November 2017 Wrap Up & Book Haul

Hello everyone! Today’s post will be my November 2017 Wrap-Up. It’s mindblowing that it’s already December. This year has flown by so quickly!

I limited myself to 3 books for my TBR in November. The books from top to bottom are: The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater (re-read); Zodiac (Zodiac, #1) by Romina Russell (re-read); and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Illustrated by Jim Kay) by JK Rowling.

I didn’t get around to reading my TBR at all last month. Which I’m very disappointed about, but I’m not going to let that bring me down. I read other books that were fairly interesting, so that in and of itself is pleasing.

Last month I read 7 books, gained 7 books. I reviewed 14 books, and posted 6 bookish-related posts.

Marked in Flesh, by Anne Bishop | Book Review #284

Trigger Warnings: Self Harm and Rape Mention

For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community…

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…

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This review contains spoilers. 

Marked in Flesh is the fourth (4th) book in The Others series by Anne Bishop. There are a few triggers in each book, yet the re-occurring triggers are Self Harm and Rape Mention.

October 2017 Wrap Up + Book Haul

Hello! Today’s post is my October 2017 Wrap Up + Book Haul!

October is one of the busier months for me personally. It’s busy because here in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving on (or around) the 12th of October. Then it’s my birthday on the 25th (Two more years until my champagne birthday! Not that I’m going to drink, haha). After that, it’s Halloween!

In October I had 7 books on my TBR this month. Seven books is completely over ambitious for me, since I never really end up reading what I want to read. The books that were on my TBR this month were: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman; Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur; Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson; Shutter, by Courtney Alameda; Evil Librarian, by Michelle Knudsen; Labyrinth Lost, by Zoraida Córdova; and finally, The Madman’s Daughter, by Megan Shepherd.

Vision in Silver, by Anne Bishop | Book Review #280

Trigger Warning: Self-Harm, Self-Harm Mention

If you are triggered by any of the mentioning’s above, I suggest that you do NOT read this book/series.

The Others freed the  cassandra sangue  to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep…

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I think that the cover for Vision in Silver is the prettiest cover in the series yet.

Murder of Crows, by Anne Bishop | Book Review #277

Trigger Warning: Self-Harm, Self-Harm Mention, Rape, Rape Mention

If you are triggered by any of the mentioning’s above, I suggest that you do NOT read this book/series.

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sanguemake her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard — Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader — wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

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Bishop’s writing is seriously addictive. Prior to even reading the series I thought that there was a likely chance that I would end up enjoying The Others series. Now that I’ve read the second book though…I’m starting to really love this series! The Others series is an incredibly problematic book, so, I would suggest that if you were to read The Others books, read them with extreme caution.

Written in Red, by Anne Bishop | Book Review #276

TRIGGER WARNING: Self-Harm, Rape Mention.

If you get triggered by Self-Harm scenes (cutting) I would recommend that you do not read this book. 

This review may contain spoilers. 

No one creates realms like New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

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I didn’t know what to expect when I finally got my hands on a copy of Written in Red.

September 2017 Wrap Up

My TBR this September contained 5 books. I usually have a max of 3 books a month, since that seems to be the amount of books that I can handle. However, I got stressed and amped the books up from the usual 3 books to 5 books. Especially with reading library books, and just being busy with life in general.

The books that I had on my TBR this month (from left to right) were: I See You by Clare Mackintosh, Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody, The Beast is an Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke, Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep.

Of the 5 books I had on my TBR this month, I only managed to read 2 of them; The Daughter of the Burning City, and, Spider’s Bite. However, I did start reading I See You — but I See You is so incredibly detailed (and I’m only 10 pages in) that the book is slower than I thought it would be.

The Books I read this September (15):