive the scandal. Especially as it becomes clear that he wants more than one night…he wants the impossible. He wants forever.

A sizzling story of scandalous ladies, irresistible temptation, and the dangers—and joys—of being true to yourself.]]> 400 Sophie Jordan 0063270706 Colleen 0 to-read 3.47 2023 The Countess (The Scandalous Ladies of London, #1)
author: Sophie Jordan
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Arch-Conspirator 60795459
Passing into the Archive should be cause for celebration, but Antigone’s parents were murdered, leaving her father’s throne vacant. As her militant uncle Kreon rises to claim it, all Antigone feels is rage. When he welcomes her and her siblings into his mansion, Antigone sees it for what it really is: a gilded cage, where she is a captive as well as a guest.

But her uncle will soon learn that no cage is unbreakable. And neither is he.

From dystopian visionary and bestselling phenomenon Veronica Roth comes a razor-sharp reimagining of Antigone. In Arch-Conspirator, Roth reaches back to the root of legend and delivers a world of tomorrow both timeless and unexpected.]]> 112 Veronica Roth 1250855462 Colleen 0 to-read 3.43 2023 Arch-Conspirator
author: Veronica Roth
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Vow of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #2)]]> 46223383
But an ominous warning mars their journey back, and they soon find themselves captured in a tangled web of deceit woven by their greatest enemies and unlikeliest allies, a place where betrayals run deeper and more deadly than either had thought possible, and where timeless ambitions threaten to destroy them both.

Vow of Thieves is the thrilling sequel to Dance of Thieves, set in the same world as Mary E. Pearson's New York Times-bestselling Remnant Chronicles.]]> 480 Mary E. Pearson 1250250927 Colleen 0 to-read 4.33 2019 Vow of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #2)
author: Mary E. Pearson
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Thief of Fate (Providence Falls, #3)]]> 60023139
When Liam O’Connor stole Cora McLeod from her destined soul mate, Finley Walsh, in 1844, he changed the course of history. Now Liam has been given three months to set things right, but he has failed to reunite Cora and Finn. And with time running out, things are looking worse than ever.

As the three investigate a murder case together, they are caught in a devilish love triangle. Finn has always loved Cora. She has finally realized she wants Liam. And Liam knows he has no choice but to push Cora away if he has any hope of avoiding eternal damnation. The angels have made it clear—balance must be restored.

As Liam tries desperately to make amends, he realizes his actions in the past have put them all in grave danger. And, once again, someone will pay the ultimate price.

The powerful conclusion to the Providence Falls series

Providence Falls

Book 1: Chance of a Lifetime by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets
Book 2: An Impossible Promise by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets
Book 3: Thief of Fate by Jude Deveraux
Book 3: Thief of Fate by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets]]> 320 Jude Deveraux 0778386554 Colleen 0 to-read 3.78 2022 Thief of Fate (Providence Falls, #3)
author: Jude Deveraux
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Shades of Rust and Ruin (Shades of Rust and Ruin, #1)]]> 59808477 Author A.G. Howard launches a dark new YA fantasy series about a girl whose family is cursed by Halloween

Phoenix “Nix” Loring knows her family is under a Halloween curse. When she was three, her parents tragically died on October 31st. Eleven years later, her twin sister Lark suffered a similar fate.

Ever since, Nix has battled survivor guilt. She can't even find comfort in Clarey, Lark's boyfriend and the one person who understands her pain, because Nix's hidden feelings for him go far beyond friendship. All that remains are her sketches, where she finds solace among the goblins and faeries in her imaginary world of Mystiquel. When her depression starts affecting her ability to see color, Nix all but gives up on her art, until her uncle goes missing on Halloween day. Hot on his trail, Nix and Clarey step through a portal, becoming trapped inside a decaying version of their town filled with Nix's own sketches come to life.

As Nix and Clarey search for her uncle within the sinister and dangerous world of Mystiquel, Nix discovers there's more to her family curse and otherworldly artwork than she ever imagined-and unless she can solve the Goblin King's maze before the clock strikes midnight, her life won't be the only one the curse claims next.]]> 400 A.G. Howard 1547608080 Colleen 0 to-read 3.73 2022 Shades of Rust and Ruin (Shades of Rust and Ruin, #1)
author: A.G. Howard
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)]]> 40832169 In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.]]> 496 Brigid Kemmerer 1681195100 Colleen 0 to-read 4.04 2019 A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)
author: Brigid Kemmerer
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/07/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Deepest, Darkest (The Oddmire, #3)]]> 58328456 Ěý
Joseph Burton vanished without aĚýtrace, leaving the babies’ mother toĚýraise them—one human, one a goblinĚýchangeling—alone. Some say JosephĚýabandoned his family, others that heĚýmet foul play looking for a way to get ridĚýof the changeling imposter.ĚýCole is determined to learn his father’sĚýtrue fate, so he and Tinn set out on aĚýdangerous quest to the deepest, mostĚýdeadly limits of the Oddmire—with theĚýhelp of Evie, expert on the creatures of theĚýWild Wood, and Fable, the indomitableĚýhalf human, half fairy.

Meanwhile a shudder runs through theĚýforest. Increasingly powerful earthquakesĚýshake the land, sinkholes form, and theĚýspriggans, trolls, and other creaturesĚýalong their path speak of an ancient evilĚýon the rise . . .]]> 320 William Ritter 1643752626 Colleen 0 to-read 4.06 2021 Deepest, Darkest (The Oddmire, #3)
author: William Ritter
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Hide 58890948
The prize: enough money to change everything.

Even though everyone is desperate to win--to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts--Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she's an expert at that.

It's the reason she's alive, and her family isn't.

But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive.

Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run.

Come out, come out, wherever you are.]]> 240 Kiersten White 0593359232 Colleen 0 to-read 3.30 2022 Hide
author: Kiersten White
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.30
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Other Birds 59807954 An enchanting tale filled with magical realism and moments of pure love that won’t let you go.

Between the real and the imaginary, there are stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways.

Right off the coast of South Carolina, on Mallow Island, The Dellawisp sits—a stunning old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe, and named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy.

When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment at the Dellawisp she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors, including a young woman with a past, two estranged middle-aged sisters, and a lonely chef, and three ghosts. The sudden death of one of Zoey's new neighbors sets off a search that leads to the island's famous author and to a long-estranged relative of the sisters.
Each of them has a story, and each story has an ending which hasn't yet been written.]]> 290 Sarah Addison Allen 1250019869 Colleen 0 to-read 4.00 2022 Other Birds
author: Sarah Addison Allen
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Aurora's End (The Aurora Cycle, #3)]]> 40516976 The squad you love is out of time. Prepare for the thrilling finale in the epic, best-selling Aurora Cycle series about a band of unlikely heroes who just might be the galaxy's last hope for survival.

Is this the end?
What happens when you ask a bunch of losers, discipline cases, and misfits to save the galaxy from an ancient evil? The ancient evil wins, of course.
Wait. . . . Not. So. Fast.
When we last saw Squad 312, they were working together seamlessly (aka, freaking out) as an intergalactic battle raged and an ancient superweapon threatened to obliterate Earth. Everything went horribly wrong, naturally.
But as it turns out, not all endings are endings, and the team has one last chance to rewrite theirs. Maybe two. It's complicated.
Cue Zila, Fin, and Scarlett (and MAGELLAN!): making friends, making enemies, and making history? Sure, no problem.
Cue Tyler, Kal, and Auri: uniting with two of the galaxy’s most hated villains? Um, okay. That, too.
Actually saving the galaxy, though?
Now that will take a miracle.]]> 496 Amie Kaufman 1524720887 Colleen 0 to-read 4.19 2021 Aurora's End (The Aurora Cycle, #3)
author: Amie Kaufman
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Captive Kingdom (The Ascendance Series, #4)]]> 55977824 Acclaimed author Jennifer A. Nielsen marks a return to the world of her beloved New York Times bestseller The False Prince in this fourth book of the Ascendance Series!
In a peaceful Carthya, Jaron leads as the Ascendant King with Imogen beside him -- but the peace he fought so long for is not destined to last.

On a routine sea voyage, Jaron's ship is brutally attacked, and he is taken hostage. The mysterious captors and their leader, Jane Strick, accuse Jaron of unthinkable acts. They are also in possession of some shocking items -- including the crown and sword that belonged to Jaron's older brother, Darius. The items unearth a past Jaron thought he had put behind him.

Though it seems impossible, Jaron must consider: Could Darius be alive? And what does Strick want from Jaron? Against his will, Jaron will be pulled back into a fight for the throne -- and a battle to save his kingdom.

Return to Carthya to uncover new secrets, high-stakes action, and Jennifer A. Nielsen's signature breathtaking twists.]]> 400 Jennifer A. Nielsen 1338551116 Colleen 0 to-read 4.28 2020 The Captive Kingdom (The Ascendance Series, #4)
author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Witch Please (Fix-It Witches, #1)]]> 56233936 Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls in this adorable witchy rom-com with:

• A bisexual virgin baker with a curse
• A witch looking to avoid romantic entanglements
• And a chemistry between them that causes literal sparks

Danica Waterhouse is a fully modern witch—daughter, granddaughter, cousin, and co-owner of the Fix-It Witches, a magical tech repair shop. After a messy breakup that included way too much family “feedback,” Danica made a pact with her cousin: they’ll keep their hearts protected and have fun, without involving any of the overly opinionated Waterhouse matriarchs. Danica is more than a little exhausted navigating a long-standing family feud where Gram thinks the only good mundane is a dead one and Danica’s mother weaves floral crowns for anyone who crosses her path.

Three blocks down from the Fix-It Witches, Titus Winnaker, owner of Sugar Daddy’s bakery, has family trouble of his own. After a tragic loss, all he’s got left is his sister, the bakery, and a lifetime of terrible luck in love. Sure, business is sweet, but he can’t seem to shake the romantic curse that’s left him past thirty and still a virgin. He’s decided he’s doomed to be forever alone.

Until he meets Danica Waterhouse. The sparks are instant, their attraction irresistible. For him, she’s the one. To her, he’s a firebomb thrown in the middle of a family war. Can a modern witch find love with an old-fashioned mundane who refuses to settle for anything less than forever?]]> 363 Ann Aguirre 1728240166 Colleen 0 to-read 3.36 2021 Witch Please (Fix-It Witches, #1)
author: Ann Aguirre
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.36
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Real Easy 57771193
Georgia, another dancer drawn into the ensuing murder and missing person investigation, gathers information for Holly, a grieving detective determined to solve the case. Georgia just wants to help, but her involvement makes her a target. As Holly and Georgia round up their suspects, the story’s point of view shifts between dancers, detectives, children, club patrons―and the killer.

Drawing on her experience as a former dancer, Marie Rutkoski immerses us in the captivating world of the club, which comes alive with complicated people trying their best to protect themselves and those they love. Character-driven and masterfully plotted, Real Easy gets to the heart of the timeless question: How do women live their lives knowing that men can hurt them?]]> 320 Marie Rutkoski 1250788242 Colleen 0 to-read 3.53 2022 Real Easy
author: Marie Rutkoski
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[In the Hall with the Knife (Clue Mystery #1)]]> 51075486 A murderer could be around every corner in this thrilling YA trilogy based on the board game CLUE!
Ěý
When a storm strikes at Blackbrook Academy, an elite prep school nestled in the woods of Maine, a motley crew of students—including Beth “Peacock” Picach, Orchid McKee, Vaughn Green, Sam “Mustard” Maestor, Finn Plum, and Scarlet Mistry—are left stranded on campus with their headmaster. Hours later, his body is found in the conservatory and it’s very clear his death was no accident. With this group of students who are all hiding something, nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a motive for murder. Fans of the CLUE board game and cult classic film will delight in Diana Peterfreund’s modern reimagining of the brand, its characters, and the dark, magnificent old mansion with secrets hidden within its walls.
Ěý]]> 320 Diana Peterfreund 1419746960 Colleen 0 to-read 3.64 2019 In the Hall with the Knife (Clue Mystery #1)
author: Diana Peterfreund
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Other Side of the Sky (The Other Side of the Sky, #1)]]> 56816953 New York Times bestselling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner have crafted a gripping tale of magic and logic, fate and choice, and a deadly love. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Brandon Sanderson.

Prince North’s home is in the sky, in a gleaming city held aloft by intricate engines, powered by technology. Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the Surface, responsible for providing answers, direction—hope.

North’s and Nimh’s lives are entwined—though their hearts can never be. Linked by a terrifying prophecy and caught between duty and fate, they must choose between saving their people or succumbing to the bond that is forbidden between them.]]> 496 Amie Kaufman 0062893343 Colleen 0 to-read 3.99 2020 The Other Side of the Sky (The Other Side of the Sky, #1)
author: Amie Kaufman
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Date from Hell (Not Your Average Hot Guy, #2)]]> 57693346
In The Date from Hell , the sequel to Not Your Average Hot Guy , New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond brings the journey of Callie, Luke, and their friends to a wonderful close. This is another laugh out loud, action-packed romantic adventure you won’t want to miss.

After saving the world and stopping the apocalypse, Callie and Luke are looking forward to a quiet, romantic weekend together. When you’re human and dating the Prince of Hell, quiet moments are hard to come by. But their romantic weekend in Hell takes a turn when Lucifer tasks Callie and Luke with chasing a wayward soul around the world. If they can prove it’s possible to redeem a soul, Lucifer will allow the two of them to make some changes in Hell.

But this wayward soul, Sean, doesn’t have any interest in being redeemed. Instead, now that he’s back on Earth, he’s decided to take a leaf out of Callie and Luke’s book and wants to find the Holy Grail. Now Callie, Luke, and their friends―and enemies―must race Sean around the globe on a Grail quest and bring peace between Heaven and Hell before they can finally (maybe) get around to that date.]]> 336 Gwenda Bond 1250771765 Colleen 0 to-read 3.44 2022 The Date from Hell (Not Your Average Hot Guy, #2)
author: Gwenda Bond
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Reckless Girls 57693168 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel the world after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board The Susannah and set out on an adventure. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, college best friends Brittany and Amma. The two women say they want to travel off the beaten path. But like Lux, they may have other reasons to be seeking an escape.

Shimmering on the horizon after days at sea, Meroe Island is every bit the paradise the foursome expects, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. But what they don’t expect is to discover another boat already anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. The owners of the Azure Sky, Jake and Eliza, are a true golden couple: gorgeous, laidback, and if their sleek catamaran and well-stocked bar are any indication, rich. Now a party of six, the new friends settle in to experience life on an exotic island, and the serenity of being completely off the grid. Lux hasn’t felt like she truly belonged anywhere in years, yet here on Meroe, with these fellow free spirits, she finally has a sense of peace.

But with the arrival of a skeevy stranger sailing alone in pursuit of a darker kind of good time, the balance of the group is disrupted. Soon, cracks begin to emerge: it seems that Brittany and Amma haven’t been completely honest with Lux about their pasts––and perhaps not even with each other. And though Jake and Eliza seem like the perfect pair, the rocky history of their relationship begins to resurface, and their reasons for sailing to Meroe might not be as innocent as they first appeared.

When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive.]]> 320 Rachel Hawkins 1250274257 Colleen 0 to-read 3.53 2022 Reckless Girls
author: Rachel Hawkins
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hollow Heart (The Midnight Lie, #2)]]> 55823406 Intrigue, romance, and magic abound in the heart-stopping conclusion to Marie Rutkoski’s Forgotten Gods duology.

At the end of The Midnight Lie, Nirrim offered up her heart to the God of Thieves in order to restore her people’s memories of their city’s history. The Half Kith who once lived imprisoned behind the city’s wall now realize that many among them are powerful. Meanwhile, the person Nirrim once loved most, Sid, has returned to her home country of Herran, where she must navigate the politics of being a rogue princess who has finally agreed to do her duty.

In the Herrani court, rumors begin to grow of a new threat rising across the sea, of magic unleashed on the world, and of a cruel, black-haired queen who can push false memories into your mind, so that you believe your dearest friends to be your enemies.

Sid doesn’t know that this queen is Nirrim, who seeks her revenge against a world that has wronged her. Can Sid save Nirrim from herself? Does Nirrim even want to be saved? As blood is shed and war begins, Sid and Nirrim find that it might not matter what they want…for the gods have their own plans.]]> 304 Marie Rutkoski 0374313849 Colleen 0 to-read 3.62 2021 The Hollow Heart (The Midnight Lie, #2)
author: Marie Rutkoski
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Thief (The Queen's Thief, #1)]]> 30363359 Instead of Three Wishes, the first book by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second book more than fulfills that promise.

The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.

Megan Whalen Turner weaves Gen's stories and Gen's story together with style and verve in a novel that is filled with intrigue, adventure, and surprise.]]> 320 Megan Whalen Turner 0062642960 Colleen 0 3.67 1996 The Thief (The Queen's Thief, #1)
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at: 2017/10/25
date added: 2021/09/02
shelves: royalty, crime, prison-prisoner, secrets
review:
I loved the ending. Lots of secrets and nothing is what you expect. The thief is a great hero. Awesome cast of characters too.
]]> <![CDATA[Zero G (The Zero Chronicles, #1)]]> 43613126
It’s one kid versus an entire band of space pirates in this cosmic middle grade caper from New York Times bestselling author Dan Wells.

Zero is just one of 20,000 people aboard a spaceship bound for a new planet set to be colonized. The journey is over a century long but luckily, everyone is in stasis, so they’ll be safe and sound asleep during the trip. Everyone that is, except for Zero, whose pod has malfunctioned, waking him up a hundred years early. His initial excitement in roaming the ship alone quickly turns to a heart-stopping interstellar adventure when a family of space pirates show up, trying to hijack the ship and take the colonizers hostage. With everyone he knows fast asleep, it’s up to Zero to think fast and find a way to stop them–all on his own.]]> 4 Dan Wells Colleen 0 3.91 2018 Zero G (The Zero Chronicles, #1)
author: Dan Wells
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2019/05/13
date added: 2021/07/22
shelves: betrayal, chbc-author, espionage-intrigue, family, food, future, outer-space, pirates-marauders, robot-automaton, setting, short-story, suspense
review:
This was a fun middle-grade sci-fi read for any of you who have science fiction readers out there. A pre-teen saves the ship from space pirates with some pretty cunning tricks. It's a bit like Home Alone in Space. Loved the part where he's eating reconstituted cheeseburgers and fries with ketchup floating in front of his face. Awesome!
]]> Half Sick of Shadows 49356383
On the mystical isle of Avalon, Elaine runs free and learns of the ancient prophecies surrounding her and her friends--countless possibilities, almost all of them tragic.

When their future comes to claim them, Elaine, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Morgana accompany Arthur to take his throne in stifling Camelot, where magic is outlawed, the rules of society chain them, and enemies are everywhere. Yet the most dangerous threats may come from within their own circle.

As visions are fulfilled and an inevitable fate closes in, Elaine must decide how far she will go to change fate--and what she is willing to sacrifice along the way.

The Lady of Shalott reclaims her story in this bold feminist reimagining of the Arthurian myth from the New York Times bestselling author of Ash Princess. ]]> 448 Laura Sebastian 0593200519 Colleen 0 to-read 3.71 2021 Half Sick of Shadows
author: Laura Sebastian
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Archer at Dawn (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy, #2)]]> 52462432
For Kunal and Esha, finally working together as rebels, the upcoming Sun Mela provides the perfect guise for infiltrating King Vardaan’s vicious court. Kunal returns to his role as dedicated soldier, while Esha uses her new role as adviser to Prince Harun to seek allies for their rebel cause. A radical plan is underfoot to rescue Jansa’s long-lost Princess Reha—the key to the throne.

But amidst the Mela games and glittering festivities, much more dangerous forces lie in wait. With the rebel’s entry into Vardaan’s court, a match has been lit, and long-held secrets will force Kunal and Esha to reconsider their loyalties—to their countries and to each other.

Getting into the palace was the easy task; coming out together will be a battle for their lives. In book two of Swati Teerdhala’s epic fantasy trilogy, a kingdom will fall, a new ruler will rise, and all will burn.]]> 456 Swati Teerdhala 0062869248 Colleen 0 to-read 3.97 2020 The Archer at Dawn (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy, #2)
author: Swati Teerdhala
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Dustborn 53968529 Delta of Dead River sets out to rescue her family from a ruthless dictator rising to power in the Wastes and discovers a secret that will reshape her world in thisĚýpostapocalyptic Western mashup for fans ofĚýMad Max andĚýGunslinger Girl.

Delta of Dead River has alwaysĚýbeen toldĚýto hide her back, where a map is branded onĚýher skin to a rumored paradise called the Verdant. InĚýa wasteland plagued by dust squalls, geomagnetic storms, and solar flares, many would kill for it—even if no one can read it. So when raiders sent by a man knownĚýas the General attack her village, Delta suspectsĚýhe isĚýsearching for her.Ěý

Delta sets out to rescue her family but quickly learns thatĚýin the Wastes no one can be trusted—perhaps not even her childhood friend, Asher, who has been missing for nearly a decade. If Delta can trust Asher, she just might decode the map and trade evidence of the Verdant to the General for her family. What Delta doesn’t count on is what waits at the Verdant: a long-forgotten secret that will shake the foundation of her entire world.
Ěý]]> 432 Erin Bowman 0358244439 Colleen 0 to-read 3.78 2021 Dustborn
author: Erin Bowman
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Midnight Lie (The Midnight Lie, #1)]]> 54860160 Set in the world of the New York Times-bestselling Winner's Trilogy, Marie Rutkoski's The Midnight Lie is an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us--and the lies we tell ourselves.

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society's pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down, and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away, who whispers rumors that the High Kith possess magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.]]> 368 Marie Rutkoski 1250802644 Colleen 0 to-read 3.93 2020 The Midnight Lie (The Midnight Lie, #1)
author: Marie Rutkoski
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Impostors (Impostors, #1) 55698717
Frey is Rafi's twin sister-and her body double. Their powerful father has many enemies, and the world has grown dangerous as the old order falls apart. So while Rafi was raised to be the perfect daughter, Frey has been taught to kill. Her only purpose is to protect her sister, to sacrifice herself for Rafi if she must.

When her father sends Frey in Rafi's place as collateral in a precarious deal, she becomes the perfect impostor. But Col, the son of a rival leader, is getting close enough to spot the killer inside her...

Deception. Risk. Betrayal. Redemption. Master storyteller Scott Westerfeld is at the top of his game, and back to his most famous realm. A New York Times bestseller.]]> 416 Scott Westerfeld 1338757903 Colleen 0 to-read 3.97 2018 Impostors (Impostors, #1)
author: Scott Westerfeld
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/03/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[City of Spells (Into the Crooked Place, #2)]]> 53144727 City of Spells, the follow-up to Alexandra Christo's gritty YA fantasy, Into the Crooked Place, finds the world on the brink of war and four unlikely allies facing sacrifices they had never imagined.

After the loss of Wesley and the horrifying reveal that Zekia is helping the Kingpin of her own free will, Tavia, Saxony, and Karam flee to Saxony's home to rebuild their rebellion. Meanwhile, trapped in the Kingpin's darkness, Wesley must fight against the deadly magic that invades his mind and find a way back to his friends before it's too late.

As the Kingpin's dark magic spreads and his army conquers Creije, these four unlikely friends have to decide just how far they’ll go―and how much they are willing to sacrifice―to win.]]> 384 Alexandra Christo 1250318408 Colleen 0 to-read 4.07 2021 City of Spells (Into the Crooked Place, #2)
author: Alexandra Christo
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Into the Crooked Place (Into the Crooked Place, #1)]]> 52750977
Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her.

Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him.

Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself.

And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge.

Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.]]> 400 Alexandra Christo 1250620864 Colleen 0 to-read 3.78 2019 Into the Crooked Place (Into the Crooked Place, #1)
author: Alexandra Christo
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker, #1)]]> 54798427
Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea.

She soon discovers the truth: She is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won’t be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions:

A squire, forced to choose between home and honor.
An immortal, avenging a broken promise.
An assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty.
An ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight.
A forger with a secret past.
A bounty hunter with a score to settle.

Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.

An alternate cover edition can be found here.]]> 576 Victoria Aveyard Colleen 0 to-read 3.67 2021 Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker, #1)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/01/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Have a Nice Day 42615459
Tony and Emmy Award winner Billy Crystal leads an all-star cast including Oscar winner Kevin Kline (President David Murray) and four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening (First Lady Katherine Murray) in a performance of this hilarious and poignant story about a man desperately scrambling to put his affairs in order: to save his presidency, his marriage, his relationship with his daughter—and possibly his life.

President David Murray starts the day in crisis. He’s lost control of Congress, has to decide whether to run for a second term, and his wife and teenage daughter are barely talking to him. What’s more, the Angel of Death has sent a rather inept “repo man” who is at the foot of his bed, giving him only one more day to live.

Cast members include Justin Bartha, Irene Bedard, Annette Bening, Chris Cafero, Dick Cavett, Auli'i Cravalho, Billy Crystal, Rachel Dratch, Darrell Hammond, Christopher Jackson, Robert King, Kevin Kline, and Robin Thede.

Š2018 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC]]> 2 Billy Crystal Colleen 0 4.19 2018 Have a Nice Day
author: Billy Crystal
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2018/11/13
date added: 2020/12/19
shelves:
review:
I would love to see this live. I've always been a fan of Billy Crystal. What a gift for writing! A great cast. Love the scene where the President and the First Lady stop at the Piggly Wiggly and the cashier calls for the manager.
]]> Game Changer 50357937
Impossible though it seems, he’s been hit into another dimension—and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are almost-but-not-really his own.

The changes start small, but they quickly spiral out of control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he’s ever wanted, universes where society is stuck in the past…universes where he finds himself looking at life through entirely different eyes.

And if he isn’t careful, the world he’s learning to see more clearly could blink out of existence…]]> 400 Neal Shusterman 0061998672 Colleen 0 to-read 3.67 2021 Game Changer
author: Neal Shusterman
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Black Canary: Breaking Silence]]> 52239859 The Handmaid's Tale meets the DC universe in this breathtaking, thrilling origin story of Black Canary. Her voice is her weapon, and in a near future world where women have no rights, she won't hesitate to use everything she has to fight back.

Dinah Lance was seven years old when she overheard the impossible: the sound of a girl singing. It was something she was never meant to hear—not in her lifetime, and not in Gotham City, taken over by the Court of Owls. The sinister organization rules Gotham as a patriarchal dictatorship, all the while spreading their influence like a virus across the globe.

Now seventeen, Dinah can't forget that haunting sound, and she's beginning to discover that her own voice is just as powerful. But singing is forbidden—a one-way stop to a certain death sentence. Can she balance her father's desire to keep her safe, a blossoming romance with mysterious new student Oliver Queen, and her own desire to help other women and girls rise up and finally be heard? And will her voice be powerful enough to destroy the Court of Owls once and for all?]]> 295 Alexandra Monir 0593178319 Colleen 0 to-read 3.78 2020 Black Canary: Breaking Silence
author: Alexandra Monir
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Hold Back the Tide 52664820 From internationally bestselling, acclaimed author Melinda Salisbury comes a darkly seductive story of murder, betrayal, love, and family secrets in a small town in the Scottish Highlands.

Here are the rules of living with a murderer.
One: Do not draw attention to yourself. Of course, when you live with a murderer, this is impossible. Even the subtlest of spectres is bound to be noticed. Which leads to the next rule.
Two: If you can't be invisible, be useful.

Everyone in this quiet lakeside community knows that Alva's father killed her mother, all those years ago. There wasn't enough proof to arrest him, though, and with no other family, Alva's been forced to live with her mother's murderer, doing her best to survive until she can earn enough money to run away. One of her chores is to monitor water levels in the loch-a task her father takes very seriously. Their family has been the guardian of the loch for generations. It's a cold, lonely task, and a few times, Alva can swear she feels someone watching her. But the more Alva investigates, the more she realizes that the truth can be more monstrous than lies, and that you can never escape your past . . .]]> 321 Melinda Salisbury 1338681303 Colleen 0 to-read 3.86 2020 Hold Back the Tide
author: Melinda Salisbury
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A ​Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes, #4)]]> 52013133 Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale to the beloved New York Times bestselling series.

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.

By 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.]]> 516 Sabaa Tahir 0448494531 Colleen 0 to-read 4.37 2020 A ​Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes, #4)
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Iron Raven (The Iron Fey: Evenfall, #1)]]> 52515514
“YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF ME…”

Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Prankster, joker, raven, fool… King Oberon’s right-hand jester from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The legends are many, but the truth will now be known, as Puck finally tells his own story and faces a threat from a time before Faery began. A threat that brings him face-to-face with a new enemy…himself.

With the Iron Queen Meghan Chase and her prince consort, Puck’s longtime rival Ash, and allies old and new by his side, Puck begins a fantastical and dangerous adventure not to be missed or forgotten. Evenfall is coming, and with it a reckoning that even their combined powers and wits may not vanquish, as a shadow falls over the lands of Faery and the world slips into chaos.]]> 336 Julie Kagawa 1335091769 Colleen 0 to-read 3.80 2021 The Iron Raven (The Iron Fey: Evenfall, #1)
author: Julie Kagawa
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/10/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Noel Letters 50892254 #1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans returns this holiday season with a tale of love, belonging, and family, following a trail of letters that leads to a Christmas revelation about the healing miracle of hope and forgiveness.

After nearly two decades, Noel Book, an editor for a major New York publishing house, returns to her childhood home in Salt Lake City to see her estranged, dying father. What she believed would be a brief visit turns into something more as she inherits the bookstore her father fought to keep alive. Reeling from loneliness, a recent divorce, and unanticipated upheavals in her world, Noel begins receiving letters from an anonymous source, each one containing thoughts and lessons about her life and her future. She begins to reacquaint herself with the bookstore and the people she left behind, and in doing so, starts to unravel the reality of her painful childhood and the truth about her family. As the holidays draw near, she receives a Christmastime revelation that changes not only how she sees the past but also how she views her future.]]> 384 Richard Paul Evans 1982129603 Colleen 0 to-read 4.22 2020 The Noel Letters
author: Richard Paul Evans
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/10/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> What She Found in the Woods 51684867 Magda just wants to forget what happened. But there's a nightmare lurking —and it's coming for her...

This is Magda’s last chance. Recovering from a scandal at her elite New York City private school that threw her life into a tailspin, she’s shipped off to live with her grandparents in the Pacific Northwest for the summer.

Medicated and uninspired, Magda spends her days in a fog wandering around the forest, where she stumbles upon Bo, who is wild and unlike any boy Magda’s ever met before. He makes Magda feel like she might just be able to move on from her past and feel something once again.

But there’s more to this sleepy little town than meets the eye. And what Magda finds in the woods near Bo’s forest home is the beginning of a whole new nightmare…]]> 400 Josephine Angelini 1728216273 Colleen 0 to-read 4.03 2019 What She Found in the Woods
author: Josephine Angelini
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/09/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1) 28954189 Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

An alternate cover edition of ISBN: 9781442472426]]> 435 Neal Shusterman Colleen 0 4.32 2016 Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1)
author: Neal Shusterman
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at: 2020/07/27
date added: 2020/08/27
shelves: my-recommendations, apocalyptic, assassin, bullying, crime, death, friends, future, gangs, immortal, mentor, paranormal, parties, politics, power, religion-gone-wrong, risk-taking, science-gone-wrong, secrets, secret-organizations, suicide, survival, suspense, tech-gadgets, weapons
review:
Love, love, love this book. Such a cool idea. I mean, it's creepy. But, it's awesome. Neal Shusterman's brain comes up with creepy but awesome stuff. That's all I'm going to say.
]]> The Phantom of the Opera 480204 The Phantom of the Opera is a riveting story that revolves around the young, Swedish Christine DaaĂŠ. Her father, a famous musician, dies, and she is raised in the Paris Opera House with his dying promise of a protective angel of music to guide her. After a time at the opera house, she begins hearing a voice, who eventually teaches her how to sing beautifully. All goes well until Christine's childhood friend Raoul comes to visit his parents, who are patrons of the opera, and he sees Christine when she begins successfully singing on the stage. The voice, who is the deformed, murderous 'ghost' of the opera house named Erik, however, grows violent in his terrible jealousy, until Christine suddenly disappears. The phantom is in love, but it can only spell disaster.

Leroux's work, with characters ranging from the spoiled prima donna Carlotta to the mysterious Persian from Erik's past, has been immortalized by memorable adaptations. Despite this, it remains a remarkable piece of Gothic horror literature in and of itself, deeper and darker than any version that follows.]]> 360 Gaston Leroux 0060809248 Colleen 0 3.98 1910 The Phantom of the Opera
author: Gaston Leroux
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1910
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/01
date added: 2020/08/27
shelves: my-recommendations, music, disabilities, disguise, play
review:
I've seen the musical many, many times and have even watched the movie several times but I'd never read the book before. The differences are very interesting. Every fan of the musical should read the source material at least once.
]]> <![CDATA[Given to the Sea (Given Duet, #1)]]> 25314447 Everyone has a place.

Khosa was born to be fed to the sea, to prevent the kind of wave that once destroyed the Kingdom of Stille. She can’t be sacrificed until she produces an heir, but human touch repulses her…except for the touch of the Indiri.

Dara and Donil are the last of the Indiri, a native race with magic that’s seductive—a force of nature—but dwindling since the Pietra slaughtered their people.

Witt leads the Pietra, the fierce warriors who are now marching on the Kingdom of Stille. The stone shores of Witt’s kingdom harbor a secret threat, and to ensure the survival of his people, he’s prepared to conquer every speck of Stille’s soil.

Vincent stands to inherit the throne of Stille, but has no wife to share it with. When the beautiful and mysterious Khosa arrives without an heir, Vincent knows that his father will stop at nothing to make sure she fulfills her duty. Torn between protecting his kingdom and protecting the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence, Vincent’s loyalty is soon at odds with his heart.

While royals scheme, Pietrans march, and the Indiri struggle to survive, the rising sea calls for its Given, and Khosa is destined to answer.]]> 352 Mindy McGinnis 0399544615 Colleen 0 3.19 2017 Given to the Sea (Given Duet, #1)
author: Mindy McGinnis
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.19
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/07
date added: 2020/08/27
shelves: another-world, aristocracy, betrayal, caves, cover-love, dancing, death, fantasy, politics, power, risk-taking, setting, suspense
review:
Extremely creative. I love the different races and peoples of these kingdoms and the complicated politics of this society. I feel like we've just barely scratched the surface of what the Given is and can't wait to see what happens next.
]]> <![CDATA[When Dimple Met Rishi (Dimple and Rishi, #1)]]> 28458598 right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitating toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.]]> 380 Sandhya Menon 1481478680 Colleen 0 3.68 2017 When Dimple Met Rishi (Dimple and Rishi, #1)
author: Sandhya Menon
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/10
date added: 2020/08/27
shelves: contemporary, crush-first-love, family, india, romance, swoonworthy-guys
review:
This was a cute love story. I like Dimple and Rishi so much. Even though I don't usually enjoy contemporary romance, this was really fun.
]]> The Cuckoo's Cry 54375208
He allows her entry, and so begins a mystery set in unprecedented with the virus raging outside their home, the girl cannot be asked to leave, but what does he risk by having her stay?

4 hours 43 minutes]]> 5 Caroline Overington Colleen 0 3.50 2020 The Cuckoo's Cry
author: Caroline Overington
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/20
date added: 2020/08/27
shelves: short-story, adult, audiobook, murder-mystery
review:
This was an interesting story set in a Covid-19 era. It's especially frightening if you're an adult caregiver. Take care of your parents and grandparents!
]]> <![CDATA[Midnight Sun (The Twilight Saga, #5)]]> 53287484 When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella’s side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward’s version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward’s eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting beautiful, mysterious Bella is both the most intriguing and unnerving event he has experienced in his long life as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward’s past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he let himself fall in love with Bella when he knows that he is endangering her life?

In Midnight Sun, Stephenie Meyer transports us back to a world that has captivated millions of readers and, drawing on the classic myth of Hades and Persephone, brings us an epic novel about the profound pleasures and devastating consequences of immortal love.]]> 662 Stephenie Meyer 031670704X Colleen 0 3.72 2020 Midnight Sun (The Twilight Saga, #5)
author: Stephenie Meyer
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/27
date added: 2020/08/27
shelves: my-recommendations, check-out-the-movie, crush-first-love, dancing, death, family, friends, high-school, immortal, arizona, paranormal, prom, retelling, road-trip, risk-taking, romance, secrets, survival, suspense, swoonworthy-guys, vampires
review:
What an interesting thing to revisit Twilight a decade later. The films are so prominent in my mind that I often have to stop and wonder if I'm remembering things wrong. There are so many cool additions that come from Edward's POV that we missed from just seeing Bella's. I love all that detail. It also makes me appreciate the writing process because I read the rough draft on Stephanie's website back in the day when she made it available and these two things are nothing alike. Reading this was sweet. It felt like strolling hand in hand with your sweetheart around the park where you got engaged on a ten year anniversary.
]]> Childhood, Interrupted 54835880 Sanjay Gupta Colleen 0 3.87 Childhood, Interrupted
author: Sanjay Gupta
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.87
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/25
date added: 2020/08/27
shelves: audiobook, non-fiction, mental-health
review:
As Dr. Gupta spoke about how we cope with the pandemic as adults versus how children are navigating it and how it might be impacting their intellectual development, it caused me to consider isolation in new ways. Really insightful material.
]]> <![CDATA[Sisters of Shadow and Light (Sisters of Shadow and Light #1)]]> 43263194 The night my sister was born, the stars died and were reborn in her eyes....

Zuhra and Inara have grown up in the Citadel of the Paladins, an abandoned fortress where legendary, magical warriors once lived before disappearing from the world--including their Paladin father the night Inara was born.

On that same night, a massive, magical hedge grew and imprisoned them within the citadel. Inara inherited their father's Paladin power; her eyes glow blue and she is able to make plants grow at unbelievable rates, but she has been trapped in her own mind because of a "roar" that drowns everything else out--leaving Zuhra virtually alone with their emotionally broken human mother.

For fifteen years they have lived, trapped in the citadel, with little contact from the outside world...until the day a stranger passes through the hedge, and everything changes.]]> 368 Sara B. Larson 1250208408 Colleen 0 to-read 3.85 2019 Sisters of Shadow and Light (Sisters of Shadow and Light #1)
author: Sara B. Larson
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)]]> 48716961 "A brilliant debut, full of everything I love: a sparkling and fully realized heroine, an intricate and deadly system of magic, and a searing romance that kept me reading long into the night. Serpent & Dove is an absolute gem of a book." —Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. Book one of a stunning fantasy duology, this tale of witchcraft and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Sara Holland.

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.

As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.

Set in a world of powerful women, dark magic, and off-the-charts romance, book one of this stunning fantasy duology will leave readers burning for more.]]> 544 Shelby Mahurin 0062878034 Colleen 0 to-read 4.05 2019 Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)
author: Shelby Mahurin
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/07/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Prince Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, #11)]]> 21412673 458 Anne Rice 0307962520 Colleen 0 3.80 2014 Prince Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, #11)
author: Anne Rice
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2020/06/16
date added: 2020/07/02
shelves: adult, betrayal, contemporary, death, espionage-intrigue, family, friends, ghosts, gothic, horror, murder-mystery, paranormal, power, secrets, secret-organizations, survival, vampires
review:
I haven't read an Anne Rice book in a long time. It was a nice break from all the YA I read. I listened to this one as an audiobook and it threw me off a bit as the voice of Lestat was much older than I expected and very vampire sounding. In fact, he sounded a bit like the count on Sesame Street. Not at all the romantic, brooding Lestat I imagine in my head. This is an interesting chapter in his long, long, long history.
]]> <![CDATA[The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)]]> 51901147
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.]]> 541 Suzanne Collins Colleen 0 3.99 2020 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/07/02
date added: 2020/07/02
shelves: my-recommendations, abuse, another-world, aristocracy, assassin, caves, clothing-costumes, crime, crush-first-love, death, espionage-intrigue, family, food, friends, games-gamers, high-school, inventions, mentor, military, monsters, murder-mystery, music, outdoors-camping, parties, politics, power, prison-prisoner, revolution, risk-taking, science-gone-wrong, secrets, survival, suspense, tragedy, villain, weapons
review:
I hadn't read the Hunger Games for a long time, so at first, I wasn't sure if this was a prequel or set far in the future. I'd settled on far in the future for some reason so a lot of things didn't make sense to me. I liked it though. When I finally figured out who Corio was, it was near the end for some reason, and that made it all the more shocking for me. I thought it was brilliant. If I had gone in knowing it was a prequel, it would have ruined that surprise. Not sure why my mind didn't go there on its own. Guess I was distracted by everything.
]]> <![CDATA[The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)]]> 32075671 An alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062498533 can be found here.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.]]> 454 Angie Thomas 0062498533 Colleen 0 4.46 2017 The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)
author: Angie Thomas
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/06/10
date added: 2020/07/02
shelves: my-recommendations, betrayal, bullying, check-out-the-movie, contemporary, cops, crime, drugs, family, friends, gangs, high-school, lawyers-legal, parties, power, revolution, risk-taking, tragedy, weapons
review:
A gripping narrative and a compelling heroine. Powerful and thought-provoking throughout.
]]> <![CDATA[The Islands at the End of the World (Islands at the End of the World, #1)]]> 18811324 Right before my eyes, my beautiful islands are changing forever. And so am I ...

Sixteen-year-old Leilani loves surfing and her home in Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii. But she's an outsider - half white, half Hawaiian, and an epileptic.

While Lei and her father are on a visit to Oahu, a global disaster strikes. Technology and power fail, Hawaii is cut off from the world, and the islands revert to traditional ways of survival. As Lei and her dad embark on a nightmarish journey across islands to reach home and family, she learns that her epilepsy and her deep connection to Hawaii could be keys to ending the crisis before it becomes worse than anyone can imagine.

A powerful story enriched by fascinating elements of Hawaiian ecology, culture, and warfare, this captivating and dramatic debut from Austin Aslan is the first of two novels. The author has a master’s degree in tropical conservation biology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.]]> 384 Austin Aslan 0385744021 Colleen 0 3.67 2014 The Islands at the End of the World (Islands at the End of the World, #1)
author: Austin Aslan
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2020/05/17
date added: 2020/07/02
shelves: hawaii, apocalyptic, gangs, adventure, aliens, ancestors, cops, crime, dreams-nightmares, family, food, gods-goddesses, hotel, island, kidnapping, military, mountains, ocean, outdoors-camping, outer-space, prison-prisoner, risk-taking, road-trip, science, setting, sickness-disease, survival, surfing
review:
This story felt so real, I could smell the plumeria blossoms. Is it weird that I think this could actually happen? I loved all the references and the epileptic dreams and conversations with the goddess who was actually...well, you'll find out. I don't want to give it away. On to book two!
]]> <![CDATA[The Other Side of the Sky (The Other Side of the Sky, #1)]]> 49203378 New York Times bestselling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner have crafted a gripping tale of magic and logic, fate and choice, and a deadly love. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Brandon Sanderson.

Prince North’s home is in the sky, in a gleaming city held aloft by intricate engines, powered by technology. Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the Surface, responsible for providing answers, direction—hope.

North’s and Nimh’s lives are entwined—though their hearts can never be. Linked by a terrifying prophecy and caught between duty and fate, they must choose between saving their people or succumbing to the bond that is forbidden between them.]]> 480 Amie Kaufman 0062893335 Colleen 0 to-read 3.92 2020 The Other Side of the Sky (The Other Side of the Sky, #1)
author: Amie Kaufman
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/06/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tidewater Inn (Hope Beach, #1)]]> 13033553 Welcome to Hope Beach.Ěý A place of intoxicating beauty . . . where trouble hits with the force of a hurricane.

Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the Outer Banks could be a dream come true for Libby. The inn cries out for her restorer’s talent and love of history. She’s delighted to learn of the family she never knew she had. And the handsome Coast Guard lieutenant she’s met there on the island could definitely be the man of her dreams.

But Libby soon realizes that the only way she can afford the upkeep on the inn is to sell it to developers who are stalking the island. The father who willed her the inn has died before she could meet him, and her newfound brother and sister are convinced she’s there to steal their birthright. Worst of all, her best friend and business partner has been kidnapped before her eyes, and Libby’s under suspicion for the crime.

Libby’s dream come true is becoming a nightmare. Her only option is to find her friend and prove her innocence, or lose everything on the shores of Hope Island.]]> 306 Colleen Coble 1595547819 Colleen 0 3.85 2012 Tidewater Inn (Hope Beach, #1)
author: Colleen Coble
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at: 2020/05/25
date added: 2020/05/26
shelves: adult, betrayal, caves, christian, contemporary, crime, family, finance, hotel, kidnapping, murder-mystery, ocean, romance, secrets
review:
I picked this one up at a book conference in Texas. Very sweet romance with a strong emphasis on family and friendship. Also an intriguing mystery. I love fixer-upper shows so I liked the idea that the two ladies were doing that for a job.
]]> Hysteria 14798443 336 Megan Miranda 0802723101 Colleen 0 3.61 2013 Hysteria
author: Megan Miranda
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2020/05/06
date added: 2020/05/21
shelves: betrayal, bullying, crush-first-love, death, friends, high-school, mental-health, murder-mystery
review:
This one unfolds in slow spirals that will sink you into as dark a place as the heroine. She feels trapped, and I felt trapped along with her. Horrible and masterful!
]]> Hotel Ruby 24465518 Stay tonight. Stay forever.

When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.

Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn’t have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.

The more Audrey learns about the new people she’s met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between life in a place that is so much more than it seems…

Welcome to the Ruby.]]> 288 Suzanne Young 1481423002 Colleen 0 3.59 2015 Hotel Ruby
author: Suzanne Young
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2020/05/10
date added: 2020/05/21
shelves: ghosts, death, dancing, chbc-author, hotel
review:
If you're into the creepy hotel vibe you need to check out this one. On the plus side, there's also sweet romancy type stuff too so don't think it's just redrum and evil twins. I really liked the hotel characters. They were all sorts of interesting. Fun read!
]]> <![CDATA[All These Monsters (Monsters, #1)]]> 44891020 From New York Times best-selling author Amy Tintera, a high-stakes sci-fi adventure about a teen girl who will do anything to escape her troubled home—even if that means joining a dangerous monster-fighting squad.ĚýPerfect for fans ofĚýWarcrossĚýandĚýRenegades.Ěý

Seventeen-year-old Clara is ready to fight back. Fight back against her abusive father, fight back against the only life she’s ever known, and most of all, fight back against scrabs, the earth-dwelling monsters that are currently ravaging the world. So when an opportunity arises for Clara to join an international monster-fighting squad, she jumps at the chance.
Ěý
When Clara starts training with her teammates, however, she realizes what fighting monsters really means: sore muscles, exhaustion, and worst of all, death. Scrabs are unpredictable, violent, and terrifying. But as Clara gains confidence in her battle skills, she starts to realize scrabs might not be the biggest evil. The true monsters are the ones you least expect.]]> 464 Amy Tintera 0358012406 Colleen 0 to-read 3.92 2020 All These Monsters (Monsters, #1)
author: Amy Tintera
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/05/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Murder of Manatees (Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent, #2)]]> 36645632
When half your galaxy is unexpectedly sucked into a black hole - when a hitherto-unknown species of space aliens lays waste to your home planet - when disaster rears its ugly head (or heads) - who can you call for faster-than-light appraisals and best-in-the-multiverse customer service? Just one man - Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent.

In this latest chapter of his interstellar exploits, Tom is about to deliver a crushing performance evaluation to Jimmy the Intern, when the unimaginable happens: the beloved Wendell the Manatee has been kidnapped! Armed with his battle mechs and his elite corps of Junior Associates, can Tom find Wendell before he's canned in oil? And can Jimmy, at long last, channel his inner Agent?

A Murder of Manatees will make you quiver with fear, laugh uncontrollably, and wonder whether your deductibles are too high.]]> 2 Larry Correia Colleen 0 3.45 2018 A Murder of Manatees (Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent, #2)
author: Larry Correia
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/27
date added: 2020/04/29
shelves: humorous, sci-fi, multiverse, animals, aliens, audiobook
review:
This was HI-LARIOUS. Seriously. This was my first Larry Correia book and I will definitely seek out more. So funny. One of my pet peeves is writers writing about writers but inserting himself as a character was done so well, it didn't bother me at all. So well done.
]]> The Golden Orchard 50986363
Maya loves to cook with her grandmother - her Halmunee - to connect with the rich family history associated with each dish, a history Maya's mom would prefer stayed in the past. While cooking with Halmunee, something remarkable happens - the food creates such a strong memory that Maya and Halmunee are transported back in time through the memory itself. Halmunee explains that the women in her family have the gift of time travel through food and Maya can do it too, if she practices. While eating her way through the past, Maya meets Jeff: another young time traveler who brings her to the Golden Orchard, a garden of memories filled with the trees of so many people's lives. Maya learns that time moves in ways she couldn't imagine and sometimes family keep their memories secret to protect the ones they love.]]> 6 Flora Ahn Colleen 0 3.73 2020 The Golden Orchard
author: Flora Ahn
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/28
date added: 2020/04/29
shelves: audiobook, korean, food, time-travel, short-story, family
review:
This was a fun audiobook short story featuring lots of Korean food I couldn't pronounce, time-travel done in a really unique way, and family bonding. Really cute.
]]> <![CDATA[The Clockwork Scarab (Stoker & Holmes, #1)]]> 17084242
Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.]]> 356 Colleen Gleason 1452110700 Colleen 0 3.66 2013 The Clockwork Scarab (Stoker & Holmes, #1)
author: Colleen Gleason
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/27
date added: 2020/04/29
shelves: steampunk, vampires, based-on-a-classic
review:
If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan and like steampunk, then pick up this one. It mixes up Egypt, vampires, steampunk, and a who-done-it. I've had it on my TBR list for a while and finally got around to it.
]]> Struck (Struck, #1) 12432229
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.]]> 373 Jennifer Bosworth 0374372837 Colleen 0 3.70 2012 Struck (Struck, #1)
author: Jennifer Bosworth
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/24
date added: 2020/04/29
shelves: apocalyptic, bullying, death, family, paranormal, parties, religion-gone-wrong, super-powers, wedding
review:
What a creepy villain! This guy really gave me the heebie-jeebies. I really wasn't sure what group to root for. They all had their own agenda. I think I would have struck out on my own. It would have been hard to trust anyone, I think. This was a fun read.
]]> Dark Shores (Dark Shores, #1) 41555964 High seas adventure, blackmail, and meddling gods meet in Dark Shores, a thrilling first novel in a fast-paced new YA fantasy series by USA Today bestselling author Danielle L. Jensen.

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A SAILOR WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.]]> 368 Danielle L. Jensen 125031772X Colleen 0 3.92 2019 Dark Shores (Dark Shores, #1)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/03/16
date added: 2020/04/28
shelves: to-read, military, my-recommendations, abuse, adventure, another-world, aristocracy, betrayal, death, friends, island, kidnapping, monsters, ocean, politics, power, prison-prisoner, revolution, secrets, survival, torture, war, warrior
review:
I wasn't really prepared for the story this book ended up telling. It has a lot of potential directions and open storylines that are fascinating and I'm excited to explore them further in future chapters. The characters are interesting and very real. This is a fun journey.
]]> The War of the Worlds 8909
Inspiring films, radio dramas, comic-book adaptations, television series and sequels,The War of the Worlds is a prototypical work of science fiction which has influenced every alien story that has come since, and is unsurpassed in its ability to thrill, well over a century since it was first published.]]> 192 H.G. Wells 0375759239 Colleen 0 3.84 1898 The War of the Worlds
author: H.G. Wells
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.84
book published: 1898
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/10
date added: 2020/04/14
shelves: my-recommendations, adult, aliens, apocalyptic, british, check-out-the-movie, classic, crime, death, horror, military, monsters, outer-space, politics, sci-fi, slave, survival, suspense, war, weapons
review:
I saw the Tom Cruise film before reading the book so that influenced my perception a bit but I think it made me appreciate the book a little more. It's interesting reading an end of the world book as we battle a pandemic especially when it's a cold bug that saves the world from aliens in the end. Seeing how the people react to apocalyptic threats in film and books is quite chilling and yet I have great hope and faith in mankind, generally.
]]> The Cerulean (Cerulean, #1) 29751998
But when Sera is chosen as the sacrifice to break the tether, she doesn’t know what to feel. To save her City, Sera must throw herself from its edge and end her own life. But something goes wrong and she survives the fall, landing in a place called Kaolin. She has heard tales about the humans there, and soon learns that the dangers her mothers warned her of are real. If Sera has any hope to return to her City, she’ll have to find the magic within herself to survive.]]> 483 Amy Ewing Colleen 0 3.51 2019 The Cerulean (Cerulean, #1)
author: Amy Ewing
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/14
date added: 2020/04/14
shelves: aliens, alternate-dimension, alternate-reality, another-world, betrayal, bullying, clothing-costumes, crush-first-love, death, friends, ocean, outer-space, paranormal, pirates-marauders, plants, power, prison-prisoner, religion-gone-wrong, risk-taking, secrets
review:
This book was so not at all like anything I ever read or expected. It's so different! There are worlds tethered together and just when I've got one sort of figured out, another one is added into the mix with totally new creatures and I think it's so creative and interesting. If you're looking for alien then this is alien times two!
]]> <![CDATA[We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya, #1)]]> 36492488 People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya--but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds--and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.]]> 472 Hafsah Faizal 0374311544 Colleen 0 3.87 2019 We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya, #1)
author: Hafsah Faizal
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/14
date added: 2020/04/14
shelves: adventure, cover-love, disguise, espionage-intrigue, outdoors-camping, power, risk-taking, another-world, mythology
review:
This is an interesting read with powerful characters you'll want to root for and a compelling mythology that drives the story. I'm glad there's more to come in another book because I feel like I just got started with these characters.
]]> <![CDATA[The Damned (The Beautiful, #2)]]> 53131137 The Beautiful, SĂŠbastien Saint Germain is now cursed and forever changed. The treaty between the Fallen and the Brotherhood has been broken, and war between the immortals seems imminent. The price of loving Celine was costly. But Celine has also paid a high price for loving Bastien.

Still recovering from injuries sustained during a night she can’t quite remember, her dreams are troubled. And she doesn’t know she has inadvertently set into motion a chain of events that could lead to her demise and unveil a truth about herself she’s not quite ready to learn.

Forces hiding in the shadows have been patiently waiting for this moment for centuries. And just as Bastien and Celine begin to uncover the danger around them, they learn their love could tear them apart.

New York Times bestselling author RenĂŠe Ahdieh returns with the second installment of her new sumptuous, sultry and romantic series, The Beautiful. ]]> 401 RenĂŠe Ahdieh 1984812580 Colleen 0 to-read 3.74 2020 The Damned (The Beautiful, #2)
author: RenĂŠe Ahdieh
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/04/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Now, Then, and Everywhen (Chronos Origins, #1)]]> 51907779 From the bestselling author of the Chronos series comes a page-turning novel of time travel, fast-paced action, and history-changing events.

When two time-traveling historians cross paths during one of the most tumultuous decades of the twentieth century, history goes helter-skelter. But which one broke the timeline?

In 2136 Madison Grace uncovers a key to the origins of CHRONOS, a time-travel agency with ties to her family’s mysterious past. Just as she is starting to jump through history, she returns to her timeline to find millions of lives erased—and only the people inside her house realize anything has changed.

In 2304 CHRONOS historian Tyson Reyes is assigned to observe the crucial events that played out in America’s civil rights movement. But a massive time shift occurs while he’s in 1965, and suddenly the history he sees isn’t the history he knows.

As Madi’s and Tyson’s journeys collide, they must prevent the past from being erased forever. But strange forces are at work. Are Madi and Tyson in control or merely pawns in someone else’s game?]]> 528 Rysa Walker 1612189199 Colleen 0 to-read 3.91 2020 Now, Then, and Everywhen (Chronos Origins, #1)
author: Rysa Walker
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/04/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Beezer 52295590
Beelzebub, the prince of demons, is bored. It's his destiny to one day rule the dark underworld known as the Red Realm, but it's sooo boring down there. All he wants to do is lay around all day in the lava pits (ahhh), boss everyone around (rude!), and maybe play a cruel prank (or two). But Beelzebub's father has had it with his son's nasty attitude. No one talks back to the Red King. NO ONE.

A disgraced Beelzebub is banished by his father and cursed to spend his days in the worst place either of them can imagine: EARTH. Now Beezer (his new name... which he hates) has to navigate a family (way too nice for his liking) that doesn't know the truth behind where he really came from. Oh, and his human body? Not a fan. Too many feelings! And it makes weird sounds.

What would Beezer do to get back home and reclaim his rightful place next to his father? Anything it takes. That is unless, he finds a new path (ugh, work).]]> 2 Brandon T. Snider Colleen 0 3.51 2020 Beezer
author: Brandon T. Snider
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/03/27
date added: 2020/03/30
shelves: middle-grade, audiobook, adoption, adventure, demons, family, paranormal, power
review:
This is a cute middle-grade audiobook with a paranormal twist on crazy family dynamics. What happens when you adopt a new brother from hell, literally? Fun read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Tiger at Midnight (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy, #1)]]> 38205303 A broken bond. A dying land. A cat-and-mouse game that can only end in bloodshed.

Esha is a legend, but no one knows. It’s only in the shadows that she moonlights as the Viper, the rebels’ highly skilled assassin. She’s devoted her life to avenging what she lost in the royal coup, and now she’s been tasked with her most important mission to date: taking down the ruthless General Hotha.

Kunal has been a soldier since childhood, training morning and night to uphold the power of King Vardaan. His uncle, the general, has ensured that Kunal never strays from the path—even as a part of Kunal longs to join the outside world, which has been growing only more volatile.

Then Esha’s and Kunal’s paths cross—and an unimaginable chain of events unfolds. Both the Viper and the soldier think they’re calling the shots, but they’re not the only players moving the pieces. As the bonds that hold their land in order break down and the sins of the past meet the promise of a new future, both rebel and soldier must make unforgivable choices.

Drawing inspiration from ancient Indian history and Hindu mythology, the first book in Swati Teerdhala's debut fantasy trilogy captivates with electric romance, stunning action, and the fierce bonds that hold people together—and drive them apart.]]> 487 Swati Teerdhala 0062869213 Colleen 0 3.71 2019 The Tiger at Midnight (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy, #1)
author: Swati Teerdhala
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/03/23
date added: 2020/03/30
shelves: adventure, death, espionage-intrigue, friends, india, military, outdoors-camping, secret-organizations, secrets, survival, assassin
review:
I love the opening of this book. What a heroine! Is it weird that I can relate to someone who can kill another person so easily and yet still appreciate a soldier offering his cloak? It must mean I'm strange. Or a writer I guess. Maybe it's just that I like to live vicariously. My favorite scene was when the two main characters were caught in the trap together.
]]> <![CDATA[The Sisters (Cormac Reilly, #.5)]]> 52757833
Two sisters climbing the ranks of Dublin’s criminal justice system. A murder case that could change their lives forever. The Sisters is a gripping new thriller from one of the most exciting voices in crime fiction.

In this prequel to the international bestseller The Ruin, set 10 years prior, bright-eyed Carrie Ryan is at the very start of her career. When she has a hunch about an ongoing murder investigation, she knows it could be her only chance to prove herself and truly break into the “boy’s club” of Dublin’s police force.

Carrie uncovers this make-or-break moment in a case file her sister Aifric, a newly qualified barrister, leaves on their kitchen counter: Robert Collins has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend after a fight in a local pub, and all signs point towards a guilty verdict. But both sisters quickly begin to find evidence that complicates the story. All the while, Carrie is very aware that she’s crossed the line – if the detective sergeant running the investigation finds out she’s been messing around with his case, her career will be over before it has begun.

Please note: This audio contains strong language, distressing situations, and descriptions of violence that some listeners may find upsetting. Discretion is advised. ]]> 4 Dervla McTiernan Colleen 0 3.59 2019 The Sisters (Cormac Reilly, #.5)
author: Dervla McTiernan
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/27
date added: 2020/03/28
shelves: abuse, adult, audiobook, bullying, crime, espionage-intrigue, family, lawyers-legal, revenge, cops
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Betrothed (The Betrothed, #1)]]> 52580111
Hollis has grown up at Keresken Castle among the other daughters of nobility who hoped beyond hope that they’d catch the king’s eye. So when King Jameson declares his love for her, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled.

But she soon realizes that along with the extravagant presents and fawning attention, this new life brings outsized expectations—expectations that make her wonder if she’s really cut out for life as a royal.

With a visit from the king of Isolte on the horizon, Hollis sees a chance to prove to Jameson—and herself—that she has what it takes to be queen. But when she meets an Isolten stranger with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she wants is one she never dared to dream of.]]> 307 Kiera Cass 0062291637 Colleen 0 to-read 3.04 2020 The Betrothed (The Betrothed, #1)
author: Kiera Cass
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.04
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Chosen Ones 52486678
A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones.

Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.]]> 432 Veronica Roth 0358164087 Colleen 0 to-read 3.57 2020 Chosen Ones
author: Veronica Roth
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World]]> 52300107 Listening time = 2h 2m

Pollan takes us on a journey through the history of the drug, which was first discovered in a small part of East Africa and within a century became an addiction affecting most of the human species. Caffeine, it turns out, has changed the course of human history - won and lost wars, changed politics, dominated economies. What's more, the author shows that the Industrial Revolution would have been impossible without it. The science of how the drug has evolved to addict us is no less fascinating.]]> 2 Michael Pollan Colleen 0 audiobook, non-fiction 3.72 2020 Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World
author: Michael Pollan
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/03/16
date added: 2020/03/16
shelves: audiobook, non-fiction
review:
An interesting short book about how caffeine affects us and how it all got started. I was particularly fascinated with the research on the bees.
]]> Kissing Lessons 52130550 A steamy contemporary YA romance by New York Times best-selling author Sophie Jordan about a girl with a bad reputationĚýgivingĚýlessons on how to attract guys for some extra cash—only to fall for her client’s golden-boy brother. For fans of Kami Garcia, Katie McGarry, and Netflix’s Sex Education.

Wild, beautiful, and (as rumor has it) experienced, Hayden Vargas doesn’tĚýhave time for love or relationships. She’s learned the hard way that the only person you can count on is yourself, and she’s hell-bent on earning enough money to leave her small, judgy Texas town as fast as possible.ĚýSo when nerdy Emmaline Martin offers to pay Hayden for lessons in seduction, the money is so easy, there must be a catch. Enter the catch: Emmaline’s older brother, popular, all-around nice guy™ĚýNolan Martin, who doesn’t want his sister’s reputation tarnished by the school’s resident bad girl.

But Hayden should know that looks can be deceiving. Nolan may seem like a golden boy,Ěýbut like Hayden, he has a few secrets of his own. And the more he meddles in her lessons with Emmaline, the more these polar opposites clash—and the more sparks fly. Turns out Nolan may have someĚýlessons to teach Hayden, but only if she’s willing to learn.]]> 288 Sophie Jordan 1328977072 Colleen 0 to-read 3.29 2020 Kissing Lessons
author: Sophie Jordan
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.29
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Between Burning Worlds (System Divine, #2)]]> 51337956 A traitor. A prisoner. A fugitive.
Wanted by the Regime. Destined to save the planet.

Laterre is on the brink of war. The Third Estate are rioting against the injustices of a corrupt system. The Patriarche, reeling from the murder of his only heir, makes brutal attempts to quash the unrest, while a new militant faction launches a series of deadly attacks.

And three outlaws find themselves pulled into the fray....

Marcellus is now a traitor to his planet, willing to do anything to stop his grandfather from seizing control of Laterre, even if it means joining the Vangarde, a rebel group back from the dead.

Chatine is a prisoner on Bastille. Desperate to survive the harsh conditions of the moon, she becomes embroiled in the Vangarde’s dangerous attempt to free their infamous leader.

Alouette is a fugitive who has been lied to her entire life. Searching for the truth about her mysterious past, she soon finds herself hunted by the Regime for reasons she’s only beginning to understand.

But when Laterre is threatened by the emergence of a deadly new weapon, these three renegades must risk everything, traveling to the far reaches of the System Divine and into the white-hot center of a planet ready to ignite.]]> 669 Jessica Brody 153441066X Colleen 0 to-read 4.27 2020 Between Burning Worlds (System Divine, #2)
author: Jessica Brody
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Sleep in a Sea of Stars (Fractalverse, #1)]]> 48829708 move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn't at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity's greatest and final hope...]]> 880 Christopher Paolini 1250762847 Colleen 0 to-read 3.77 2020 To Sleep in a Sea of Stars (Fractalverse, #1)
author: Christopher Paolini
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle, #2)]]> 40516960 Our heroes are back… kind of. From the bestselling co-authors of the Illuminae Files comes the second book in the epic series about a squad of misfits, losers, and discipline cases who just might be the galaxy’s best hope for survival.

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.]]> 495 Amie Kaufman 1524720925 Colleen 0 to-read 4.24 2020 Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle, #2)
author: Amie Kaufman
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Candle and the Flame 39821312
However, the city bears scars of its recent past, when the chaotic tribe of Shayateen djinn slaughtered its entire population—except for Fatima and two other humans. Now ruled by a new maharajah, Noor is protected from the Shayateen by the Ifrit, djinn of order and reason, and by their commander, Zulfikar.

But when one of the most potent of the Ifrit dies, Fatima is changed in ways she cannot fathom, ways that scare even those who love her. Oud in hand, Fatima is drawn into the intrigues of the maharajah and his sister, the affairs of Zulfikar and the djinn, and the dangers of a magical battlefield.

Nafiza Azad weaves an immersive tale of magic and the importance of names; fiercely independent women; and, perhaps most importantly, the work for harmony within a city of a thousand cultures and cadences.]]> 416 Nafiza Azad 1338306057 Colleen 0 3.75 2019 The Candle and the Flame
author: Nafiza Azad
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/03/04
date added: 2020/03/04
shelves: genie, magic, death, espionage-intrigue, middle-eastern, paranormal, power
review:
What an interesting book! This is a strong heroine you'll want to root for and I love the concept of the Djinn being summoned or named into a human form. The world and powers are fascinating to explore.
]]> <![CDATA[Invasion of the Body Snatchers]]> 127515 224 Jack Finney 0684852586 Colleen 0 3.91 1955 Invasion of the Body Snatchers
author: Jack Finney
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1955
rating: 0
read at: 2020/02/04
date added: 2020/03/04
shelves: sci-fi, horror, plants, classic, check-out-the-movie, research
review:
I think I saw the movie for this one first. I've seen a few versions of it. That scream at the end is crazy! The book ends very differently. It's no less compelling though. I decided I wanted to read the book for research for Terraformer. When you read that one you might see a few references. ;) I really like how you get a sense of the time period when the book was actually written. You can't replicate that as an author. Not really. Unless you lived in it, it's very difficult to get just right.
]]> <![CDATA[Night of the Dragon (Shadow of the Fox, #3)]]> 44900350
Shadow clan assassin Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body and agreed to a true deal with the devil — the demon inside him, Hakaimono. They will share his body and work with Yumeko and their companions to stop a madman and separate Hakaimono from Tatsumi and the cursed sword that had trapped the demon for nearly a millennium.

But even with their combined skills and powers, this most unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed… until now.

Master storyteller Julie Kagawa concludes the enthralling journey into the heart of the fantastical Empire of Iwagoto in the third book of the Shadow of the Fox trilogy. As darkness rises and chaos reigns, a fierce kitsune and her shadowy protector will face down the greatest evil of all. A captivating fantasy for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Sarah J. Maas and Marie Lu.]]> 355 Julie Kagawa 1335146784 Colleen 0 to-read 4.32 2020 Night of the Dragon (Shadow of the Fox, #3)
author: Julie Kagawa
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Immunity (Contagion, #2) 42118034 Survivors of a deadly planetary outbreak take on a new, sinister adversary in the sequel to Contagion.

They thought their nightmare was over, but Thea, Coen, and Nova’s rescue was only the beginning. After being imprisoned on a ship they thought was their ticket to safety, it’s clear that the threat they left behind isn’t as distant as they’d hoped—and this time the entire galaxy is at risk.

Now that threat is about to be unleashed as an act of political warfare. To prevent an interstellar catastrophe, the survivors must harness the evil they faced on the planet Achlys and learn to wield the only weapon they have left: themselves.]]> 448 Erin Bowman 0062574175 Colleen 0 to-read 3.86 2019 Immunity (Contagion, #2)
author: Erin Bowman
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Life Below (The Final Six, #2)]]> 45893682
Leo, back on Earth, has been working with renegade scientist Dr. Greta Wagner, who promises to fly him to space where he can essentially latch on to Naomi’s ship. And if Wagner’s hypothesis is right, it isn’t a possibility of coming in contact with extraterrestrial life on Europa—it’s a definite. With Naomi unaware of what awaits, it’s up to Leo to find and warn her and the others.

With all the pieces of their journey finally clicking into place, everything else starts to fall apart. A storm threatens to interfere with Leo’s takeoff, a deadly entity makes itself known to the Final Six, and the questions the ISTC has been avoiding about the previous failed mission get answered in the worst way possible. If the dream was to establish a habitable domain on Europa… the Final Six are about to enter a nightmare.]]> 305 Alexandra Monir 0062658972 Colleen 0 to-read 3.88 2020 The Life Below (The Final Six, #2)
author: Alexandra Monir
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)]]> 49683002 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

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.]]> 519 Shelby Mahurin 0062878026 Colleen 0 to-read 4.14 2019 Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)
author: Shelby Mahurin
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> A Grown-Up Guide to Dinosaurs 51212034 Listening Length: 2 hours and 42 minutes

Most children go through a dinosaur phase. Learning all the tongue twisting names, picking favorites based on ferocity, armor, or sheer size. For many kids this love of ‘terrible lizards’ fizzles out at some point between starting and leaving primary school. All those fancy names slowly forgotten, no longer any need for a favorite.

For all those child dino fanatics who didn’t grow up to become paleontologists, dinosaurs seem like something out of mythology. They are dragons, pictures in books, abstract, other, extinct.

They are at the same time familiar and mysterious. And yet we’re in an age of rapid discovery—new dinosaur species and genera are being discovered at an accelerating rate, we’re learning more about what they looked like, how they lived, how they evolved and where they all went.

This series isn’t just a top trumps list of dino facts—we’re interested in the why and the how and like all areas of science there is plenty of controversy and debate.]]> 3 Ben Garrod Colleen 0 non-fiction, dinosaurs 3.92 2019 A Grown-Up Guide to Dinosaurs
author: Ben Garrod
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2019/01/01
date added: 2020/02/12
shelves: non-fiction, dinosaurs
review:
A fun, quick read. Loved the comparison to paleontology and doing puzzles but the puzzle pieces are upside down and all the edge pieces are missing and a bunch of other puzzle pieces are mixed in with the original puzzle.
]]> <![CDATA[The Man Who Knew The Way to the Moon]]> 51210419
Without John C. Houbolt, a junior engineer at NASA, Apollo 11 would never have made it to the moon.

Top NASA engineers on the project, including Werner Von Braun, strongly advocated for a single, huge spacecraft to travel to the moon, land, and return to Earth. It's the scenario used in 1950s cartoons and horror movies about traveling to outer space.

Houbolt had another idea: Lunar Orbit Rendezvous. LOR would link two spacecraft in orbit while the crafts were travelling at 17,000 miles per hour. His plan was ridiculed and considered unthinkable. But this junior engineer was irrepressible. He stood by his concept, fired off memos to executives, and argued that LOR was the only way to success.

For the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, hear the untold story of the man who helped fulfill Kennedy’s challenge to reach the moon and begin exploring the final frontier.]]> 5 Todd Zwillich Colleen 0 3.83 2019 The Man Who Knew The Way to the Moon
author: Todd Zwillich
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2019/08/25
date added: 2020/02/12
shelves: non-fiction, science, astronomy, politics
review:
I don't usually read much in the way of non-fiction but this one was very interesting. How scary it must have been for the early astronauts to attempt landing on the moon. It's something I've always taken for granted. Hearing exactly how it happened with all the problems and issues going with it was really interesting.
]]> <![CDATA[Lobizona (Wolves of No World, #1)]]> 51179882 Some people ARE illegal.

Lobizonas do NOT exist.

Both of these statements are false.

Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.

Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.

Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past--a mysterious "Z" emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.

As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it's her entire existence.]]> 400 Romina Garber Colleen 0 to-read 4.09 2020 Lobizona (Wolves of No World, #1)
author: Romina Garber
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Forgotten Murder (Medlar Mystery, #3)]]> 45422565 An English manor home, an unsolved mystery, too many suspects to count... It's the perfect holiday for romance novelist Sara Medlar.

After solving two murder cases in their hometown of Lachlan, Florida, Sara Medlar, her niece Kate and their friend Jack need a change of scenery. Sara arranges for them to visit an old friend of hers in England. Upon arrival at Oxley Manor, a centuries-old estate that has been converted to a luxury hotel, Kate and Jack quickly realize that Sara is up to something. They learn that Sara has also invited a number of others to join them at Oxley.

When everyone assembles, Sara lets them know why they are there. Decades earlier, two people ran off together from Oxley and haven't been heard from since--and Sara wants to solve the case. As the people who were there the night the two went missing, the guests find themselves cast in a live mystery-theater event.

In reenacting the events of that night, it becomes clear that everyone has something to hide and no one is safe, especially when the discovery of a body makes it clear that at least one of the people who disappeared was murdered.

Sara, Jack and Kate are once again at the heart of a mysterious case that only they are able to solve. But someone is willing to continue to kill to keep the truth about Oxley Manor buried, and none of the guests are safe.

New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux has crafted another irresistible case in her bestselling Medlar Mystery series.]]> 347 Jude Deveraux 0778309894 Colleen 0 to-read 3.82 2020 A Forgotten Murder (Medlar Mystery, #3)
author: Jude Deveraux
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox, #1)]]> 41884989 New from the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Fey... Enter a beautiful and perilous land of shapeshifters and samurai, kami and legends, humans and demons...a world in which Japanese mythology and imagination blend together to create a brand-new and lushly drawn fantasy adventure. Prepare to be captivated by book one of an enchanting new young adult fantasy series, Shadow of the Fox!Once Every Thousand Years...Every millennium, one age ends and another age dawns...and whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers holds the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish. The time is near...and the missing pieces of the scroll will be sought throughout the land of Iwagoto. The holder of the first piece is a humble, unknown peasant girl with a dangerous secret.Demons have burned the temple Yumeko was raised in to the ground, killing everyone within, including the master who trained her to both use and hide her kitsune shapeshifting powers. Yumeko escapes with the temple's greatest treasure--one part of the ancient scroll. Fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan. Yumeko knows he seeks what she has...and is under orders to kill anything and anyone who stands between him and the scroll.A WISH WILL BE GRANTED AND A NEW AGE WILL DAWN.]]> 464 Julie Kagawa 133514238X Colleen 0 to-read 4.02 2018 Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox, #1)
author: Julie Kagawa
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fire Wish (The Jinni Wars, #1)]]> 16123804
Najwa is a jinni, training to be a spy in the war against the humans. Zayele is a human on her way to marry a prince of Baghdad—which she’ll do anything to avoid. So she captures Najwa and makes a wish. With a rush of smoke and fire, they fall apart and re-form—as each other. A jinni and a human, trading lives. Both girls must play their parts among enemies who would kill them if the deception were ever discovered—enemies including the young men Najwa and Zayele are just discovering they might love.]]> 320 Amber Lough 038536976X Colleen 0 3.66 2014 The Fire Wish (The Jinni Wars, #1)
author: Amber Lough
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/31
date added: 2020/01/31
shelves: adoption, another-world, bullying, caves, clothing-costumes, crush-first-love, death, family, genie, magic, mentor, middle-eastern, orphan, power, prison-prisoner, secrets, spy, super-powers, twins, war, warrior, weapons, wedding, my-recommendations
review:
This was a fun read. If you like danger, magic, spells, villains, twists & turns, this is one you might want to pick up. I'm not going to give away all the secrets but there are some really juicy ones in here. ;)
]]> I Am Legend 40940649
By day he is the hunter, stalking the undead through the ruins of civilisation. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn.

How long can one man survive like this?

]]> 162 Richard Matheson 0795315635 Colleen 0 4.04 1954 I Am Legend
author: Richard Matheson
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1954
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/31
date added: 2020/01/31
shelves: horror, vampires, dystopian, sickness-disease, check-out-the-movie
review:
I saw the Will Smith movie before reading the book and this is very different. The part about discovering then losing the dog was particularly dramatic. It's a book that certainly feels as if it belongs in a particular decade but the loneliness of the character would ring true at any time. It did in the movie and I think only someone like Will Smith would have been able to pull it off that well. It was an excellent casting decision and well adapted.
]]> <![CDATA[The Blood Spell (Ravenspire #4)]]> 35215746 A dark and romantic epic fantasy retelling of the Cinderella story, about a girl who must team up with the prince she despises to defeat an evil creature threatening their kingdom. The fourth standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Ravenspire series by C. J. Redwine.



Blue de la Cour has her life planned: hide the magic in her blood and continue trying to turn metal into gold so she can help her city’s homeless. But when her father is murdered and a cruel but powerful woman claims custody of Blue and her property, one wrong move could expose her—and doom her once and for all. The only one who can help? The boy she’s loathed since childhood: Prince Kellan.

Kellan Renard, crown prince of Balavata, is walking a thin line between political success and devastating violence. Newly returned from boarding school, he must find a bride among the kingdom’s head families and announce his betrothal—but escalating violence among the families makes the search nearly impossible. He’s surprised to discover that the one person who makes him feel like he can breathe is Blue, the girl who once ruined all his best adventures.

When mysterious forces lead to disappearances throughout Balavata, Blue and Kellan must work together to find the truth. What they discover will lead them to the darkest reaches of the kingdom, and to the most painful moments of their pasts.

When romance is forbidden and evil is rising, can Blue save those she loves, even if it costs her everything?

]]> 438 C.J. Redwine 0062653016 Colleen 0 4.10 2019 The Blood Spell (Ravenspire #4)
author: C.J. Redwine
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/27
date added: 2020/01/27
shelves: my-recommendations, abuse, alchemy, chbc-author, clothing-costumes, crush-first-love, dancing, death, demons, fairy-tale, friends, magic, parties, reimagining, revenge, royalty
review:
Loved this take on the Cinderella story. I was so wrapped up in the story that it didn't even feel like Cinderella at all until the slipper at the very end. Really well done! Loved this whole series and wish there were more books coming!
]]> <![CDATA[The Mystwick School of Musicraft (Mystwick, #1)]]> 43803346 Humor and heart shine in this middle grade fantasy about a girl who attends a boarding school to learn how to use music to create magic, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.

Amelia Jones always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic. So when Amelia botches her audition, she thinks her dream has met an abrupt and humiliating end—until the school agrees to give her a trial period. Amelia is determined to prove herself, vowing to do whatever it takes to become the perfect musician. Even if it means pretending to be someone she isn’t. Meanwhile, a mysterious storm is brewing that no one, not even the maestros at Mystwick, is prepared to contain. Can Amelia find the courage to be true to herself in time to save her beloved school from certain destruction?]]> 368 Jessica Khoury 132862563X Colleen 0 4.14 2019 The Mystwick School of Musicraft (Mystwick, #1)
author: Jessica Khoury
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/22
date added: 2020/01/22
shelves: my-recommendations, middle-grade, music, spells, magic, bullying, chbc-author, cover-love, death, forest, friends, ghosts, halloween-fall, high-school, tech-gadgets
review:
I love the dirigible spelled organ school bus! That's so cool. I found myself really wishing I could play a musical instrument so I could be friends with these kids. If you ever played a musical instrument in school or aspired to, you need to pick up this book. It's so fun!
]]> The Christmas Pact 48988798
Riley Kennedy’s emails keep getting crossed with her male colleague, Kennedy Riley. The infuriating man forwards them along with his annoying commentary and unsolicited advice. At least she never has to see him in person, since they work in different locations…until they come face to face at the office holiday party.

As luck would have it, Kennedy turns out to be outrageously handsome…though still a jerk. Yet somehow he’s able to charm her out on the dance floor—and convince her to participate in his crazy he’ll go home with Riley for a Christmas party and pretend to be her boyfriend, if Riley agrees to be his date to a wedding. It sounds easy enough. Little by little, however, the act they’re putting on starts to feel like so much more than a Christmas pact—and Riley’s about to learn there’s more to Kennedy than she ever imagined.

Romance audiobook dream team Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward join forces again to deliver an engaging, funny, and sexy story that will make listeners laugh while it sets their hearts racing. Narrated by the double audio act of Andi Arndt (inducted into The Audible Narrator Hall of Fame in 2017) and Sebastian York, this sizzling novella will heat up the holidays…all year long.]]> 3 Vi Keeland Colleen 0 adult, christmas, romance 3.57 2019 The Christmas Pact
author: Vi Keeland
name: Colleen
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/16
date added: 2020/01/22
shelves: adult, christmas, romance
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues, #1)]]> 48580056 A glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.]]> 512 Alwyn Hamilton 0451479661 Colleen 0 to-read 4.24 2025 The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues, #1)
author: Alwyn Hamilton
name: Colleen
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/01/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>