Happy Book Birthday To… (#78)

“Happy Book Birthday To…” is a feature I created in April 2015 to showcase books that have just been released. The purpose of the posts is to celebrate book releases and share my excitement for them. These posts won’t be made on a regular schedule (like once a week, once a month, etc). Instead, they will be made whenever a lot of books on my TBR are being released on one day and/or when a highly anticipated book from my TBR is released. To find the links to my previous Book Birthday posts, go here.

---

A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Series: N/A

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 320

Synopsis: It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

 

---

Home and Away

Author: Candice Montgomerey

Series: N/A

Publisher: Page Street Publishing

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 384

Synopsis: Tasia Quirk is young, Black, and fabulous. She’s a senior, she’s got great friends, and a supportive and wealthy family. She even plays football as the only girl on her private high school’s team.

But when she catches her mamma trying to stuff a mysterious box in the closet, her identity is suddenly called into question. Now Tasia’s determined to unravel the lies that have overtaken her life. Along the way, she discovers what family and forgiveness really mean, and that her answers don’t come without a fee. An artsy bisexual boy from the Valley could help her find them—but only if she stops fighting who she is, beyond the color of her skin.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Are either of these books on your TBR? If yes, which one are you most excited about? Let me know down in the comments!

Happy Book Birthday To… (#77)

“Happy Book Birthday To…” is a feature I created in April 2015 to showcase books that have just been released. The purpose of the posts is to celebrate book releases and share my excitement for them. These posts won’t be made on a regular schedule (like once a week, once a month, etc). Instead, they will be made whenever a lot of books on my TBR are being released on one day and/or when a highly anticipated book from my TBR is released. To find the links to my previous Book Birthday posts, go here.

---

Beneath the Citadel

Author: Destiny Soria

Series: N/A

Publisher: Amulet

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 480

Synopsis: In the city of Eldra, people are ruled by ancient prophecies. For centuries, the high council has stayed in power by virtue of the prophecies of the elder seers. After the last infallible prophecy came to pass, growing unrest led to murders and an eventual rebellion that raged for more than a decade.
 


In the present day, Cassa, the orphaned daughter of rebels, is determined to fight back against the high council, which governs Eldra from behind the walls of the citadel. Her only allies are no-nonsense Alys, easygoing Evander, and perpetually underestimated Newt, and Cassa struggles to come to terms with the legacy of rebellion her dead parents have left her — and the fear that she may be inadequate to shoulder the burden. But by the time Cassa and her friends uncover the mystery of the final infallible prophecy, it may be too late to save the city — or themselves.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

What If It’s Us

Authors: Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Series: N/A

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 448

Synopsis: Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.

Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.

But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?

What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?

What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?

But what if it is?

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Odd One Out

Author: Nic Stone

Series: N/A

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 320

Synopsis: Courtney “Coop” Cooper: Dumped. Again. And normally I wouldn’t mind. But right now, my best friend and source of solace, Jupiter Sanchez, is ignoring me to text some girl. 

Rae Evelyn Chin: I assumed “new girl” would be synonymous with “pariah,” but Jupiter and Courtney make me feel like I’m right where I belong. I also want to kiss him. And her. Which is … perplexing.

Jupiter Charity-Sanchez: The only thing worse than losing the girl you love to a boy is losing her to your boy. That means losing him, too. I have to make a move…

One story. Three sides. No easy answers.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Are any of these books on your TBR? If yes, which one(s) are you most excited about? Let me know down in the comments!

 

Happy Book Birthday To… (#76)

“Happy Book Birthday To…” is a feature I created in April 2015 to showcase books that have just been released. The purpose of the posts is to celebrate book releases and share my excitement for them. These posts won’t be made on a regular schedule (like once a week, once a month, etc). Instead, they will be made whenever a lot of books on my TBR are being released on one day and/or when a highly anticipated book from my TBR is released. To find the links to my previous Book Birthday posts, go here.

---

The Spy with the Red Balloon

Author: Katherine Locke

Series: The Balloonmakers #2

Publisher: Albert Whitman Company

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Pages: 368

Synopsis: Siblings Ilse and Wolf hide a deep secret in their blood: with it, they can work magic. And the government just found out. Blackmailed into service during World War II, Ilse lends her magic to America’s newest weapon, the atom bomb, while Wolf goes behind enemy lines to sabotage Germany’s nuclear program. It’s a dangerous mission, but if Hitler were to create the bomb first, the results would be catastrophic.

When Wolf’s plane is shot down, his entire mission is thrown into jeopardy. Wolf needs Ilse’s help to develop the magic that will keep him alive, but with a spy afoot in Ilse’s laboratory, the letters she sends to Wolf begin to look treasonous. Can Ilse prove her loyalty—and find a way to help her brother—before their time runs out?

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Sawkill Girls

Author: Claire Legrand

Series: N/A

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Horror

Pages: 447

Synopsis: Who are the Sawkill Girls?

Marion: the new girl. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she’s sure she’ll never find.

Zoey: the pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she’s broken—or maybe everyone else is.

Val: the queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives, a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.

Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires.

Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight… until now.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy

Author: Mackenzi Lee

Series: Montague Siblings #2

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Pages: 512

Synopsis: Felicity Montague is through with pretending she prefers society parties to books about bone setting—or that she’s not smarter than most people she knows, or that she cares about anything more than her dream of becoming a doctor.

A year after an accidentally whirlwind tour of Europe, which she spent evading highwaymen and pirates with her brother Monty, Felicity has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of Callum Doyle, a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh; and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

But then a small window of hope opens. Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to opening old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip.

Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Are any of these books on your TBR? If yes, which one(s) are you most excited about? Let me know down in the comments!

 

Happy Book Birthday To… (#75)

“Happy Book Birthday To…” is a feature I created in April 2015 to showcase books that have just been released. The purpose of the posts is to celebrate book releases and share my excitement for them. These posts won’t be made on a regular schedule (like once a week, once a month, etc). Instead, they will be made whenever a lot of books on my TBR are being released on one day and/or when a highly anticipated book from my TBR is released. To find the links to my previous Book Birthday posts, go here.

---

Escaping from Houdini

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper #3

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery

Pages: 416

Synopsis: Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea.

It’s up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer’s horrifying finale?

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens

Edited By: Marieke Nijkamp

Series: N/A

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Genre: Young Adult, Anthology, Short Stories, Contemporary

Pages: 320

Synopsis: A YA Anthology of short stories featuring disabled teens, written by #OwnVoices disabled authors. The stories reflect a range of genres and disabilities; contributors include William Alexander, Fox Benwell, Keah Brown, Dhonielle Clayton, Corinne Duyvis, Heidi Heilig, Kody Keplinger, Katherine Locke, Marieke Nijkamp, Karuna Riazi, Francisco X. Stork, Kayla Whaley, and Kristine Wyllys.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

The Storm Runner

Author: J.C. Cervantes

Series: The Storm Runner #1

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 448

Synopsis: Zane has always enjoyed exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico, even though hiking it is challenging. He’d much rather hang out there with his dog, Rosie, than go to middle school, where kids call him Sir Limps a Lot, McGimpster, or Uno—for his one good leg. What Zane doesn’t know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world and he is at the center of a powerful prophecy. A new girl at school, Brooks, informs him that he’s destined to release an evil god from the ancient Maya relic he is imprisoned in—unless she can find and remove it first.

Together they return to the volcano, where all kinds of crazy happens. Brooks turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them in a cave, and Rosie gives her all while trying to protect Zane. When Zane decides to save his dog no matter the cost, he is thrust into an adventure full of surprising discoveries, dangerous secrets, and an all-out war between the gods, one of whom happens to be his father. To survive, Zane will have to become the Storm Runner. But how can he run when he can’t even walk well without a cane?

Feisty heroes, tricky gods, murderous demons, and spirited giants are just some of the pleasures that await in this fresh and funny take on Maya mythology, as rich and delicious as a mug of authentic hot chocolate.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Are any of these books on your TBR? If yes, which one(s) are you most excited about? Let me know down in the comments!

 

Happy Book Birthday To… (#74)

“Happy Book Birthday To…” is a feature I created in April 2015 to showcase books that have just been released. The purpose of the posts is to celebrate book releases and share my excitement for them. These posts won’t be made on a regular schedule (like once a week, once a month, etc). Instead, they will be made whenever a lot of books on my TBR are being released on one day and/or when a highly anticipated book from my TBR is released. To find the links to my previous Book Birthday posts, go here.

---

Summer Bird Blue

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman

Series: N/A

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 368

Synopsis: Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying she doesn’t have the answers to everything. What to eat, where to go, whom to love. But there is one thing she is absolutely sure of—she wants to spend the rest of her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea.

Then Lea dies in a car accident, and her mother sends her away to live with her aunt in Hawaii while she deals with her own grief. Now thousands of miles from home, Rumi struggles to navigate the loss of her sister, being abandoned by her mother, and the absence of music in her life.

With the help of the “boys next door”—a teenage surfer named Kai, who smiles too much and doesn’t take anything seriously, and an eighty-year-old named George Watanabe, who succumbed to his own grief years ago—Rumi attempts to find her way back to her music, to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Happy Book Birthday to Akemi’s newest novel! Is this book on your TBR? Let me know down in the comments!

 

July & August Wrap Up

Hi everyone! Welcome to September. I don’t know about you all, but I’m so excited fall is almost here! Fall is my absolute favorite season and I can’t wait for the cooler weather and being able to wear sweaters and boots all the time!

I’m so sorry I haven’t been as active on my blog lately. I’m going to try to work harder at getting back into the swing of blogging. Fortunately, however, I was really in the reading mood these past two months! In July I was able to finish 6 books and a total of 2,166 pages (which includes the pages I read of the books I DNF’d and started but didn’t finish). And in August I was able to finish a whopping 10 books and a total of 3,825 pages (which includes the pages I read of the book I put on hold). I’m so pleasantly surprised that I was able to read that much!! Hopefully I’ll continue to read a lot in the months to come.

---

Books Read in July

• Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson – 3.25 stars
• All the Rage by Courtney Summers – 2.5 stars
• The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding – 4 stars

• Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts – 4 stars
• Pointe by Brandy Colbert – 3.5 stars
• My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows – 4 stars

Book I DNF’d in July

• Tradition by Brendan Kiely – DNF at 44%

I DNF’d this book because I just couldn’t connect with it and I didn’t really have much interest in continuing it. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad book – it just wasn’t for me.

Book I Started But Didn’t Finish in July

• Furyborn by Claire Legrand

I was only able to read 35 pages of this book before July ended because I started it on the last day of the month. But keep scrolling and you’ll see it featured below!

---

Books Read in August

• Furyborn by Claire Legrand – 3.75 stars
• From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon – 3.75 stars
• Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson – 2.5 stars

• Save the Date by Morgan Matson – 4 stars
• Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed – 4 stars

• The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka – 3.5 stars
• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (reread) – 4 stars
• Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (reread) – 4 stars

• Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake – 4 stars
• Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson – 4 stars

Book I Put On Hold in August

• Unbroken edited by Marieke Nijkamp – Put on hold at 40%

I read just over 120 pages of this anthology but I wasn’t super invested in it so I decided to put it on hold. I definitely plan on picking it back up sometime in the near future!

---

Reading Challenge Progress

This year I’m participating in four reading challenges! To track my progress, I have a page on my blog but I would also like to share monthly progress updates with you all. That being said, each monthly wrap up post will include updates on my progress in the four reading challenges I signed up for. For more information on the reading challenges mentioned below, click here.

1. Goodreads Reading Challenge

My Goal: Read 50 books (COMPLETED IN AUGUST!)

Completed in July: 6 books

Completed in August: 10 books

Completed in 2018: 53 books

2. Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge

My Goal: Read 18 backlist books (COMPLETED!)

Completed in July: 3 books

Completed in August: 4 books

Completed in 2018: 30 books

3. Library Love Challenge

My Goal: Read 36 library books (COMPLETED IN AUGUST!)

Completed in July: 5 books

Completed in August: 6 books

Completed in 2018: 41 books

4. Brooke’s Books Reading Challenge

My Goal: Complete all 30 prompts

Completed in July: 1 prompt

Completed in August: 1 prompt

Completed in 2018: 27 prompts

Prompts Completed:

• Read a book that’s been on your shelves for 2+ years
• Read a book you bought or received in 2018

---

Have you been able to read a lot in the last two months? Let me know down in the comments and/or link me to your wrap up post! I’d love to find out what you’ve read!

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag: 2018 Edition

Hey everyone and welcome to another tag post! I haven’t done one of these in awhile. I know it’s a bit late for this tag since it’s all about being mid-year and that was technically last month, but I still wanted to do this tag. I first did this tag last year (click here to see that post) and I had a lot of fun doing it so I decided to do it again this year. This tag was originally created by ReadLikeWildfire and elyjayne on Youtube. All book titles mentioned below link to Goodreads. Let’s get started!

---

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2018

I had to go with two books for this question: The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed and Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro – my only 5 star reads so far this year. Both books center around heavy topics and are wonderfully written. I was captivated by both of these books and I highly recommend them!

However, I suggest you first check out the following content warnings for each of the books before picking them up. The Nowhere Girls: rape, sexual and physical assault, sexual harassment, panic attacks. Anger Is a Gift: police brutality, racism, murder, death of a loved one, violence, riots, panic attacks, misgendering.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2018

I’m going to answer with two books for this question as well – Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff and Chainbreaker by Tara Sim. These were both fantastic sequels!! I definitely recommend you check out both of these series!

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

Save the Date by Morgan Matson was the first book to come to mind! This book was just published last month but I’m bummed I haven’t been able to read it yet. I’m waiting for my hold on it to come in at the library and then I’ll be diving right in! I’ve loved all of Morgan’s past books and I’m super excited to read this one!

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

Oh wow, I’m super excited for a lot of new releases in the second half of the year but I’ll only name a few: Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman, Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco, and The Spy with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke.

5. Biggest disappointment

Two books I read this year were both pretty disappointing: Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian and All the Rage by Courtney Summers. I was expecting to enjoy these two books a lot more than I ended up enjoying them. I rated both of them 2.5 out of 5 stars.

6. Biggest surprise

When I started The Nowhere Girls, my first book of 2018, I had no idea it would also be my first 5 star read of the year as well so that was definitely a surprise! I ended up enjoying it so, so much (as you can tell since it’s my answer for question #1).

7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

I’ve read a book by this author before but after reading her newest novel, Girl Made of Stars, I’d have to say Ashley Herring Blake is a new favorite author! The writing in this book was just so beautiful and I enjoyed it so much! I’ll definitely be reading anything Ashley writes next!

8. Newest fictional crush

Uhhhh, no one?

9. Newest favorite cover

Here are three of my favorite covers of books I’ve read so far this year. From left to right: Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles, Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan, and Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi.

10. Book that made you cry

I think I’ve mentioned this before but I very rarely cry at books (movies too), but I started crying while reading The Nowhere Girls – only because one of the main characters was having a panic attack and her dog was being super sweet. Yeah, I definitely cry when animals do cute things!

11. Book that made you happy

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows definitely made me happy! While I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as their first book, My Lady Jane, I still really enjoyed it and I loved the silly aspects of it!

12. Favorite book to film adaptation you saw this year

I don’t think I’ve seen any yet! However, I’m looking forward to seeing Love, Simon hopefully sometime soon!

13. Favorite review you’ve written this year

Um. Well. I haven’t written any official review posts so far this year. Oops!

14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought or received so far this year

Since the number of books I’ve gotten this year are extremely limited, I’m going to go with Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff, which has a gorgeous cover! Trust me, it’s even better looking in person on the physical book.

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

I don’t have a specific list of books in mind but I do have 7 books left to read in order to complete my Goodreads Reading Challenge. I set my goal on there to 50 books and at the time of writing this post, I’ve completed 43 books. My personal goal was to read 100 books, but that probably isn’t going to happen.

---

I’m not going to specifically tag anyone but if you want to do this tag, consider yourself tagged by me! Feel free to link your post in the comments below! I would love to see your answers to these questions.

June Wrap Up

Hi everyone! Welcome to another wrap up post. This post won’t be as lengthy as my last wrap up post because I read a lot less in June. I ended up finishing only 3 books and a total of 1,472 pages (which includes the pages of the books I either put on hold or started but didn’t finish.) I really hope I’m able to read more in July!

---

Books Read in June

• Ace of Spades by Amanda Foody – 4 stars
• They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera – 3.25 stars
• Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro – 5 stars

The first book I finished in June was the last book I started in May, Ace of Spades by Amanda Foody. I really enjoyed this book! It was definitely very interesting and exciting to read. The only disappointment is that I wish it had an asexual main character. I mean, it has “ace” in the title so there should definitely be an ace character in the book. However, there is a black bisexual MC so I guess I’ll take what I can get! Still, I really liked the magic system and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next in the series!

The next book I read, They Both Die at the End, has been on my Goodreads TBR for a really long time. I had very mixed feelings about Adam Silvera’s first book, More Happy Than Not, but I still wanted to give his books another go. However, after reading this book, I’m not sure if he’s the author for me. Like last time, I was intrigued by the concept of the book but unable to 100% connect. I don’t know why. However, I did enjoy this book more than More Happy Than Not and I was definitely sad at the ending! I might give Adam Silvera another try sometime in the future but I’m not sure yet.

Lastly, I read my favorite book of the month and definitely a high contender for favorite of the year, Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro. This book was so beautifully and eloquently written and I quickly fell in love with it! The characters were wonderful and so diverse! They were all POC (mainly black and latinx) and most of them were queer. There were gay, lesbian, trans, non-binary, and ace/biromantic characters. It was so casually inclusive and very realistic to real life friend groups! Speaking of friends, Moss had an amazing group of friends. They were so, so supportive of one another and very close! Moss also has anxiety/panic attacks and I loved how well it was handled and how supportive and understanding Moss’s friends were! I loved this book so much and I will probably reread it at some point in the future. However, please keep these content warnings in mind before picking up the book: police brutality, racism, murder, death of a loved one, violence, riots, panic attacks, misgendering.

Book Put On Hold in June

• My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

I put this book on hold after reading about 100 pages of it because it just wasn’t holding my interest at the time. I’ll definitely be picking it up back up sometime in the future though!

Book I Started But Didn’t Finish in June

• Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson

I started reading this book during the last few days of June so I wasn’t able to finish it before the month ended. I did end up reading about 135 pages of it though. I’m still reading it now and I’ll probably be able to finish it in the next day or two. It’s been pretty enjoyable so far and I’m looking forward to seeing how it ends!

---

Reading Challenge Progress

This year I’m participating in four reading challenges! To track my progress, I have a page on my blog but I would also like to share monthly progress updates with you all. That being said, each monthly wrap up post will include updates on my progress in the four reading challenges I signed up for. For more information on the reading challenges mentioned below, click here.

1. Goodreads Reading Challenge

My Goal: Read 50 books

Completed in June: 3 books

Completed in 2018: 37 books

2. Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge

My Goal: Read 18 backlist books (COMPLETED!)

Completed in June: 1 book

Completed in 2018: 23 books

3. Library Love Challenge

My Goal: Read 36 library books

Completed in June: 3 books

Completed in 2018: 30 books

4. Brooke’s Books Reading Challenge

My Goal: Complete all 30 prompts

Completed in June: 1 prompt

Completed in 2018: 25 prompts

Prompts Completed in May:

• Read a book set in a different world

---

Was June a good or bad reading month for you? How many books did you end up reading? Let me know in the comments and/or link me to your monthly wrap up. I would love to see what you read this past month!

Friday Finds #46

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm where you spotlight books that you’ve recently added to your To Be Read list. Shown below are all the books I’ve added to my TBR on Goodreads in the last few months!

---

• Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens edited by Marieke Nijkamp
• Secondhand Origin Stories by Lee Blauersouth

• The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde
• Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean
• I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman

• Odd One Out by Nic Stone
• The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (The Gilded Wolves #1)

• Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
• Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope (Earthsinger Chronicles #1)
• Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan

• Finding Yvonne by Brandy Colbert
• Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

• The Map of Salt and Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar
• Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
• Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3)

• The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan
• The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding

Not Pictured (No Covers):

• Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett
• I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
• Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz
• Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi (Pandava #2)
• Untitled by Roshani Chokshi (Pandava #3)
• Untitled by Roshani Chokshi (Pandava #4)
• Enchantée by Gita Trelease
• The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad
• King of Fools by Amanda Foody (The Shadow Game #2)
• Untitled by Amanda Foody (The Shadow Game #3)

---

What books have you added to your TBR recently? Do we share any of the same books? Comment down below or link me to your Friday Finds post!

Happy Book Birthday To… (#73)

“Happy Book Birthday To…” is a feature I created in April 2015 to showcase books that have just been released. The purpose of the posts is to celebrate book releases and share my excitement for them. These posts won’t be made on a regular schedule (like once a week, once a month, etc). Instead, they will be made whenever a lot of books on my TBR are being released on one day and/or when a highly anticipated book from my TBR is released. To find the links to my previous Book Birthday posts, go here.

---

A Reaper at the Gates

Author: Sabaa Tahir

Series: Ember Quartet (#3)

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 464

Synopsis: Beyond the Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger.

The Blood Shrike, Helene Aquilla, is assailed on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable, while the Commandant capitalizes on his madness to bolster her own power. As Helene searches for a way to hold back the approaching darkness, her sister’s life and the lives of all those in the Empire hang in the balance.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. But while hunting for a way to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would aid her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she’d have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that will stop at nothing to ensure Elias’s devotion–even at the cost of his humanity.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

---

Happy Book Birthday to Sabaa Tahir and her newest novel! Is this book on your TBR? Let me know down in the comments!