Review: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Title: Outrun the Moon Written by: Stacey Lee Published: May 24, 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (Penguin) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.  On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the “bossy” cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

If you saw my Top Ten Tuesday post last week you know that this book was a backlist book I own but hadn't read. So as I was looking for an audiobook to listen to for two really long trips I had last week I saw this one and had to download it.

This book really solidified the fact that Stacey Lee is a fantastic author of historical fiction. I usually prefer my historical fiction to take a well-known or even lesser known event in history and then add fiction characters to explain and expand on the world. That is what this book did. It took the 1906 earthquake of San Francisco and told the story of it from the perspective of a young Chinese American girl. Stacey's writing really brought the even to life. You could feel the tremors along with the characters and the uncertainty of what was next after most of the city was leveled or in flames. It made for a very interesting and engaging read that had me worried for the characters and the city of San Francisco. You can tell that Stacey did her research into what happened during the earthquake. It felt interesting and like I was learning something at the same time.

And while that was the backdrop, there was so much more to this book than just the earthquake. It also showed the reader what it would have been like for a Chinese American with not only what it was like to grow up in Chinatown but the oppression that she experienced because of her race. And while it's easy for something like that to feel over-wrought this wasn't. It served to add drama to the narrative and to establish the historical time period. It also gave the story a timely quality as well. The heart of this story was really a young woman who is the child of immigrants trying to overcome her circumstances and thrive. And that will always be an engaging and inspiring story.

But maybe I enjoyed that so much because I really liked the characters on this book. Mercy Wong is a fantastic main character. Her voice really comes through in throughout the narrative. I felt like I knew who Mercy was, where she came from, where she wanted to go, and what she was going to do to get there. What I think I liked most about her is that she's equal parts tough street kid and vulnerable young woman. She's ballsy and abrasive sometimes but she's also kind and caring. She was a really complex character and I enjoyed her a lot. The secondary characters in this book were also really great. There was a great theme about family and loss, but also a running thread of found family and friendship. There were also really complex characters who had great development like Elodie and Headmistress Crouch. The characterization was one of the best parts of this book.

Finally, I couldn't conclude this review without mentioning San Francisco because the city itself was as much a character as anyone else. San Francisco is a place I have only been to once but but it is also a city that I loved. It has beautiful architecture, a gorgeous landscape, and an interesting history. All of that came alive in this book. I think Stacey Lee is from the Bay Area and she obviously has a lot of love for the city. But what I especially loved is the idea that she really considered what the city was like over 100 years ago. I am always someone who thinks about those things and wonders what a city and building was like when it was first built and if you are like me then you will really enjoy this book.

All in all., I really loved this book. It's a fantastic historical fiction novel with an engaging plot that explores a historical event from a unique perspective, amazing complex characters, and a great setting that really comes to life. I'm so glad I took the time to read it and I wish I hadn't waited so long.

I give Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you like historical fiction then I would definitely recommend this book. But even if you don't it has great characters and a fantastic storyline that I think everyone would enjoy.

Have you read Outrun the Moon? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire Written by: Natasha Ngan Published: November 6, 2018 by Jimmy Books (Little, Brown Books) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.  But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.  In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after--the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.  Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable--she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.  TW: violence and sexual abuse.

This book was one of my most anticipated debuts of the year. I read a lot of YA fantasy (because I love it, obviously), and I am always excited to see a standalone, especially one on the darker side with political intrigue. And this was a really good read.

One of the best things about this book is the world. I'm surprised by how rich and engaging the world of this book is even though it's more subtle. It's a book inspired by Asian cultures and the emphasis is interesting and makes for a lush and beautiful setting. I usually like my fantasies to go big when it comes to magic but this one didn't. Instead it just developed the story around the world where people have animal features. These are the people who are the most revered and powerful within this world and there is a firm caste system between the others with people just being human at the lowest level. And like a lot of fantasy there is a brutal and authoritarian ruler. It added more depth to the world and a lot of political intrigue to the plot.

But I will say, that I still have a lot of questions about the world of this book. I know the general rule of them is to show instead of tell when it comes to world building but then you have to actually show these things. Maybe I was just reading more into it then it actually was but I thought there was some opportunities for big reveals in the explanation of the world and magical system. This boiok never went there and I wish that it had.

However, it may be possible that the world building was simple because the plot took more of the focus. This is one of those books where I think the trigger warning is good because this is very much a brutal read. It doesn't shrink away from the abuse of power of the Demon King, not only on the people in general but the young women who are his courtesans. It's often hard to read but it made for a dark and engaging story that had me wanting the protagonists to succeed in their goal to overthrow the king. I'm a plot-driven reader and usually I prefer a book full of action and surprises but this too was on the more subtle side. It was a simple sort of rebellion story but it was an interesting one nonetheless. I was invested in the story and it definitely did build to an exciting conclusion.

As far as the characters, I am not entirely sure how I feel about them. I already mentioned the brutal antagonist and I feel like Ngan did a great job in developing a terrible villain that was easy to dislike. But I would have like some more from the protagonists. Lei was a good enough main character, the kind of person who goes through so much that you can't help but root for her over the oppressors. But as an individual, I don't think she really came to life. It's not that she didn't have individual traits, because she was definitely fierce and determined in a way that usually endears me to a character. I mean she has some serious Sansa Stark vibes and you know how I love me some Sansa. But she just didn't make that strong an impression on me.

What surprised me though it that I did however like the romance. It's a f/f relationship and I actually liked the way that it developed. It is a little bit of a instalove, I mean it develops very quickly, but I think the author does a good job of showing the character's inner thoughts about the relationship. It's a bit of a forbidden fruit sort of thing but it never got to over the top with that. I liked that the character was torn about her feelings which makes it all the more satisfying when it came together. It had a good balance too and didn't overpower the story for me.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book even though it wasn't perfect. It had a rich and engaging world, a plot that pulled me and kept me reading until the exciting conclusion, and a romance that I actually enjoyed.

I give Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. This is a good debut fantasy and I am interested to see what's next for this author. It may actually be a sequel with the way this book ended.

Have you read Girls of Paper and Fire? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Kingdom of Ash Series: Throne of Glass #7 Written by: Sarah J Maas Published: October 23, 2018 by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas’s #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an epic, unforgettable conclusion. Aelin Galathynius’s journey from slave to king’s assassin to the queen of a once-great kingdom reaches its heart-rending finale as war erupts across her world. . .  Aelin has risked everything to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. Aware that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, though her resolve begins to unravel with each passing day…  With Aelin captured, Aedion and Lysandra remain the last line of defense to protect Terrasen from utter destruction. Yet they soon realize that the many allies they’ve gathered to battle Erawan’s hordes might not be enough to save them. Scattered across the continent and racing against time, Chaol, Manon, and Dorian are forced to forge their own paths to meet their fates. Hanging in the balance is any hope of salvation―and a better world.  And across the sea, his companions unwavering beside him, Rowan hunts to find his captured wife and queen―before she is lost to him forever.  As the threads of fate weave together at last, all must fight, if they are to have a chance at a future. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever in the explosive final chapter of the Throne of Glass series.

That's right friends, the Throne of Glass series is over. It's been a great four year ride with the series and I have been crazy impressed with how complex and engaging this series is. And while the last book in this series is not my favorite, it was a great ending to an amazing YA fantasy series.

The thing that continues to impress me about this series is the plot development. This is one of those series where clearly everything was planned out since the very beginning. Little things from the early books in the series and even the novellas come back in a big way in the final book as things start unfolding and everything was unfolding. Plus it is crazy action-packed. I have come to know this series for the fact that it has always been full of action, adventure, and surprises. This being that it was the final book, of course that was all of that was heightened. The stakes were high and a lot of this book took me on a crazy emotional ride.

That being, said the pacing was not great. This is a really long book. It comes in at a whopping 992 pages which not only makes it the longest book I have read this year but one of the longest I have ever read. But it's not out of the ordinary to read a fantasy book over 800 pages but they don't always feel like they are as long as they are. But this book felt long. There were a lot of moments where there were lulls in the story that had me not at all minding that I put it down.

I think one of the reasons why that the pacing was a bit problematic for me is that this is a series that is full of perspectives and in this book that was a little out of control. I honestly lost count with how many characters got to narrate a portion of the book but it had to be at least a dozen. And yes, that't not out of the ordinary for fantasy books but with this series it is always a bit jarring, especially because often it would change perspectives in the middle of the chapter. I have never liked that about this series and like everything else with this book that was heightened too.

But I do really love the characters in this series. Over the past seven main books and a collection of novellas I have definitely fell in love with these characters. So many of them are amazing and badass. It's been amazing seeing Aelin's development over the course of the series. She's maintained her heart of being arrogant and sarcastic while being an amazing leader and queen. So many of the other characters have also had great developments, including my two favorite Dorian and Manon. They both have some seriously kickass moments. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Lysandra was freaking amazing and Yrene was fantastic. Even Chaol wasn't actually wasn't the most self-righteous asshole in this book. No, that distinction went to Aedion even though I still love him. All the characters really had great development and seeing them change and grow throughout the series was really enjoyable.

But my favorite thing about this book may have been the world. Sarah has managed to craft a totally complex world. We have learned so much about it over the past seven books and watching it all unfold in such a meaningful way was the best thing about this book. This series went from one where there was no magic to a sword and sorcery novel full of magic and mystery. There was so much to learn about when it comes to the Valg, the wyrdkeys, the gods of this universe, and how they are all connected. I do still feel like there are some unanswered questions when it comes to all of that, especially the word keys and some of the answers felt like cop out but it is still an amazing world that I loved.

All in all, this was a great ending to one of my favorite series. It was full of action and adventure, great characters, and a fascinating world. It wasn't perfect and felt a little long with way too many perspectives but I thoroughly enjoyed it and am not ready to see it end even though I liked the way it did.

I give Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are a fan of this series you definitely need to read the last book to find out how it all ends. This is definitely one of my favorite YA fantasy series. It's not perfect but it is incredibly entertaining.

Have you read Kingdom of Ash? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading.

Backlist Books I Own and Want To Read

A weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

1.) The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne
I was super interested in this contemporary before it came out in 2015 because I kind of worked in politics at the time but I never read it. Then after the election I didn't have the heart to read it but I do still want to.

2.) Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke
I heard really good things about this YA science fiction when it came out four years ago from blogger friends and I even received a copy as a gift but I still haven't read it.

3&4.) The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson
*runs and hides* I have read most of Brandon Sanderson's books but this one intimidates me because it is so long. I even started the audio but I just couldn't devote the time.

5&6.) Out of Sight Out of Time and United We Spy by Ally Carter
I have really been dragging my feet on this series. I got the last three books in a used book store haul over a year ago and I still haven't read the last two.

7.) Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
I loved Stacey's debut and even though I got a copy of this one (signed!) at ALA last year I still have not read it. I'm super interested in her book that's coming out next year but I feel like I should read this first, even though they are not related.

8.) A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
I have read most of Mindy's books but not this one even though I have owned a copy of both the e-book and a physical copy. I keep thinking I will read this one and never do.

9.) That Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I have read The Fixer series by Jennifer and loved it so I want to read this one. I mean it's about spies and the main character's name is Cassie.

10.) The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine
I read Sarah's Phantom of the Opera retelling and I really enjoyed it so it made me want to read more of her books including this series. I got a copy of this I think from a Book Outlet haul but still haven't read it.

11 & 12.) Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
I saved the worst for last. I really hope people don't defriend me over this one. I loved the first book in the series but never continued. I plan to before the new book comes out in January.

There you have it! All the backlist books I own but have not read. What backlist books are still on your TBR. Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Boneless Mercies by April Geneviee Tucholke

Title: Boneless Mercies Written by: April Genvieve Tucholke  Published: October 8, 2018 by Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: A dark standalone YA fantasy about a band of mercenary girls in search of female glory. Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life.  When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.

This book was a really solid meh for me. I had heard some mixed reviews but my friend Michelle who never reads fantasy actually liked it so when I needed something new to read I let Twitter decide and this one was the winner. But, I just don’t think it was my kind of read.

For one thing, this is a character driven fantasy. Much of the book is about the characters hunt for glory and then deciding where they should go and what they should do to fight for themselves and for others. A lot of people love that sort of thing but I do not. I don’t like travel and only in rare cases do I like when the characters drive the plot. This was not one of those cases. It felt like an incredibly slow read for me. Now don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of fights and pretty high stakes but it felt like I had to wait entirely too long to get to those parts. The book definitely built to an exciting climax but by that point I was just skimming to get to the battle scenes.

I’m also surprised that I didn’t like the characters more than I did. A band of female assassin’s! How could they be anything but amazing. And yeah, they were pretty badass. And yes, they kicked ass and took names. And the sisterhood and teamwork between them and some of the other female characters we meet along the way was amazing. But as individuals I just didn’t connect with them. I didn’t feel why Frey wanted glory. Hell, I even forgot her name at one point in the book. If you are going to have a character-driven novel to enjoy it, you really have to enjoy the characters and I didn’t.

On thing I did love however was the world. It’s a really atmospheric world that is perfect for the fall. Tucholke’s writing pulls you in and the locations come to life in your mind. I could perfectly picture the sea breezes and the witches that inhabited their shore. I could see the fields of reads and the women who lived and wrecked havoc among them. I could see the monsters and creatures that inhabited the woods and mountains. It is one of those fantasies that is visually beautiful. The world is inspired by Scandinavian culture and myth and that’s a setting I really enjoy so this book really checked all the boxes in that respect.

The other really interesting thing about this book is that it is a Beowulf retelling. A genderbent Beowulf retelling. I love a genderbent retelling. However, I have not read Beowulf so I can’t really speak to the book on that level. I’m curious what fans of the epic poem think about this book. It did kind of make me want to read that, so I guess that is something.

All in all, this was only an okay book for me. I loved the world but I found the plot a little too slow and I didn’t connect with the characters, which made the book all the more challenging because it’s a character-driven narrative.

I give Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. Maybe this is just a book for people who aren’t big fantasy fans, or maybe it is a book for people who like a slower more atmospheric read. I know some people really liked it so it is probably just one of those hit or miss kind of reads.

Have you read Boneless Mercies? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

Title: Two Dark Reigns Series: Three Dark Crowns #3 Written by: Kendare Blake Published: September 4, 2018 by HarperTeen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake returns with the highly anticipated third book in the Three Dark Crowns series! And while Arsinoe, Mirabella, and Katharine all have their own scores to settle, they aren’t the only queens stirring things up on Fennbirn Island. Queen Katharine has waited her entire life to wear the crown. But now that she finally has it, the murmurs of dissent grow louder by the day. There’s also the alarming issue of whether or not her sisters are actually dead—or if they’re waiting in the wings to usurp the throne. Mirabella and Arsinoe are alive, but in hiding on the mainland and dealing with a nightmare of their own: being visited repeatedly by a specter they think might be the fabled Blue Queen. Though she says nothing, her rotting, bony finger pointing out to sea is clear enough: return to Fennbirn.   Jules, too, is in a strange place—in disguise. And her only confidants, a war-gifted girl named Emilia and her oracle friend Mathilde, are urging her to take on a role she can’t imagine filling: a legion-cursed queen who will lead a rebel army to Katharine’s doorstep.  This is an uprising that the mysterious Blue Queen may have more to do with than anyone could have guessed—or expected.

This series keeps getting better and better. I had read the first book when it came out two years ago but I kind of wanted to wait until the series was complete until I finished it. But I am so glad I didn't wait all that long and that I took the time to get caught up because this book was such a great dark fantasy perfect for this time year.

You all know me, I need a strong plot to enjoy a book and the plot here was really fantastic. The stakes in the series have always been incredibly high and with the way that the last book ended I kind of worried that wouldn't be the case here but Kendare put me at ease pretty quickly into the book. This was a book full of surprises, action, and plenty of magic. The rebellion angle added even more depth and action to the story. There are a lot of angles and plot lines to this book and I wasn't sure that would all connect but in the end they did. They connected in a big way that had me on the edge of my seat totally enthralled. And that ending! Damn, Kendare. You are amazing and terrible with these cliffhangers. I can't believe I have to wait a whole year for the next book.

But the plot of this book was probably so good because it was tied to the world, which I really love. First and foremost you have the political intrigue. The overarching plot of this series has always been about the battle for the crown and the scheming and plotting didn't end in this book. I really enjoy the direction it is all going in too, the rebellion of the people against the crown and the old ways is a great thing to explore and this book did it so well. Although that might be because I wholeheartedly support Jules. She has always been my favorite character. But seriously, this book does a great job of drawing you in with its world.

The amazing world of this series goes beyond that too. It is such a fascinating  setting and Kendare does a great job of drawing you in with the magic and history of Fennbirn. It's honestly everything that I love about fantasy. First there is a cool magical system that is kind of elemental but more complicated than that. In this book we learned even more about the magic of the island as the book explored some of the queens from history. We also were taken beyond the island and saw what happens to the characters magic on the mainland. I love how the world is expanding and we are learning more about it over time.

However, one of the reasons I keep reading this series is the characters. In the first book, I have to be honest, all the characters kind of blended together. Even the queens seemed so similar to me. But after three books they are all so different and complex. All the characters have had such great development throughout the series. Each of them is exploring the idea of power and whether or not it is good for them or for others if they have the power, and I mean this in the sense of both magic and control of people and the island. It made for great character development and I am loving getting to see each of them respond so differently. But my favorite is still Jules. I am completely Team Jules and seeing her become the reluctant leader of the rebellion is everything I hoped it would be and more.

Seriosuly, this was a really amazing read. I am thoroughly enjoying this series. It has a thrilling plot full of action and surprises, a world of magic and political intrigue, and complex characters with great development. I seriously need the final book in the series. I know it will wreck me though! I am deeply invested in it now.

I give Two Dark Reign by Kendare Blake 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a fan of YA fantasies and like them more on the dark side then this is definitely the series for you. It feeling more and more like a classic sword and sorcery and I am really loving it.

Have you read Two Dark Reigns? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

October TBR and November TBR

Read in October:

I had another good reading month. I'm so glad that I have consistently been reading for the past few months, I feel like I am back to a somewhat normal reading cycle. This month I read a total of 11 books this month. This is a bigger accomplishment than you would think because this month I didn't read any comics or novellas. I read 11 complete books. I am also on track for my Goodreads goal. I can actually finish my challenge a month ahead of schedule which is awesome. Even if it is for my reduced goal and not my original goal of 150 but it's still really good.

For challenges, this year I'm low key doing challenges. I set a Goodreads goal of reading 120 books in a year. I am up to 111 books for the year and feeling really good about meeting this goal. Like I said, I am one month away from completing it. For the rest of the challenges I only low key set them. I want to read 20 debuts this year and I read 2 this month which brings my total for the year to 12. I won't beat this goal but I think I might be able to hit 15. I want to read 36 books from Netgalley and Edelweiss and I didn't read any this month which means my total is at 16 for the year. I haven't really been reading e-books lately and I didn't want to force myself to read one just for this challenge so whatever, who cares. I also want to read 20 backlist books. This month I read 1 which brings my total to 21 for the year so everything else is just gravy.

The Books

1.) Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]
2.) Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
3.)  The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]
4.) Grim Lovelies by Meghan Shepard Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [My Review]
5.) The Secret Bedroom by R.L. Stine Rating 7 out of 10 [Podcast Website]
6.) Campfire by Shawn Serles Rating: 7 out of 10 stars [My Review]
7.) One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
8.) Blanca and Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore  Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]
9.) Witch Born by Nicholas Bowling Rating: 9 out of 10 stars [My Review]
 10.) Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [Review to Come]
11.) Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke Rating: 8 out of 10 stars [Review to Come]

To Be Read in November: 

And here is hoping that I can continue the strong reading month. I have a ton of books I want to read which is why I am hoping I am able to read them all. I love this time of year because all the amazing books that are coming out but that means there are a lot of books I want to read.

Books for Review

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Add to Goodreads
This is going to be my next read and I am super excited. It sounds like an amazing YA fantasy and I love how it has an Asian MC and an LGBT romance.

Amber and Dusk by Lyra Selene - Add to Goodreads
I am on the blog tour for this one and it sounds like a unique and interesting fantasy. I am always looking for a unique magical system so let's see if this one is that.

Pulp by Robin Talley - Add to Goodreads
I really enjoy Robin Talley's books and her new one sounds really engaging. I like that it kind of has a historical mystery slant to it. Robin does historical fiction well so this should be good.

Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean - Add to Goodreads
Another Asian inspired fantasy. Clearly that is a type of book I am interested in reading. But it is usually a great setting so yeah, I'm interested.

When We Caught Fire by Anna Godbersen - Add to Goodreads

I didn't get a chance to read this last month but I am still interested. I liked Anna's debut historical series and she was really nice at the signing.

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand - Add to Goodreads
Claire was at that signing and was very nice and cool. I thought about reading this as my last book of the month but Twitter voted on Boneless Mercies. You steered me wrong Twitter, you steered me wrong.

The Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason by Virginia Boeckler - Add to Goodreads
I didn't get to this one last month either but it's totally the type of book I usually love and I am still really interested in it.

New Releases

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas - Add to Goodreads

I am about 1/3 of the way into the last book in the Throne of Glass series. I am really interested to see how the series will end but this book is a serious beast. The audio is 33 hours long. 

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson - Add to Goodreads

A new Brandon Sanderson YA Science Fiction novel? Color me interested. Do I wish it was The Apocalypse Guard? Yes. Will I read any and all Brandon Sanderson books? Yes.

Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman - Add to Goodreads
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series so I am excited to see how it ends. I will probably listen to the audiobook because it's narrated by Fiona Hardingham.

Backlist Books

Not sure. I'll see what books I might get from the library.

There you have it. Some of the books I hope to read in November. As always, these are subject to change. I may read all of these or I may only read a few and then read a bunch of different ones. But honestly I think this list I can stick to. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!