2022 End Of The Year Wrap-Up

October 2022 Wrap-Up + Reading Slumps

Hello reader babies!

I know, I'm a broken record at this point but this post should have gone up earlier in the week.

In October, I allowed myself to relax a little bit and even fell into *Gasp* a reading slump. I only read 3 books in October and there is nothing to be ashamed of. In the reading community, there is a stigma around reading slumps and after wrapping up the books I read, I'd like to talk about it more.

As stated above, I only read 3 books in October and while I know I could have read more I am happy with the books that I did read.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

I don’t really remember a lot about this book and I feel like that says a lot about how I feel. There is a lot of controversy around this book and its politics. I will not be touching on that mostly because I do not know a lot about what is going on and I would like to keep my blog free of these kinds of things. I thought this book was just okay. It really is encompassed by the word “mid”. I feel like the execution could have been better because this is such a cool concept for a book. The romance felt forced and not natural at all and I cared more about the side characters than anything else. At least this book had a cohesive plot and it kept me entertained.

3 / 5 Stars

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

I saw this in a YouTube video posted by gabbyreads and she adored it so I of course had to pick it up (she is the only person I take horror/thriller recommendations from). While I did like this book and the premise there are a couple of things I want to touch on. I liked the characters and there were times that I genuinely felt creeped out when reading this.  Not to mention the idea of this story is so freaking cool. I loved the haunted house and how it followed the characters. I loved how this wasn’t just a spooky house and how there were psychological aspects to the horror as well. There are a couple things I didn’t like and that was how Scott Thomas wrote the main female character in this book and how he described fat people. Both came off as very misogynistic and fatphobic. 

3.5 / 5 stars 

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

This was not a new read for me. After I realized that I had fallen into a reading slump I allowed myself to re-read a book which is something that I didn’t want to do this year (we will touch more on that later). I loved this book the first time I read it and I loved it this time around. I don’t really have much to add. I love the world, I love the characters, its quick and action packed, it was a great pick me up when I really needed one

4 / 5 Stars

Now let’s talk about reading slumps. These things are straight up demonized in the reading community. I know why that is but at the same time, when you need a break, you need a break, after checking some analytics I realized that I read 10 books in June which is maybe why by July and August I was starting to feel some burn-out. I also felt a little burnt out after reading Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, it was just a really long book and it took a lot out of my brain. Reading slumps are okay and that is something that I am slowly teaching myself. In my little blurb for Flame in the Mist I mentioned that this year I didn’t want to re-read books. Last year, I re-read quite a few books and I just wanted to be able to expose myself to more authors and genres which I am proud to say that I have done well this year. But re-reading Flame in the Mist was a great idea as it helped push me out of that reading slump because I actually got to enjoy reading for that small time frame, even if it wasn’t an entirely new world. 

My fellow reading sapiens, don’t feel bad because you are burnt out. Take your time, no Goodreads reading challenge is going to define whether or not you are a good reader. 

Much Love, 

June <3

August TBR (2022)

See? I told you that I would post today. I'm actually working on setting up a YouTube reading/writing vlog as I write this. However, in my July Wrap-up, I said what a great month July was for me in the reading scope and it really was, August has a lot in store for me and I can't wait to see how it goes for me. This month I go back to school and I'll have to balance all of that stuff with my job and other fun adult things. Reading will get done and with the line-up, for this month I think it will be hard for me to keep my hands off of these books.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This book is not my typical read at all. I picked it up at a Barnes and Noble and while scrolling through Libby it was available so I guess the universe just wants me to read this book right now. Fresh off of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, this seems like a fun thriller/mystery that will keep me on my toes (not to mention that cover is gorgeous)!

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

As mentioned in the little blurb right above this, I just finished A Good Girl's Guide to murder and that book entirely swept me off my feet. Needless to say, I am dying to get my hands on that second book and as soon as I get my paycheck this week I know what I am getting. I'm still not entirely sure how the first book leads into a series but at this point, I am so in love with the characters that I am dying to read this book.

Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

So earlier this year I absolutely fell in love with this series. I read Mistborn in late may(?) and it was the first book in a while to make me hardcore sob. I love these characters and I love Brandon Sanderson's writing with all of my heart. I took a little break after reading the second book in this series because I simply don't want this series to end. However, I think now is the time and I am ready to finally close the series and dive into other Sanderson books.

Husband Material by Alexia Hall

I read Boyfriend Material early in 2020 and I absolutely adored it. It was a SUPER cute and quick read and I've been desperately waiting for this novel to come out since I found out. I am trying to branch out of my fantasy comfort zone this year and so far I am doing excellent. I am wanting to read more thrillers and more romance and while this may thrill me it is more of a romance. Needless to say, I just can't wait to read this on a cool night in August with some tea.

Kingsbane by Clare Legrand

If you saw this title and got excited, don't get too hyped up. I read the first book in this series (Furyborn) a while ago and I'm not sure how much of it I remember (other than I really enjoyed it). While I am dying to finish up this series, I might need to re-read the first novel before I dive into the second book, or at least use Cliffnotes.

While this certainly isn't a concise list of everything I want to read this month, these are the titles I picked out of my TBR list on Goodreads (maybe I should do a total TBR blog/video...we shall see). This list may morph and change as the month goes on and my schedule gets a little more intense, but I have big hopes for this month in regards to reading.

Much Love,

June <3

HIATUS ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey reader babes!

School is becoming my main focus in my life as well as my personal relationships. Because of this I will be taking a hiatus until further notice. I will not be posting a November Wrap-up or December TBR

I will still be posting and updating on Goodreads as well as my Instagram (@jooniens).

I plan to be back by the New Year.

Have a safe and Happy Holidays. I love you all and you will be missed.

September TBR and Reading Check-in

Wow, two posts so close together!

Like I mentioned in my last post (check that out by the way) I said that I would be changing the format of my reading check-ins. This is mostly just to keep my wrap-ups interesting and fresh while also creating a more frequent posting schedule.

This post is a hybrid of the reading check in plus my TBR for the month of September.

Let's do my TBR first:

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

I kind of burnt myself out after reading both Furyborn and Kingsbane back to back so I'm taking a break but I'm planning on picking this up soon. I honestly just don't want this series to end but I'm excited to see how everything comes to an end (and possibly full circle).

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

I said in my last post that I wasn't sure about finishing up this series but after reading the synopsis on Goodreads I think I want to finish it. Not only does it sound interesting but it has higher reviews than the second book. Once I can find it I'll definitely pick it up.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

As y'all know I finally finished the Mortal Instrument series last month and the only thing that kept me going through that hellfire was the fact that this series is considered far superior by fans of the series. Honestly, the concept for this series sounds far more interesting that the Mortal Instruments and maybe the protagonist won't be as whiny.

The Eye of The World by Robert Jordan

I'm sure you all have notices that I am a massive fantasy fan, both YA and Adult. I've been a fervent subscriber to Daniel Greene on YouTube for years and the fact that I have not read this book is insulting to everyone everywhere. This book is THE fantasy series of this century and I want to finally understand what everyone is talking about

Typically I would save my reading check-ins for a different post but because I'm really late on posting, it's getting combined with this one.

So far, I have read 30 books this year and I'm 3 books ahead of schedule on my Goodreads reading challenge. I've read 1 book so far and I'm currently 46% of the way through The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I absolutely loved Mistborn but it was YA and I wasn't sure if I would be able to read Brandon Sanderson's writing in an adult novel. His style is just as easy to read and I will forever be in love with his prose. I still have a lot left of this book but I'm sure I will end up being another massive Cosmere fan.

October is so close and I'm so excited to start all of my spooky reads at the end of this month. This reading year has been great so far and I'm sure it's going to keep getting better.

Much Love,

June <3

August 2022 Wrap-Up

Hello reader babes!

I have really no excuse when it comes to writing this the second week of September. But hey, better late than never right? I'm literally writing this at work so I hope you guys enjoy it.

In the hot month of August I read a total of 4 books which was my goal! Some were excellent, others...not so much. Some of these I discussed in my Mid-August reading update however, fresh faces are here as well.

*Spoilers will be indicated by asterisks around the book title*

NOTE: From here on out mid-month updates will only discuss my current read and how many books I have read thus far. Just to keep the Wrap-up interesting :)

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

I have already tore into this book pretty hard in my Mid-August Update so I don't feel the need to do so again here. I just didn't like this book, the plot was odd and it didn't feel flushed out at all. It read like a fanfiction that shouldn't have gotten published.

1/5 Stars

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

I liked this book. That seems like a bad review but I truly feel neutral about it. It felt like a middle book, lots of filler and just weird plot line. The ending battle scene was super good and I will never forgive Ms. Clare for what happened to my baby Simon in this book. He deserves better. I have a lot to comment on regarding Clary and Jace but that will come with my blurb on City of Glass.

3/5 Stars

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

I read this for the first time in September of 2020 but I think God decided that it wasn't the time for me to read it and blanked it from my memory so that when I read it this time it was like the first time reading it. I knew the overarching plot but holy crap did this novel blow my socks off. I loved the characters, their bonding moments, the action just everything had me on the floor and head over hills in love.

5/5 Stars

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand

I finished Furyborn while on shift at my job and as soon as I got home I ran for my bookshelves and grabbed this. I gave this book a lower rating and not just because it had tons of filler. I loved focusing more on Eliana's character, is was great to see a protagonist struggle and not be just immediately good at everything. The twist at the end was fantastic. I only have one real complaint with this book and that has to deal mainly with the amount of spice in it. The first book definitely had spice but it was about what I would expect for a YA novel but this book seemed to have a spice scene each chapter and some of it was very explicit. It kind of took away from the rest of the book and those scenes definitely could have been used in other ways.

3.5/5

August was a really good reading month for me and I'm glad I slowed down a bit from the book monster I was in July. Now that school is in full swing it's hard to read as much as I used to (and thus, posting is more difficult too). I'm glad y'all are sticking with me and I'm thrilled to see what September has in store.

Much Love,

June <3

January 2023 TBR

I truly am so excited to be back doing this. I had to remind myself on hiatus that taking a break is what I needed but I truly did miss this. 

I am quite proud of the reading that I did in 2022 and I am going to push myself to read even more this year. As I have mentioned before one of my goals this year is to finish all of the series that I have started, both in 2022 and overall. Thus, many of my TBR lists this year will be full of sequels and continuations of series. I will do my best to not include spoilers but sometimes in book reviews it is just part of business. 

Anyways, now that I’ve established “ground rules”, let’s get into what I want to read in the month of January!

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

I know what I said above, I want to finish the series that I have already started and this is the first of a new series but hear me out, I have been wanting to read this for awhile and after I was finally able to FIND this book (which is more of a challenge than you would expect for a book that is nearly a decade old) I want to start it as soon as possible. You all have seen my opinion on the Mortal Instrument series but I heard that the Infernal Devices is far superior and I am just holding out for it. 

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

I have had this in at least one of my previous TBR lists and yes, I still haven't read it (hence why one of my goals is to finish series). I really loved the first two books in this series I just don’t want it to end. This is quite a large book so If I do decide to read this I will probably try to read some shorter or stand alone novels to help my brain not shut down. 

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson 

Now for a standalone. I actually just bought this and honestly, I wouldn’t have picked this up if Hannah (From Aclockworkreader) didn’t make a reading vlog about this novel and loved it. It seems like something I would like I am just not sure why I always gravitate towards series instead of stand-alone novels. I have this book right in front of me and I actually plan on starting it after drafting this post (remember to keep up with me on Goodreads/Instagram @jooniens !) 

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

I started An Ember in the Ashes in November of 2022 and it has been true love. A Torch against the Night was my last read for 2022 and it was a great way to end a year of reading. This entire series has swept me off of my feet and I am so excited to keep reading, I just love these characters and this world so much. I accidentally bought this thinking that it was the second book so I had to go back to Barnes and Noble later (what a shame). 

There isn’t a lot on this list because half of my Goodreads TBR has gone missing(?) I know I trimmed it down but I don’t think I had gotten rid of so much. Hopefully, I will be able to knock some of these titles off and start 2023 with some great reads.  

Also, note that I will be bringing back the Mid-Month Reading updates however they will be brief posts and not as long as they were previously. 

Have a very happy and safe new year! 

Much Love, 

June <3

November 2022 TBR and Some Schedule Changes

Hello my reading pals

I can’t believe that it is already November. This year has blown by. I felt like as a child days lasted forever and now it seems like I neve have enough time to do anything. 

That doesn’t mean I don’t have time to read of course ;)

As mentioned in my last post, I didn’t get around to reading much in October as I had fallen into a reading slump (which is okay). However, I am feeling far more motivated a week into November (yes sorry this is taking so long to get these posts up) and I want to read a lot more this month. In November I plan on finishing up a few series and getting into sequels so that I can start with some new series in 2023 (that can’t be a real year come on). 

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

It is no shock that I absolutely love Brandon Sanderson. I loved Mistborn when I started it earlier this year and I’ve really wanted to complete the series for the past few months now. I don’t want this story to end at all but I know that I will love this book and it will allow me to dig into other series by Sanderson without feeling guilty

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

It is definitely ambitious for me to have 2 of Sanderson’s novels on here but that is why it is called a TBR. I loved Way of Kings and if I may be wrong but I think the next Stormlight book comes out in 2023 and if I could catch up with the series it would make me very happy. 

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

You all saw how much I raved about the first two books in this series when I read them yet I have not read the conclusion of the series (this a common theme for me). I’m not sure if it was the length that got to me or the fact that I read the first 2 back to back and just needed a break. Regardless, I want to see how this series ends and I miss these characters so much and there is so much in the first two books that need to be explained. 

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

I read A Good Girls Guide to Murder this year and was absolutely blown away with it. It was truly a phenomenal book. I read the sequel and wasn’t as thrilled with it and I almost put the series down completely. However, after reading some of the reviews and the synopsis for the conclusion I think I want to read it (as soon as I can find a paperback copy). 

These are just a few of the series that I am wanting to conclude/continue this month. I need to be better about finishing the series if I like them. I’m sure you have noticed that a lot of these were the final books in a series and that is because when I like something, I don’t want it to end. Yet, I need to make more space for new favorites. 

You may have noticed the title and saw that I am going to be doing some schedule changes. I am a college student and finals are coming up very soon so I will be reducing posts to just twice a month. I will be doing a wrap up and a TBR list instead of all of those plus a mid month check in. If at any time you are interested in what I am currently reading check out my Goodreads, I also tend to post fuller reviews there and you get to see my thoughts as I am reading. This is hopefully just a temporary change and I will be back on a normal(ish) schedule in 2023. 

Have fun with your fall adventures!

Much Love,

June <3

P.S. If you are in the U.S. and able to vote go do so! Make the change we need to see in this world!

October 2022 TBR

Hello reader babes!

Despite what the weather tries to tell me, it is full on fall. My house is full of pumpkin spice scent and my closet has been restocked of my favorite, cozy sweaters.

I'm super excited for October and like any other normal person, I save all of my horror/thriller books for this season. To be honest, after reading the chunky book that was The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson I have felt a bit of reading slump coming on and while I am ahead of my reading goal, I don't want to start falling behind.

No more rambling, let's get into my reading plans this coming month.

Hide by Kiersten White

When I first saw this book I was immediately intrigued because it reminded me of a book that I read as a child called Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn. I love the concept of a spooky, haunted amusement park. I have seen quite a few mixed reviews but when it comes to thriller/horror books I am easily entertained.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

According to Goodreads, I read this some July 2-3 years ago but I don't think I actually finished it (I didn't realize how to properly shelf things at the time). But now that I have more understanding of fantasy under my belt and more of a grip on V.E. Schwab's writing style I think I will be able to actually enjoy the story this time around.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I remember when this book first came out and everyone was losing it. Yet, a couple of years later I hardly hear anyone talk about it. I know that with the release of the Shadow and Bone series on Netflix that any of Bardugo's work has taken the back burner while the Grishaverse runs its course on booktok. I don't know much about this book other than it contains a murder mystery (I think). It all seems very dark academia and I love it.

The Troop by Nick Cutter

I've seen this book pop up multiple times in the vlogs that I have seen from the booktubers that I like and honestly their reactions are enough to have me interested in the book. Small confession; One of my biggest fears is parasites. I hate them all and they all creep me out so it makes sense that this book would rightfully terrify me. I'm going to try and brave through it and hopefully I'm not a wimp and it will make it's way onto my October Wrap-Up.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

I absolutely adore Chloe Gong as a person so it is a mystery as to why I haven't read this yet. I have started this multiple times and each time I have been intrigued especially with the beginning scenes and the idea of a scary monster terrorizing 1920's Shanghai? Wonderful and it sounds so spooky and a perfect autumn read.

While this isn't a concise list of all of the things that I want to read in October I think it really provides a snippet of what my reading mood is for this month. Hopefully this new schedule will work for all of you lovely readers and I'm working on bring you guys more content . Side Note: I'm working on getting a YouTube Channel set up so that I can hopefully reach a wider audience and bring more bookish content into this world.

Anyways, I'll check in with you guys on my Mid-Month reading check in and I hope you are all enjoying your fall reading.

Much Love,

June <3

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

Hello and welcome to the blog! This will be both a tag and an introduction to me and my reading style/taste. If I don’t have an answer specific to this year, I will substitute it with a general answer. 

As of June 26th, I have read 18 books this year. According to Goodreads that is still 1 book behind schedule (I’m never good enough for you am I Goodreads?) Despite Goodreads attempting to gaslight me, I am very proud of my reading progress this year and I can’t wait to share it with you! 

BTW: My Goodreads account will be linked at the end of this post. 

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Best book you have read so far in 2022? 

Definitely Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. It was my first Sanderson book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a lot more developed than other fantasy books that I have previously read. 

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022?

Well, I have only read one sequel in 2022 (more to come) and that was Well of Ascension, the second book in the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. This book felt mostly like filler but the last 100-150 pages were a whirlwind that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

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

There are two that come to mind, one being Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. I’ve been anxiously waiting for this release and when it was finally released I couldn’t find it ANYWHERE! Now I can find it but other books just catch my interest first.

Most anticipated release for the second half of 2022?

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I have absolutely loved everything I have read by Reid, she is such a talented author and I can’t wait to read another one of her books. I’m not the biggest fan of the cover (and honestly if the UK version is better I may just wait for it) but I’m nevertheless excited. 

Biggest Disappointment?

A full review for this is going to be on my Goodreads (It does contain spoilers so beware) but my biggest disappointment was All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. For being a Pulitzer Prize winner, I had high expectations for this book that it did not meet, again my full review is on Goodreads. 

Biggest Surprise?

My biggest surprise this year was American Panda by Gloria Chao. It wasn’t the best thing I have ever read by any means but it was pleasantly surprising and a comforting read. 

New Favorite Author?

Brandon Sanderson by far. Ever since I have finished Mistborn I have wanted to start the Stormlight Archive. 

Newest Fictional Crush? 

KELSIER FROM MISTBORN!!!! I love that man with my entire heart. 

Newest Favorite Character?

Kelsier(Mistborn), Vin(Mistborn), Gansey(The Raven Cycle), Darius (Darius the Great Is Not Okay).

Book That Made You Cry?

Ladies, Gentlemen, Theydies, and anyone else, take another shot for Mistborn by Branson Sanderson.

Book that made you happy?

Dumplin’, American Panda, Darius the Great Is Not Okay, and Scythe (My only re-read this year). 

Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation you have seen so far this year? 

I’m bending the rules on this and I’m just going to say which adaptation I am most excited about which is The Summer I Turned Pretty Amazon Prime original series. The book is not a literary work of genius but it was a comforting read and I hope the show will provide that same level of comfort. 

Favorite Review you have written this year?

I’m new to the review game but the only review I have written this year that was in-depth was for All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. My tone was critical in it and possibly a bit rude but I was really upset after I had finished it. I might need to go review that soon....

Most beautiful book you bought this year?

I was on a book-buying ban for most of the year but I have to say it is a tie between Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim and The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Honorable mention goes to (you guessed it) Mistborn and Well of Ascension. The artist did such an amazing job on those covers. 

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

I have so many that I want to read this year. Up on the list is Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson, The Unhoneymooners, The Poppy War and These Violent Delights. 

This concludes the tag! I want to thank you so much for reading and I hope you stick around for the next half of the year!

Much Love, 

June <3 

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/87465579-emma 

September 2022 Wrap-up

Oh, look who is on schedule for posting something.

Hello reader babes!

I dub September "The month that June did not read a lot". Don't get me wrong I am super proud of what I read.

You may have noticed that I made some changes to my August 2022 Wrap-up and that was because that is because some of the books I read on there were actually completed in September (The first week of September blended together with August in my brain). I am including those original reviews here so you are still able to see my thoughts and opinions on them.

This month I read a total of 4 books. I was just shy of my goal for September but I am proud that I was able to finish a rather large book this month. The other books I have read this month kind of fell short of my expectations although I did have one five star read.

*Spoilers will be indicated by asterisks around the book title*

*City of Glass by Cassandra Clare*

This was all in all a very good conclusion to the end of the series. It was action packed and kept me wanting to read. However, I have a massive issue with this book and that  While I adore this series, the world and the characters, who the hell let Cassandra Clare publish this. I get that late in the book (like way later) we learn that Clary and Jace aren't siblings but while they still believe that they are siblings both actively say "aha who cares lets bonk anyways" and it is gross and not okay, especially for a YA novel. I get that it's far too late to change now and Cassandra Clare has been kind of infamous for her incest kink(? gross) but I still hate it. To be honest, I only read the Mortal Instruments so that I could read the Infernal Devices which I'm told is far superior.

2/5 Stars

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

As y'all now, I read A Good Girls Guide to Murder and absolutely loved it. I was excited to pick this up when I finally was able to (seriously this book was sold out everywhere!) I have to say I was a little disappointed with this book. It just didn't grip me like the first one did and the investigation seemed to fall flat. I liked the ending and it was still fun to be in this world with these characters. I'm not sure if I will continue with the series unless the last book involves a plot line from this book.

3/5 Stars

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

I finally did it. I read my first "Adult" fantasy novel and by was I glad that it was this one. My first thought for this is "Wow can Brandon Sanderson world build." His histories, politics, characters, geography, all of it sucked me in and I could imagine myself in this world. At times it felt like I was a scribe just recording everything going on and I loved every bit of it. This book was slow, don't get me wrong but with a 1,000 page book, what do you expect. That isn't to say that things didn't happen. From start to finish I was intrigued with how things were happening and what was going on. I loved the switching perspectives although, towards the beginning I was far more interested in Shallan's story than I was Kaladin. Speaking of Kaladin, he is my new book boyfriend. I love that man with my whole heart. In one of my reading updates on Goodreads (follow me on Goodreads) I said that Kaladin reminded me a lot of Kelsier from the Mistborn series and I think that is why I love him so very much. This book was intense and I loved every bit of it.

5/5 Stars

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

While I *technically* finished this on Oct. 1, I am counting it here because a majority of it (88%) was read in the month of September and it was finished in the early morning hours (2:27 AM to be exact) of October 1st. I didn't know a lot about this book going into it. I was fresh off of my Furyborn YA fantasy reading kick when I picked this up from my local Barnes and Noble and the premise was interesting. Going into this I did not know that it was a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairytale and honestly that gave this book a huge boost for me. That being said, this book was certainly interesting and don't get me wrong it was good and I'm glad that YA is allowing darker fantasies onto the scene but this book just wasn't all that for me. The romance felt thrown in and unnecessary, the characters didn't feel fully flushed out and I didn't feel like the plot was super cohesive.

3/5 Stars

I'm disappointed I didn't read more higher rating books but The Way of Kings really over shadowed my other reads for this month and to me, that is okay. Hopefully October will be a spooky month for some great reads. October TBR will be coming later this week.

Much Love,

June <3