Upgrade by Blake Crouch

What if your body could be stronger or your brain smarter than any other human being. Would you do it? In the new action packed Sci-Fi Thriller, Upgrade, it’s all possible, but is it the right thing to do?

Logan Ramsay works for GPA, an organization stopping the illegal gene editing happening all over the world. When one mission goes wrong he finds himself waking up in a hospital bed, in complete quarantine. As time passes he realizes he’s smarter, faster and now he’s the guy they want to hunt. My favorite part of any super hero movie is when the character undergoes their “transformation”. This book did not disappoint! At times it felt like it went a little over my head with all of the scientific terms, but it really added to the overall feel of Logan getting an upgrade.

Logan has a complex past. His family has secrets that kept this story constantly taking twists and turns. While he was able to turn his emotions down, we as the reader couldn’t and even with all the action there was plenty of heart.

While the middle of the book slowed down for me, I still couldn’t put it down. The constant need to know what would happen kept me enthralled. Even with most of the story talking place with only Logan we get a good amount of side characters that each open up new turns in the plot.

The Epilogue turned this book into a 5 star for me. Even though this story is fiction there are some very real elements of human nature that make you think. Blake Crouch really touched on the parts of humanity that are both ugly and beautiful.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Happy Reading

Tricia, XOXO

The Lightning Tree by Lene Fogelberg

What if nature wanted revenge? In this fast paced fantasy we find out what happens when we don’t listen to nature’s warnings.

Synopsis

Flora Reed discovers a lifeless body in her front yard the morning after the last day of her junior year of high school. Matters get worse when more people from her small town are found dead under mysterious circumstances and police take an interest in the boy next door, Carl. Flora is convinced that Carl is innocent. Instead, she suspects that the deaths are somehow connected to her younger sister Fauna’s tragic accident a year earlier. What she learns changes everything, and she has to race against time to prevent the killings from spreading. Flora and a small group of friends soon find themselves at the onset of an apocalyptic battle between man and nature, with no one believing their story.

I got the chance to read an early copy of The Lightning Tree and I love a good sister story. I grew up an only child and any time I get a chance to read about sisterhood I take it. This book is a beautifully tragic look into the bond sisters carry. The dual prospectives kept me wondering as one sister was lost in her own mind and the other was frantically trying to figure out what was going on. The play on names for Flora and Fauna made perfect sense as the story unfolded and we learned what secrets her family was hiding.

I really appreciated the focus on nature and her power. It was an eerie look into what would happen if nature “spoke” out against us. Parts of this really read like a murder mystery and I enjoyed that aspect of the story.

Flora and Carl’s relationship was a slow burn that made my heart ache! He was the boy next door that was the only friend Flora had. At times he felt like her protector, but as the murders start you’re left wondering if he can be trusted.

Once the action started it didn’t stop. This was a very fast paced book and I flew through the second half. As secrets were revealed I found myself needing to know more. The short chapters from Fauna were really beautiful and reminded me of poetry. They also carried clues to the story that led me to the next chapter keeping me from being able to put this book down.

The ending really got me. There are still so many questions I have and I look forward to continuing on in the series to find out where this story goes. Thank you to Katie Garland for the advanced copy of this magical book.

Happy reading

Xoxo Tricia

Into the Mist by P.C. Cast

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this free excerpt of, Into the Mist by P.C. Cast, coming out Jul 12th 2022, in exchange for my honest review.

In this short excerpt I was able to really get a sense of the characters and the scene. The descriptions were very well done and I could picture myself there in the story. It starts with a very diverse cast of characters on a road trip. I was a little thrown off by the description of the person from Tulsa, as that’s my hometown. I’m curious to see where this character goes with that outdated Bible Belt stereotype.

There was definitely a good amount of mystery surrounding the situation and if I were reading this book now I would continue it to find out more.

Synopsis

As men fall to the mist, the age of womankind begins to rise.

The world as we know it ends when an attack on the U.S. unleashes bombs that deliver fire and biological destruction. Along with sonic detonations and devastating earthquakes, the bombs have also brought the green mist. If breathed in, it is deadly to all men—but alters the body chemistry of many women, imbuing them with superhuman abilities.

A group of high school teachers heading home from a conference experiences firsthand the strength of these new powers. Mercury Rhodes is the Warrior, possessing heightened physical powers. Stella Carver is the Seer, with a sixth sense about the future. Imani Andrews is the Watcher, with a rare connection to the earth. Karen Gay is the Priestess, demonstrating a special connection with Spirits. And Gemma Jenkins is the Healer, a sixteen-year-old student who joins the group after losing her parents.

As they cross the Pacific Northwest, trying to find a safe place to ride out the apocalypse, the women soon learn they can’t trust anyone, and with fresh danger around every corner, it will take all their powers to save themselves—and possibly the world.

Happy reading!

Xoxo Tricia

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

If you’re looking for a hauntingly beautiful and poetic story this one is for you. It’s a mystery wrapped up in a series of journal entries and new discoveries made by our main character, Olivia.

SYNOPSIS

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

REVIEW

This was a slow start for me, but I cared so much about the story and the characters I couldn’t stop reading. Olivia was an easy character to feel for, her story is tragic but her determination is powerful.

As a person who loves journaling, I was really intrigued by the mysterious journal entires scattered throughout. The look into her mother’s journal was probably my favorite part! It was like trying to solve a puzzle.

I will say this book is frightening! You have your fair share of super creepy ghosts and monsters in this story and V.E. Schwab’s writing brings them to life in a terrifying way. I was completely creeped out and curious at the same time.

The ending was poetic. There is no other way to describe it. I don’t cry when reading books, but this ending had me drowning in my feels. I gave this book 5 stars! It’s a little slow but oh so beautiful.

Happy Reading

Xoxo Tricia

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

I didn’t realize that 2022 would be the year I fell in love with sci fi but here we are! I blame my step dad and his love for Star Trek, I went to way too many Star Trek conventions as a kid. He had a room dedicated to the show and I never really understood the love for a show about space until I started reading books about space.

Space terrifies me! I’m perfectly content staying here on Earth watching the stars at night, but something happens when I read about it or see a movie about it. I’m completely captivated. The thought of being where only a few humans have been is exciting. The fear of being left alone in space is paralyzing. This book takes both of those things and puts them together in a sort of funny and intense story about hope, science, and our will to survive.

I highly recommend the audio book narrated by Ray Porter. He has such a comforting voice and he brings out the humor perfectly.

Once you buy the audio book make sure you grab a physical copy to lend to friends, especially your math and science friends. This is one of those books that you tell everyone about when you’re finished. After eight years of being a homeschool teacher I geeked out at all the science in this book.

What I love most is the fact that our main character, Ryland Grace, has amnesia when he wakes up IN SPACE. His reactions are so pure and helps the reader follow along in his discovery of why he’s there. You don’t have to have a full understanding of the high tech lingo to enjoy what’s happening to the main character. He is very human and relatable.

I almost cried reading this one and that is something I did not expect! You’re taken on a roller coaster of emotions and thrown effortlessly between the present time in space, and the past time on Earth. This was an easy 5 stars for me and I look forward to reading more about that terrifying thing called space if Andy Weir writes it.

SYNOPSIS:

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Alone on this tiny ship that’s been cobbled together by every government and space agency on the planet and hurled into the depths of space, it’s up to him to conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.

Happy Reading!

LovelyReaderGirl

King of Battle and Blood

King of Battle and Blood By Scarlett St. Clair

I usually like a little romance with my fantasy novels but this was more like a little fantasy with your romance novel.

SYNOPSIS:

Their Union Is His Revenge.

Isolde de Lara considers her wedding day her death day. To end a years-long war, she is to marry vampire king, Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev, and kill him. ⠀

But her assassination attempt is thwarted and Adrian threatens that if Isolde tries to kill him again, he will raise her as the undead. Faced with the possibility of becoming the thing she hates most, Isolde seeks other ways to defy him and survive the brutal vampire court. ⠀

Except it isn’t the court she fears most—it’s Adrain. Despite their undeniable chemistry, she wonders why the king——fierce, savage, merciless—chose her as consort. ⠀

The answer will shatter her world.

MY REVIEW:

I really did enjoy the world building and plot of this vampire story, but it was VERY steamy. Usually I don’t mind that, but it was almost every 20 pages or so. The tension between Isolde and Adrian kept me going throughout the book, but I could have done with less romance scenes.

There was a good twist at the end that I kind of guessed early on so it wasn’t as surprising as it could have been for me. The ending wrapped up quickly and left me wanting more in this book. I don’t know if I’ll continue on in the series yet. I enjoyed the story and the added elements like witches and scary creatures throughout the world, but the romance was a little heavy. Overall I gave this one 3 stars!

Happy Reading!

Wishtress Cover Reveal

By Nadine Brandes

Not only is this cover STUNNING but it sounds like an amazing book! Scroll down to see the full cover without my fun water splashes, and yes that’s real water 😅 no books were harmed in the making of this photo, haha!
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SYNOPSIS
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Myrthe is the Wishtress, which means she can turn her tears into wishes. But when a wish goes wrong, she’s cursed to die by her next tear. To survive, she must harden her heart and enlist the help of Bastiaan Duur to find the Well of Talents. Only then can she hope to break the curse.

Bastiaan can stop time with the snap of a finger and he’s been charged by the king to find the Wishtress and turn her in. Except Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. Once he gets what he wants, he’ll turn Myrthe in…as long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise his job.

Everyone seems to need a wish—the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59608964

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Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

“Is there anything more dangerous down here?” It seemed to consider the question. Then it said, “ME”.

Synopsis:

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

Review:

This isn’t a book world I would want to live in, but the cover is gorgeous! I finished Vespertine recently and it was an easy 5 star for me. I immediately fell in love with the writing and the main character. It started off strong with action right away and didn’t disappoint the rest of the way. I really enjoyed the inner dialogue of the main character and her growth throughout the story. The ghosts were terrifying and I loved very minute of it. I can’t wait to read the next one.

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

“Hero’s don’t get happy endings. They give them to other people.”

Sitting down with this book felt like having tea with an old friend. It was comfort and warmth wrapped into the pages of a book. If you haven’t read the Caraval series you can still enjoy this story, but if you have it makes it all the better. Revisiting this world was exactly what I needed to get out of my massive reading slump. There’s something special about a fairytale setting that brings you back to your childhood. This book felt like a dream where I never wanted to wake up.

Synopsis

For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings…until she learns that the love of her life will marry another.

Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic but wicked Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing. 

But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game—and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after or the most exquisite tragedy…. 

Hope is a difficult thing to kill, just a spark of it can start a fire”

Jacks is the perfect morally grey anti hero. I love him and loath him, and I think you will too. His strained relationship with Evangeline Fox is the perfect slow burn. By the end I was begging for more of him which is good because I hear there is a book #2 coming!

I really loved how this book could easily be read by someone who hasn’t read the Caraval series. I’m almost jealous of anyone who gets to meet Jacks for the first time. The magic in this world was so good! Nobody does magic like Stephanie Garber. If you love a good fairy tale with an even better villian, you’ll love this book.

Wonderland an Anthology edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane

The interesting thing about anthologies is the fact that you may love one story and hate the next. You have to be strong willed when reading them, you have to give it a chance. I really didn’t enjoy the first story I read in this one, I wanted to give up and say nope this isn’t for me, but I moved on in the hopes that I would love the next. Spoiler, I did, and I loved many more after that.

Each story had a side of whimsy that makes you take pause and think you might be reading a Lewis Carroll creation, but it is soon revealed you’re not in the same world, not even a little bit. Creatures in the night, mysterious scenes of horror, and loving tales of family snap you out of your daydream and thrust you down a rabbit hole you may not be prepared for. These stories are not for the faint of heart. They may terrify you or make your head spin with possibilities, but it’s worth every moment.

Synopsis

Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland, in an anthology that bends the traditional notions of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel, featuring ghosts, medieval quests, demons and cyborgs. Contributors include the bestselling M.R. Carey, Genevieve Cogman, Catriona Ward, Rio Youers and L.L. McKinney.