Tags

Tag Time |The Greek Gods Book Tag

TagTimel12:17This tag is way overdo and I apologies for that. I was tagged by the wonderful Zoë, go check her out. I was really excited about being tagged because I have always loved mythology and I have read many stories about the Greek Gods since I was little. I remember always going to the library and eyeing up the books always wanting to take the same one out.

The Rules

  • Pingback to Zuky here so she can read all your posts!
  • You can use her graphics if you like, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.
  • Tag as many people as you want, but please share the love.

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Little Women

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott has been my favorite book for some time. I remember reading it for the first time when I was about 10, maybe even younger. But, I really

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Image result for Minerva McGonagall

I think one of the most strong badass female characters would have to be Professor Minerva McGonagall. She has no problem standing up to anyone and does not take anyones nonsense. She is smart, strong, and a you can tell she really cares about her students.

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The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert was one of the best books I have read this year. It took few turns I didn’t expects and it was truly a roller coaster ride. I loved how the author incorporated the fairytale elements and blended them together very well. I read this book in a single day.

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The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt

The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles is my favorite nonfiction that I recommend to those who really love US History, History of Economics, or just a story of someone who was able to go against the status quo and build their lives up to something amazing. It is well written and throughout. I like how it talked about what was going on in the country and the world at the time to give his story more context.

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Jackaby (Jackaby, #1)

One book I always recommend to people is Jackaby by William Ritter. It is a wonderfully magical story filled with monsters, ghouls, and other creatures. Ritter entwines aspects of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes to create a wonderful main character who is helped by a smart and strong woman who is extremely brave.

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The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan, this book was pretentious and badly written. I even passed it on to someone else to see if it was just me. My friend read it as well and they couldn’t even manage to finish it.

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Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, it was one of the best books I have read. It is brutally honest in a way that I think a lot of people could benefit from reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

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Lincoln in the Bardo

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders is one of the most beautiful book covers I have on my shelf. The picture is a beautiful landscape and the colors used are a wonderful array of blues. It is almost calming even though this is a beautifully treat breaking story.

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Lying in Wait

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent is a book I devoured in a day. Liz Nugent is one of my favorite authors, her thrillers will leave you on the edge of your seat even though you know exactly where some of her story are going because she tells you right at the beginning. Not only are the plot twists great, but the entire story line has been amazing.

I Tag

Amy

Jenna

Reg

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Lists & Recommendations

#Blogoween | Top 5 Thriller Books

Blogoween

Prompt:

Friday 19th: Top 5 Thriller Books
Which 5 Thriller books do you love and why?

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent

Lying in Wait

Lying in Wait is one of my favorite thriller I have read this year. Even though you know who the murderer is as soon as you pick up this book. You are still surprised why what happened in this novel. The characters are rich and their personalities are distinct. The human nature that is explored in this domestic thriller are just jaw dropping. I wrote an entire review on this novel, REVIEW | Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

The Death of Mrs. Westaway

Ruth Ware is an amazing author, of all the books I read by her only one was not a 5 star read. The Death of Mrs. Westaway was atmospheric and in a way reminded me of Shirley Jackson. It tells the story of a young women who is desperate for money and ends up in a very interesting situation. You question what is and is not real and you absolutely feel for the character. It is surprising and wonderfully written from page one to the end. I wrote an entire review, you can read it here: REVIEW | The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent

Unraveling Oliver

Unraveling Oliver is the novel that started my love of Liz Nugent. Her writing is just mesmerizing. This novel was shocking and showed a disturbing side that can be hidden inside human nature. I also loved the rich characters that were in here, which some were horrible people with no redeemable characteristics, others were just amazing with their compassion. This is really an amazing thriller and I know I will be rereading this book in he future.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

The Grownup

This super short thriller is one of my favorites for a few reasons. The first being it really knocked you off your feet. This short story went into a direction I did not believe, I did not think that type of surprise would be possible with so few pages. The second reason is because it is the perfect size. It is a bite sized thriller and I think it is perfect to read if you are thinking about getting into this genre of books.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

The Woman in Cabin 10

The Woman in Cabin 10 was the first real thriller I can remember reading and it made me very much excited to read more. While this is not the only Ruth Ware on this list, it is something special. Not only does this book have a very interesting setting, on a boat in international waters, it also has some interesting characters. While I read this novel I got Clue vibes, the entire time I was trying to think of the murder weapon and who committed the crime. Also, the ending made me so excited because I truly started to feel for a character I did not think I would care about. For an author to change my few as much as she did, was amazing.

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* I received The Death of Mrs. Westaway and Lying in Wait from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What is your favorite thriller?

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Lists & Recommendations

Recommendations | Fall Books 2018

RecsSince the start of September, I have been wanting to share my favorite books I love to read in the fall. This time of the year I start to read more and hide away inside as the weather gets colder. The following books I think are perfect to read this time of year.

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Little Women and Other Novels by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women and Other Novels

If you have been reading my blog for any time at all you will know that I love the Little Women series by Louisa May Alcott. Reading this series is like going home for me. It is cozy, warm, and full of love.

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Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Practical Magic

While this novel is something I only read a few months ago, it has become one I really enjoy and I see myself rereading. When I was younger I would rewatch the movie adaptation of this novel a bunch of times in the fall so I see this as a perfect Fall read. Also, if you watched the movie, this is actually very different, but very good.

DividerLying in Wait by Liz Nugent

Lying in Wait

Lying in Wait is such an atmospheric novel, it is creepy, dark, and almost cold. It is a wonderful thriller. Liz Nugent has easily become one of my favorite authors when it comes to thrillers. Her writing style is very refreshing and different than others of her genera. If you want to know more about this specific book I write a review you can find here:REVIEW | Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent.

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The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

The Haunting of Hill House

The Haunting of Hill House is one of my favorite, if not my favorite horror novels. It is more psychological and leaves a lot of the monsters and surprises to your own imagination. I feel like that makes this novel so much more impactful. This is another novel that is atmospheric, you feel the story starting light and airy like Summer and it slowly morphs into something else. Just like Summer turns into Fall.

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The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff

The Witches: Salem, 1692

While this is a non-fiction account of the events of the Salem witch trials, I think it is best to read in the Fall. The reason I see this is because I find that I always want to read more about dark periods of history this time of the year. I am not sure why, but I think it is because the days are getting darker and I want to read more intense reads. I will point out that this nonfictions read like a novel, it is not just a list of facts strung together. I think it is perfect for those who want to read more nonfiction, but tend to become bored or bogged down by these types of books.

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Wrap Up

Wrap Up | June 2018

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We are officially more than halfway through the year, I am in awe of how fast time is going. This month I am happy to say I read or started books I have been putting off for some time. My reading was very much all over the place ranging from children’s classics to horror. Each book I wrote a little tiny blurb about my feelings, some have more written than others, but none left me unhappy and I did not DNF one book this month. Without any more delay, here is what I read in the month of June!

Books I Finished

Your Soul is a River by Nikita Gill

Your Soul is a River
This was one of the best poetry collections I have ever read, it was wonderful and the imagery used was outstanding.

The Universe Has Your Backby Gabrielle Bernstein

The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith
This was not bad at all, but it was an average self help book. I didn’t really take anything much away from it, but I can see this being good for individuals who have never read a self help book.

Perdy Volume 1 by Kickliy

Perdy Volume 1

This graphic novel is very crude, mature audiences only. I found myself laughing throughout.

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

A Little Princess

Very adorable story, at times it was heart breaking. I will admit the writing style was not my favorite, but I enjoyed the plot.

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent

Lying in Wait

I loved this thriller! If you want to see all of my thoughts, you can check out my full review: REVIEW | Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent.

In the Days of Rain: A Daughter, a Father, a Cult by Rebecca Stott

In the Days of Rain: A Daughter, a Father, a Cult

This was such a wonderful story to hear. I loved how this novel didn’t just tell the story of one, but the story of a family and their collective story. If you are looking for a non-fiction biography/memoir you should look into this book.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

The Pillars of the Earth

I finally did it, I finished this novel! I ended up very much enjoying it, the characters felt so real and I found myself really connected to them. I will warn you this historical fiction novel is very realistic to the point where many crimes that were sadly very common back during this time period are depicted such as rape, assault, and more. If this is not a problem for you I highly suggest picking this up.

 

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I am Still Reading

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

NOS4A2

I am currently reading this book with ___________. So far I am enjoying this novel so much more than I originally though I would. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Anna Karenina

I am slowly making my way through this classic, I am very much enjoying it. It reads a lot easier than I have previously anticipate and the story line, at least so far, see like one that it timeless. I am so happy I finally got to reading this classic.

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What was the best book you read this month?

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Reviews

REVIEW | Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent

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Lying in Wait* I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Description

My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.

On the surface, Lydia Fitzsimons has the perfect life—wife of a respected, successful judge, mother to a beloved son, mistress of a beautiful house in Dublin. That beautiful house, however, holds a secret. And when Lydia’s son, Laurence, discovers its secret, wheels are set in motion that lead to an increasingly claustrophobic and devastatingly dark climax. -goodreads.com

What I Liked

 

Liz Nugent is well on her way to becoming one of my favorite authors. Not only did I love Unraveling Oliver, I also think she did an amazing job while writing Lying in Wait. In this novel I felt that I was utterly shocked and surprised throughout, even with knowing who killed Ammie Doyle right from the description. I would never have thought it was possible, but Nugent has pulled it off.

I was so engaged in this novel I read the last 75% without pulling it down. I needed to know what would happen next. I think a main part of this was due to the fact that the story she has woven has so many aspects. When you think there is just one thing happening, there turns out to be so much more. She ties that characters and their together so well, so much more than I would have originally thought. Seeing this and the plot progress in such a suspenseful manner really kept me engaged.

Nugent uses multiple points of views to tell her story. I thought that was a very wise choice and it was executed very well. At first I was confused by the amount of voices and I could not really see how they were related, but soon enough it was made clear. Once these were firmly established and the plot “took off” each point of view distinct and added something essential to the story.

Another thing I really loved about this was the fact that the “monster” is so much more than I originally thought. But, I wont say anymore because I don’t want to spoil anything.

 

What I Didn’t Like

One thing I noticed and mentioned earlier was that this novel is told in many different perspectives. This was also done in her novel Unraveling Oliver, which I loved, but for some reason I found to have a bit more difficulty with this novel. But, as soon as the novel truly got going each voice was distinct and was no longer an issue. So this issue resolved itself quickly.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I think this is a great thriller. It kept my on the edge of my seat to the point I binged on the last 75% of this book. The writing was done very well, the use of multiple perspectives was spot on and the overall plot was great. If you like thrillers or think you want to try a thriller out, I would highly suggest Lying in Wait.

5stars

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Author Links

Liz Nugent

 

website: http://www.liznugent.ie

Twitter: @lizzienugent

Facebook: facebook.com/liz.nugent.399

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Book Information

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Publication Date: June 12th 2018

List Price: $26.00

ISBN: 9781501167775

Pages: 320 pages

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* I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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To Be Read

June TBR | 2018

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I am not sure about you, but the entire time I was creating my TBR for this month I just kept thinking about summer time and reading on the beach. June is the time of year I think about relaxing and when I tend to do most of my reading so this TBR is going to be a bit longer than it has been in the last few. The first book I will admit is a carry over from last month, but the rest are all new.

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In the Days of Rain by Rebecca Stott

In the Days of Rain

I really want to get to this non-fiction book, it seems so interesting.

In the vein of Bad Blood and Why be Happy when you can be Normal?: an enthralling, at times shocking, and deeply personal family memoir of growing up in, and breaking away from, a fundamentalist Christian cult.

‘At university when I made new friends and confidantes, I couldn’t explain how I’d become a teenage mother, or shoplifted books for years, or why I was afraid of the dark and had a compulsion to rescue people, without explaining about the Brethren or the God they made for us, and the Rapture they told us was coming. But then I couldn’t really begin to talk about the Brethren without explaining about my father…’

As Rebecca Stott’s father lay dying he begged her to help him write the memoir he had been struggling with for years. He wanted to tell the story of their family, who, for generations had all been members of a fundamentalist Christian sect. Yet, each time he reached a certain point, he became tangled in a thicket of painful memories and could not go on.

The sect were a closed community who believed the world is ruled by Satan: non-sect books were banned, women were made to wear headscarves and those who disobeyed the rules were punished.

Rebecca was born into the sect, yet, as an intelligent, inquiring child she was always asking dangerous questions. She would discover that her father, an influential preacher, had been asking them too, and that the fault-line between faith and doubt had almost engulfed him. -goodreads.com

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Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent

Lying in Wait

I read Unraveling Oliver by her and I loved it so much. I was so excited when I saw it on Netgalley and then I was so surprised and excited to get approved for the eARC. I have a feeling this is going to be the first one I finish this month.

My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.

On the surface, Lydia Fitzsimons has the perfect life—wife of a respected, successful judge, mother to a beloved son, mistress of a beautiful house in Dublin. That beautiful house, however, holds a secret. And when Lydia’s son, Laurence, discovers its secret, wheels are set in motion that lead to an increasingly claustrophobic and devastatingly dark climax. – goodreads.com

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All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Saundra Mitchell

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages

The title alone makes me want to read this. Then there is the description!

Take a journey through time and genres and discover a past where queer figures live, love and shape the world around them. Seventeen of the best young adult authors across the queer spectrum have come together to create a collection of beautifully written diverse historical fiction for teens.

From a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood set in war-torn 1870s Mexico featuring a transgender soldier, to two girls falling in love while mourning the death of Kurt Cobain, forbidden love in a sixteenth-century Spanish convent or an asexual girl discovering her identity amid the 1970s roller-disco scene, All Out tells a diverse range of stories across cultures, time periods and identities, shedding light on an area of history often ignored or forgotten. -goodreads.com

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The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

The Wicked Deep

I got this for my birthday and I read the description and I just want to read it ASAP!

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself. – goodreads.com

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What are you reading this month?

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