WWW Wednesday: 26 July 2023

Hi hello and welcome to WWW Wednesday! This was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words. This is a really fun and easy weekly post where you answer the three W’s: what are you currently reading, what did you recently finish reading, and what do you think you’ll read next? Let’s get started!
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What are you currently reading?

I’m still making my way through my beta read at the moment! Yes, I know, it’s been a week and I’m still reading? Since it’s a beta read, I want to make sure I’m giving it the attention it deserves and not rushing through and missing things. I’m still loving it, it’s still amazing, and I cannot wait to finish because this is getting absolutely insane and I’m so excited to see it all come together!

What did you recently finish reading?

Because I’ve been dedicating my reading time to my beta read, I haven’t finished anything else recently. And I’m not upset because like I’ve said, I’m loving this book! But this has been taking my attention so I haven't finished any other books recently.

What do you think you'll read next?

I actually just got approved for an eARC of The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon and I’m really excited because not only is the cover stunning (seriously it’s probably one of my favorite covers of 2023) but the synopsis sounds so good! This is definitely a book I’ll be picking up as soon as I can!

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And that’s it for this WWW Wednesday! I’ve been having such a good time with my beta read, y’all. I’m not going to spoil anything out of respect for the author, but I just need to share how much I am genuinely enjoying myself. How has your reading week been? What is a book you’re looking forward to reading next? Is The Hurricane Wars on your TBR or have you read an ARC already? Let me know in the comments below and let’s chat! Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next chapter!

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Mini-Review Monday: 24 July 2023

advance reader copy 8:00:00 AM

Hi hello and welcome to the first Mini-Review Monday! I've been trying to find a good weekly post for Monday's and haven't been very successful. And then I remembered how much I enjoy doing mini-reviews and thought it would be perfect for a Monday post! I'll be sharing a few shorter reviews of some books I've read recently but maybe haven't talked about for longer than a few sentences here and there. I love reviewing books (that's the whole reason I started my blog) but I don't do my long reviews as often anymore, for many reasons. But I still love sharing my thoughts on the books I read and I think mini-reviews are a great way for me to do that! I’ll also be including my favorite quote from each book that I’m reviewing, just for a little added fun and a quick look into the book. Let’s get started!

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Title: Mister Magic
Author: Kiersten White

Pages: 288

Genre: Horror

Release Date: 01 August 2023

From Goodreads: "Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic. But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has. Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since. After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?”

Mini-Review: I am someone who loves creepypasta stories, and this feels exactly like a creepypasta story. If you’ve never heard of Candle Cove and you like the sound of this book, I encourage you to go check it out because it has a similar concept and it’s great. Okay, let’s talk Mister Magic! This was so so good and actually, my first full Kiersten White book. I’ve read bits of And at Darken and Hide but never fully finished them. This book actually creeped me out at a few points and I definitely monitored the dark corners of my room for any suspicious shadows and/or capes. I will say, I wasn’t expecting this to go where it did or end how it did, but I also don’t know how I didn’t see either of those things while reading. The writing did feel like it was a little slow in places, and occasionally a bit repetitive with the main characters inner voice, but it wasn’t terrible and didn’t ruin my overall reading experience. This was a pretty enjoyable horror book and I am very interested to see if Kiersten White continues in this genre, because I think this was a success. Also, I recommend reading the acknowledgments at the end because it gives insight into the root of this book and it makes a lot of things make sense.

Favorite quote: “It’s a chain, and you’re right—I’m the link holding everything together and it’s all just weight. It’s weight, and it never lets up, and no one else ever holds it. No one else even notices it. I don’t understand how I can be there every moment of every single day and somehow not exist at the same time. Most days I think I’m not even a person. Not to them, not to myself.”

Title: The Only One Left
Author: Riley Sager

Pages: 398

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: 20 June 2023

From Goodreads: "At seventeen, Lenora Hope

Hung her sister with a rope
Stabbed her father with a knife

Took her mother’s happy life
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said

But she’s the only one not dead

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred. It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything. As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought."

Mini-Review: I don’t think it’s a secret that Riley Sager is one of my all-time favorite authors. I’ve given every book of his five stars, including The Only One Left! This one was, in my eyes, a perfect mystery thriller. It was slow, but not so slow that it got boring, just enough that the tension built at a great pace. The characters were interesting and I really enjoyed following them and trying to figure out which ones were more suspicious than the others. And the plot was insane, holy crap. I can always count on a Riley Sager book to have twists but this one took it as a challenge to see just how many times it could make me freak out and scream about what was happening. By the end, I was crying and could confidently say that The Only One Left was my new favorite book that he’s written. I even got my mom to read it and she had pretty much the same reaction as I did, even down to the crying part! I just really enjoy the way that Riley Sager writes and this one was another easy five star book for me.

Favorite quote: “At seventeen, Lenora Hope, hung her sister with a rope. Stabbed her father with a knife, took her mother’s happy life. “It wasn’t me,” Lenora said, but she’s the only one not dead.”

Title: Yellowface
Author: R.F. Kuang

Pages: 322

Genre: Literary Fiction

Release Date: 25 May 2023

From Goodreads: "Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena's a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn't even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena's just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I. So what if June edits Athena's novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song--complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn't this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That's what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree. But June can't get away from Athena's shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June's (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves."

Mini-Review: I’m almost positive that any time I’ve spoken about Yellowface, I mention that it was my first experience with an R.F. Kuang book and that I’m so glad for that. I loved this book. I’m not a big literary fiction girlie but this was incredible. Something about how this was written had me absolutely glued to the page and reading big chunks at a time because I just did not want to put it down. And June?! Holy crap she was awful, yes, but so well written! I found myself reading and just somehow knowing that there was no getting through to this woman, so we were just going to be on the choo-choo train to delusional town and I was along for the ride. And the commentary on the publishing industry felt so on point and incredibly necessary. Yellowface felt like R.F. Kuang calling out problematic things in the industry and forcing readers to be more aware of them, because we absolutely should be more aware of them. Everything about this book was fantastic and it was one of the quickest five stars I’ve probably ever given a book. This is also on my top favorite books of 2023 list and I’m not really sure how anything is going to top this, honestly.

Favorite quote: “People always describe jealousy as this sharp, green, venomous thing. Unfounded, vinegary, mean-spirited. But I’ve found that jealousy, to writers, feels more like fear.”

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And that’s it for my first Monday Mini-Reviews post! This was so much fun and I’m really glad I get to share my thoughts on some of the books I’ve read recently. As I said above, I love doing book reviews but the full-length ones that I used to do just aren’t feasible for me anymore, sadly. But I think this is going to be a great way for me to still do reviews going forward and I’m already planning out my next set of mini-reviews! Have you read any of the books I talked about? Did my reviews help you decide if you’d be interested in reading any of them? Are you a fan of longer or shorter book reviews? Let’s open up the discussion down in the comments and please feel free to share a mini-review of a book you’ve read recently! Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next chapter!

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WWW Wednesday: 05 July 2023

advance reader copy 8:00:00 AM

Mister Magic by Kiersten White. Holy crap am I obsessed or am I obsessed?! I’m about 50% of the way through and it’s so creepy and unsettling and everything I was hoping it would be. If you’re a fan of the Candle Cove creepypasta or like falling down Mandela Effect rabbit holes, you need to read this when it comes out.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Only One Left by Riley Sager. Y’all when I say this is now my new favorite Riley Sager, I mean it. This is a fantastic mystery thriller and it had me freaking the freak out towards the end. Feel free to laugh at my Goodreads updates I’ve included below. I’ve been a huge fan of his since I read an ARC of his first book Final Girls in 2017, and I’m so happy to say that he continues to be an author that I have given five stars to every book he’s written!

What do you think you'll read next?

I’ll be participating in Summerween 2023 which starts on the 7th, and I have a whole post about my Summerween TBR where I talk about all of these books and how they fit each of the prompts. I wasn’t sure which one I wanted to start with, so I asked my husband to pick one for me and he chose The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw! So it looks like I’ll be starting with that and hopefully making me way through the entirety of my TBR for the readathon. Stay tuned for my wrap-up post once Summerween has ended!

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And that does it for this WWW Wednesday! I’m having such good luck with my reading lately and I’m really excited to start my Summerween TBR on Friday. How is your reading week going? What’s your current read and are you enjoying it? Are any of the books I talked about today on your TBR or have you read them? If you’re participating in Summerween, I’d love to know what you plan to read, so let me know in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next chapter!

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WWW Wednesday: 27 June 2023

advance reader copy 8:00:00 AM

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What are you currently reading?

The Only One Left by Riley Sager. I'm enjoying it so much so far and I'm about 16% in. The atmosphere is really spooky but nothing really spooky has happened yet. It's just the vibes and the setting are coming together in such a creepy way and I'm so excited to see where the book goes from here. And I love that Lenora has a rhyme that follows her, similar to Lizzie Borden.

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother's happy life
"It wasn't me," Lenora said
But she's the only one not dead

What did you recently finish reading?

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. I don't know how long I'm going to be screaming about this book but it's probably going to be for the rest of the year. This was amazing. I've mentioned before that I've never read a book by R.F. Kuang but now I plan on reading The Poppy War trilogy and Babel. The writing was so easy to read and I loved her sense of humor that was sprinkled in throughout the book. I loved and hated June, and I appreciated the commentary on the publishing industry. This is a book that everyone in the bookish community should read!

What do you think you'll read next?

I'm torn between either Mister Magic by Kiersten White or The Last One by Will Dean. Do I want to read a book that has Candle Cove vibes, or a book that has Triangle vibes? I may pick up Mister Magic first as it's shorter, but I'm really excited for both of them and I will absolutely be sharing my thoughts on them when I finish reading!
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And that does it for this WWW Wednesday post! How is your reading going this week? Have you picked up anything new? Are any of the books I mentioned today on your TBR? Should I read Mister Magic or The Last One next? I'd love to know so be sure to leave me a comment below and we can chat! Don't forget to visit Taking On a World of Words and see Sam's post for the week, and maybe check out some others awesome weekly posts from the comments! Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the next chapter!

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F is for Friday: 05 May 2023

a song of sin and salvation 12:00:00 PM

Hi hello and welcome to F is for Friday, hosted by Nomadic Worlds. With F is for Friday, you answer a few prompts that relate to your reading for the past week and even share some things that made you happy! I like the idea of having a day to talk about my favorite book related things of the week and also trying to focus on some positive things. Let's get started!
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F – Feature your latest book obsession (it doesn’t have to be your current read)

My current book obsession is actually my current read, Lavender House! I’m genuinely so in love with it and I cannot stop talking about it. I can’t even remember how I found out about this book, possibly just scrolling through Goodreads? But I’m so glad it has come into my life. It’s a mystery with a historical setting and queer characters galore! I feel like I tend to read a lot of the same genre in a row (like smutty books or extreme horror with pretty much no middle ground) so this book has been a wonderful break from those two extremes. Knives Out is one of my all-time favorite movies and this book is definitely reminding me of that with the family murder mystery aspect! The writing is easy to read and get lost in, Andy is a wonderful main character, and the mystery of who killed Irene is intriguing enough to keep me reading for long periods of time. Please go read this book!

I – Indicate which book/s you are looking forward to reading this weekend

I'm so excited to finish up Lavender House by Lev A.C. Rosen because it just keeps getting better the more that I read. Seriously, if you love Knives Out, historical settings, and queer characters, please pick this up. I feel like I need to scream about this book from the rooftops because it really is so fantastic and I'm loving every page that I read.

After I finish Lavender House, I want to pick up A Song of Sin and Salvation by L.H. Blake because I was kindly sent an ARC recently and I'd like to get to it! If your first thought was Eddie from Stranger Things, that was mine as well. But read this little bit from the synopsis:

"A Song of Sin and Salvation is a steamy, slow burn romance that will mercilessly pull on your heartstrings. It’s a story about freedom, choice and first love, all set to a raucous 80s soundtrack. It features two lonely teens who despite their differences, represent each other’s chance at salvation."

So like yes, Eddie, but also doesn't it just sound so good?! I'm so excited and honored to have been chosen to receive an ARC so I really can't wait to pick it up this weekend.

And finally, I'm considering picking up Godkiller by Hannah Kaner this weekend if all goes well! I've seen this quite a lot recently and I watched a video from AModelWho'sRead and she gave it an absolutely glowing review, so I was inspired to bump this up on my TBR. I'm hesitant because it is YA and I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but I might have to make an exception for this one because not only is the cover stunning, it sounds super creepy and fantastical.

F – Favorite quote of the week/day

I just finished Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward recently and, to no ones surprise, I loved it. There were so many quotes in this book that just hit me in the feels and made me audibly oof so of course, I saved them. I am going to cheat and use more than one quote because there really were so many that I loved but I'll narrow it down to three.

"In the night, a certain kind of whisper sounds louder than yelling."

"It's strange being so close to someone; they stop being a person and become a series of impressions."

"It's not an easy thing, being rewritten. But you can always play around with a first draft."

F – Five Things You’re Happy Or Grateful For This Week

1. It's finally May! I know that sounds silly but I'm really excited that the date for my surgery later this month is getting closer. I'm so ready to have some measure of relief finally! Even though I know the road to recovery won't be quick, I'm just ready to get started.

2. MomoCon is also at the end of this month! It's a convention in Atlanta, GA that I volunteer at with my husband and our friends and it's a lot of fun. If you enjoy gaming and anime, then it's a great event to come check out!

3. I'm still having great success with my reading and this week is no exception. I've just been on a roll with picking up fantastic books and I hope that I can continue that streak with this upcoming week! My TBR has some great books on it so I have a good feeling that I'll have some amazing books to talk about next week.

4. I've been working on a wall-hanging for several weeks at this point for my husband and I finally finished it! I make friendship bracelets, keychains, and wall-hangings and I love to make presents for people. This one is special because it's inspired by the art for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and she is so ingrained into our relationship that it's insane. But, sadly, we were unable to attend her tour so I wanted to do something for him to kind of ease the sads, you know? So I made him a wall-hanging! I'm pretty proud of it because it's over 3,000 knots and took me forever and he really likes it so yay!

5. I’m really grateful for my kiddo, Sora. I’ve been struggling with my chronic pain a lot lately and it really messes with my mental health because I just constantly feel awful and like I’ll never feel better. But Sora is such a light in my life. He’s always such a happy kiddo and is pretty much always smiling and wanting to play or just hang out in the same space as you are. We recently got him these carrot chips and he is obsessed with them! Watching him cronch on them is so cute because he loves using his big back teeth to nom on things. I’m just so lucky to have him in my life and I really do love him so much.

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And that’s it for this F is for Friday post! Like I said above, I’ve been struggling with my chronic pain a lot lately and while I’ve been reading a bunch, it’s been hard for me to sit down and do my weekly blog posts. But I’m trying! I really enjoy getting to do a small, fun post almost daily to talk about books and reading and all that fun stuff. I’d love to know something you’re grateful for this week or what book you’re planning on reading this weekend so leave me a comment below and let’s chat! Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next chapter!

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Book Review: On Twisting Tides by Val E. Lane

advance reader copy 7:02:00 AM

Hi hello and welcome to a post I haven't done in far too long. Today, I'm sharing my review of On Twisting Tides by Val E. Lane, the sequel to From Tormented Tides. This has been a highly anticipated release and I’m so excited to be able to share my thoughts! Be warned, I can’t resist a good pun so there will be many goofy water related puns and jokes throughout this review. Also, this will be spoiler-free so you can enjoy this review without having to worry about being spoiled for any major plot points or events that happen. Let’s get started!

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Title: On Twisting Tides

Author: Val E. Lane

Pages: 324

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: 27 March 2023

From Goodreads: "The curse is broken, but Katrina is still plagued by the haunting note left behind as a new semester begins in the coastal town of Constantine. And she’s still not sure how to admit to herself that she may never be the same after that night on Valdez’s ship. Meanwhile, Milo adapts to his second chance at life, but the heavy conscience of a pirate's past still weighs on his soul. When Katrina receives another chilling letter, she’s tasked with a burden that will require a journey across the sea…and he’s determined not to let her face it alone. But as Milo’s world unravels and Katrina battles newfound inner demons, holding back the ocean’s wrath may prove to be the least of their problems…and the shadows of the past may not be as distant as they seem."

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Thank you so much to Val E. Lane for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The ending of From Tormented Tides had me absolutely craving more. I wanted more Katrina and Milo, more siren lore, more pirates, more everything! So when the opportunity to sign up for a chance at an ARC of On Twisting Tides arose, I jumped on it quicker than Katrina jumps off of ships. I knew I would love the sequel just as much, if not more, than the first book, and I was right!

Plot:

We pick up almost right where From Tormented Tides left off with Katrina and Milo dealing with the aftermath of the curse being broken. Do they get to be happy and swim off into the sunset together? Of course they don’t because we love to see characters suffer! This time around, the two of them have to set out on a quest to stop one very angry ex-siren from ending the world. No pressure, right? That’s as vague as I can be without spoiling things, but let’s just say pirate curses are the least of their worries now. I did not expect the story to go where it did, but I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would, surprisingly. There’s so much packed into the 324 pages of this book and I loved every second. There was action, there was character development, there were moments that I was stressed and some where I cried, and I would absolutely go through the emotional roller coaster all over again. I loved seeing the world expanded and explored more, and I am so excited to see where the story goes in book three after the ending of On Twisting Tides!

Characters:

A descendant of a siren, a 300 year old pirate, the rich girl collage roommate, and a grumpy mechanic hop on a boat. I know, that sounds like the start of a cheesy joke, but that’s our cast of characters! Book one introduces us to them, lets us get a feel for them and see what’s basically the start of their journey. Book two throws them into the deep end and we get to follow them as they try their best to stay afloat.

Katrina is trying her best to continue her life after breaking the curse and finding out she’s a siren. What is she supposed to do about that side of herself? Can she move on from the note she found or will it consume her? Milo is trying to find his place in the world after being cursed for 300 years and, understandably, he’s not only struggling, but he’s also finding it hard to leave behind his piratey behaviors, putting strain on his and Katrina’s relationship. I really loved seeing how the two of them interacted because obviously things aren’t perfect and they weren’t portrayed as such. With a lot of books, you can encounter insta-love relationships where the couple is so perfect and never has any problems. But here, these two are dealing with some heavy realizations and issues and they’re struggling with figuring out how to move on from the events of the first book. They both have opportunities to grow as individuals and together, and smooth sailing it is not, friends. But their relationship is definitely reminiscent of Elizabeth and Will from Pirates of the Caribbean so if you liked that couple, you’ll love Katrina and Milo!

As for our other crew mates, I really enjoyed getting more of Kenzie and Noah with this book! Of course I love our main characters, but Kenzie and Noah are also really big parts of the events of the story and I think they add so much to the scenes they’re in. Not only do they help Katrina in her quest, but they also get to develop their own kind of relationship, and I loved seeing it develop as the story progressed. Kenzie’s personality is just so refreshing and I think she balances out Katrina really well when she’s going through some of her rougher moments, and while Noah can be very stubborn and grumpy, he’s definitely a softie with Kenzie and seems to really care for Katrina and Milo in his own way. I appreciated that the side characters were actually given the attention they deserved and the ability to grow along with Katrina and Milo and I really hope that they make an appearance together again.

The events of the story are incredibly trying on these characters in different ways and they all have things they have to deal with. By the end of the book, you’ll basically be reading about entirely new characters with how much they change on their journey, and I’m so excited to continue following the story of these wonderful characters in the next book! Also, there’s a surprise character comeback that had me yelling louder than Elizabeth Swann screaming FIRAR and that is all I will say.

Writing:

I’m big on writing. Obviously. If it’s difficult to stay focused or really feel like I’m getting invested in the world and the story as a whole, I’m going to struggle. But reading On Twisting Tides (or really Val E. Lane’s writing as a whole because I felt this way about From Tormented Tides as well) feels effortless. I jokingly compared the writing to the call of a siren to a weary sailor lost at sea, but it’s a good comparison. There’s just something about her writing that will draw you in and make you want to read for hours on end. The way she weaves the story together with these highs and lows seems almost like it comes naturally for her. This series is like a wave: the crest of the story is full of action and excitement that makes you want to stay up until the wee hours of the night reading. And the trough of the story is calm and emotional and character driven and makes you cry your eyes out because of how wonderfully written the calmer moments of the story are. I’m in awe of how she balances out those emotional moments with the high stakes scenes so well. I enjoy character driven stories and plot driven stories, and On Twisting Tides is a fantastic showcase of how to blend those two together into one book that you’ll continue thinking about long after you’ve finished the final page. I think it’s safe to say that I’m hooked on Val’s writing and will absolutely read anything she writes.

On Twisting Tides is exactly what you look for when you pick up a sequel. The plot is so exciting and has moments of heart racing action and heart wrenching emotion, the characters feel realistic and go through their own unique journey of growth, and the writing is addictive and will have you reading until the early morning hours. I could not have asked for a better continuation of a story that I love so dearly, and I’m more than happy to say this was one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given a book.

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WWW Wednesday: 22 March 2023

adalyn grace 12:00:00 PM

Hi hello and welcome to my first WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words. This is a really fun and easy weekly post where you answer the three W’s: what are you currently reading, what did you recently finish reading, and what do you think you’ll read next? Let’s get started!
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What are you currently reading?

I'm currently reading an ARC of On Twisting Tides by Val E. Lane and I'm loving it so far! From Tormented Tides was so good and was one of my favorite books I read in 2022, so getting the opportunity to read an ARC of the sequel is incredibly exciting. If you like Pirates of the Caribbean, this is absolutely the book for you. This series is full of lyrical writing that will hook you like a siren song and won't let go until you're emotional as can be and realizing you've finished the book.

What did you recently finish reading?

I finished That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming! I had such a fun time reading it and I really think if you're looking for a refreshing take on the fantasy and romance genres, pick this series up. It's more along the lines of fantasy rom-com and I know that might sound odd but it works so well! The world is fantastic, the characters are so loveable, and the writing isn't what you'd expect from a fantasy book. It's modern fantasy, if that makes sense? I love how different it is than other books that I've read in those genres. Also, I found out the author draws her own covers which is just amazing!

What do you think you'll read next?

Okay, I know that Belladonna by Adalyn Grace wasn't on my Spring TBR but this keeps popping up on TikTok and it has been on my regular TBR for a long time. Plus, it is a springy cover with all the flowers, right? Never mind the fact that they're possibly poisonous flowers. I'm just obsessed with the cover and apparently the sequel, Foxglove, comes out in August so this seems like a good time to read the first book just in case I really enjoy it and want to read the second book!
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And that does it for this WWW Wednesday! I'm such a fan of this weekly post because I'm already doing better with keeping up with my reading. This post really allows me to see how my reading "plans" change weekly because one week I could say I'm going to read one book, and then completely change it the next! How is your reading week going? What's something you're currently reading or planning on picking up soon? Were you introduced to any new books with this post? I'd love to know so please feel free to leave me a comment down below! Don't forget to visit Taking On a World of Words and see Sam's post for the week, and maybe check out some others awesome weekly posts from the comments!
Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the next chapter!

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The Invisible Life of Addie Larue Special Editions

#irememberaddie 8:00:00 AM

Hi hello and welcome to an impromptu but still exciting post! With the announcement of V.E. Schwab going on tour for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and also to celebrate Addie's birthday, I wanted to do a post about all of the amazing and different editions of the book. There are so many editions out in the world and I am someone who likes to collect all of them, even ones in languages that I can't read! I hope that this post can include as many editions that I'm aware of and can maybe help someone discover one that they may not have known existed. I don't have every edition of Addie (yet) so I'll be pulling some photos that I've found and there will be links to where I found them, just in case you'd like to check out the original posts. Let's get started!
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We'll start first with the ARCs or the Advance Reader Copies. These are copies of the book that are sent out for review prior to publication.

US ARC

Image from Lost in Pages

??? ARC (I'm unsure where this was released so if you know, let me know!)

Image from @recitrachel on Twitter

There is also a white cover ARC with a ring on the front but finding photos of that edition is very difficult. So, if anyone has a copy they wouldn't mind sharing photos of, please let me know!

AUS ARC

Image from Happy Indulgence

UK ARC (another one I am unsure of, but I believe this is the UK one)

Image from my personal collection

Now, let's move on to the standard copies of Addie! These are the editions that came out when the book was first released on 06 October 2020.

US edition

Image from my personal collection

UK first edition with light blue sprayed edges
(later editions had the same cover, and no light blue sprayed edges)
Image from Bookaliciousmy

Are you ready for some beautiful editions with different covers and sprayed edges?! These are editions that came out with various bookish companies and/or book boxes.

Book of the Month
(I believe there are two versions: one with shiny gold lettering, and one with normal gold lettering)
Image from Reviews by Chloe

Books and Beyond
(This is a UK first printing with blue sprayed edges and an exclusive dust jacket)

Image from Beautiful Books
(I have this page saved as a reference for my own collecting needs and it also inspired me to make this post so please go check it out! Daisy did an amazing job at collecting images and explaining all of the editions, and even includes links to purchase locations if available. Please go show them some love!)

The Big Book Box
(Normal UK edition with an exclusive dust jacket)

Image from Beautiful Books

Fox and Wit
(mine is just a dust jacket on top of a standard edition and I'm unsure if they had a special edition book or if it was just the dust jacket)

Image from my personal collection

Owlcrate
(this is a naked hardback with an embossed design on the front and back)

Image from my personal collection

Waterstones
(slightly varied UK jacket, embossed Addie and tree design on the cover, and sprayed gold edges)

Image from my personal collection

Forbidden Planet
(beautiful blue-themed jacket, embossed Addie with constellations design on the cover, and sprayed blue edges)

Image from my personal collection

Illumicrate
(beautiful black-themed jacket, embossed Addie and Luc with tree design under the cover, artwork of Addie and Luc on the endpapers, and sprayed black edges)

Image from my personal collection

Time for some of the amazing anniversary editions that were released to celebrate Addie having been out in the world for one year!

Illustrated Anniversary Edition
(UK edition white & silver jacket, forget-me-nots embossed on the cover, sprayed edges with forget-me-nots, fan art throughout, beautiful art on end pages)

Image from my personal collection

Standard special edition
(US edition blue cover, six pieces of fan art, note from the author)

Image from my personal collection

Barnes & Noble exclusive special edition
(US edition red cover, six pieces of fan art, note from the author)

Image from my personal collection

On top of the hardbacks, there are some paperback editions with some really pretty covers!

Export paperback edition

(I've found 2 different editions so I'm assuming they've just changed/updated the cover?)

Images from Amazon & Book Depository

UK paperback

Image from Book Depository

Barnes & Noble exclusive paperback

Image from Barnes & Noble

US paperback

Image from Barnes & Noble

And some of my all-time favorites: foreign editions! These have some of the most incredible covers I have ever seen and I love them.

Lumen edition (paperback)
(French edition with a semi-transparent cover that shows Addie underneath)

Image from my personal collection

Lumen Collector's Edition (hardcover)
(French edition with a reversible cover similar to the paperback edition with Addie's face)

Image from Amazon UK

German edition

Image from my personal collection

Hungarian edition

Image from Goodreads

Bulgarian edition

Image from Goodreads

Ukrainian edition

Image from Goodreads

Dutch Boekerij limited edition

Image from Goodreads

Russian edition

Image from Goodreads

Greek edition

Image from Goodreads

Persian edition

Image from Goodreads

Vietnamese edition

Image from Goodreads

Chinese edition

Image from Goodreads
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And that about does it for this post! This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time and I figured the perfect time to do it was to celebrate Addie's birthday. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue means so much to me in so many ways and it's a book that I will never get tired of talking about. It helped me through trying to navigate my life post-cancer and it has stuck with me ever since I finished reading it for the first time. This post is a round-up of some of my favorite editions of Addie, but it's also a love letter to this book that has impacted my life in the best way possible. It's also a thank you to V.E. Schwab for sharing this amazing character with the world and for continuing to write stories that transport readers to fantastical places and creating characters you can't help but fall in love with. Thank you for Addie, and I can't wait to read whatever comes next.

If you have any favorite editions of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue that I didn't include, please let me know! I'm always on the lookout for more editions to keep on my radar and to add to my collection, so I would love to add them to this post. I would love to know what your favorite edition is so let me know in the comments below! I'm a huge fan of the Ukrainian edition and the Greek edition, myself. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the next chapter!

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The Invisible Life of Addie Larue Special Editions

We'll start first with the ARCs or the Advance Reader Copies. These are copies of the book that are sent out for review prior to publication.

Now, let's move on to the standard copies of Addie! These are the editions that came out when the book was first released on 06 October 2020.

Are you ready for some beautiful editions with different covers and sprayed edges?! These are editions that came out with various bookish companies and/or book boxes.

Time for some of the amazing anniversary editions that were released to celebrate Addie having been out in the world for one year!

On top of the hardbacks, there are some paperback editions with some really pretty covers!

And some of my all-time favorites: foreign editions! These have some of the most incredible covers I have ever seen and I love them.

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