Fall/Winter 2019 Book Haul

Hey, guys! 

Over the past few months, I've received and bought quite a few books. I can't believe that I've let these stacks accrue so long, but here are the books I acquired since I went back to school in August.

ARCs & Review Copies

A massive thank you to Entangled/Entangled Teen, Harper/HarperCollins, Penguin, and Book of the Month for sending me these books and being so patient with me. My lack of reading has really been bringing me down and really ruining my plans.

1. Crier's War by Nina Varela

Thank you, Harper Collins!

2. Sick Kids In Love by Hannah Moskowitz (ARC)
Thank you, Entangled Teen!

3. The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis (ARC)
Thank you, BookishFirsts and Tor!

4. Keystone by Katie Delaharty
Thank you, Entangled Teen!

5. The Deep by Solomon, Diggs, Hutson, and Snipes (ARC)
Thank you, BookishFirsts and Saga Press!

6. The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young (BOTM)

7. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (BOTM)

8. Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao (BOTM)
9. Frankly In Love by David Yoon (BOTM)
Thank you BOTM for the books! I love being an affiliate!

10. The Last Namsara (Iskari #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli

11. The Caged Queen (Iskari #2) by Kristen Ciccarelli

12. The Sky Weaver (Iskari #3) by Kristen Ciccarelli
Thank you, Harper Collins for the Iskari books!

Birthday Presents

1.  The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

• My friend, @brookesbooknook is a wonderful wonderful human and sent me this book because she found it super cheap at her local used book store. I'm so eager to read it.

2. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire 

• My beautiful Bardugo Babes sent me this book and I cannot wait to read this chunky baby. 

3. Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale by Liz Braswell

• My other beautiful women, Jill and Annie, bought this for me. They gave me all Little Mermaid themed gifts and, even now, when I think about how thoughtful they were

Christmas Presents

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi (signed and personalized)

• This is actually a gift from last Christmas. Alex had pre-ordered this book for both of us months and months ago before the multiple deadline pushes, but we were able to go see Tomi Adeyemi at the beginning of December and she signed our books.

Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, and The                       Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (Anniversary Hufflepuff edition)

• My fiancé is freaking amazing. These books are so beautiful, and I am so excited to have them in my collection

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

• My beautiful and wonderful friend, Jill, gifted this book to me. I’m so so excited to have it. I cannot wait to read it in 2020.

A Merry Christmas and Other Short Stories by Louisa May Alcott

• My mom gifted this to me for Christmas. She was upset that it didn't come in time for Christmas day, but I'm excited to read it on Christmas Eve next year.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

• Alex, my fiancé, has some really fantastic family members. His parents gifted me a gorgeous finished copy of this book. If you haven’t read my review, you definitely should because I’d love to convince you to read this super-fun book.

      Find Me Their Bones by Sara Wolf

• Alex’s grandparents also gifted me with a finished copy of this book. I’m so so so excited to check out the finished product.

      The Treasury of Myths and Legends: A Family Heirloom of Stories to Inspire and Entertain by Dr. Alice Mills

• This was actually a book that was gifted to both my fiancé and me. We are very excited to dive deeper into the stories within. We are big big fans of myths and legends

Trades & Giveaway Prizes and Prizes

1. Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff (signed 1st edition)

a. I won a raffle for my job’s summer reading program and won a Barnes & Noble gift card. I decided to purchase Godsgrave about a month into September. I haven’t continued on with the series, but I’m too excited to continue on. It’s definitely one of my 2020 goals.

2. Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (Owlcrate)

3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

4. Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren 

5. Fable by Adrienne Young (ARC)

6. Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur (BOTM)

7. Faker by Sarah Smith (ARC)

8. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

9. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (signed)

~ I actually acquired this book through a trade, but then went on to meet the author and get the book signed. I managed to read 50 pages, but I couldn’t continue on because of my school obligations. I’m eager to read the rest of it soon.

10. If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (ARC)

11. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

12. The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli

13. Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff (Waterstones edition)

~ I won this book on Twitter! I’m so excited to have it in my collection. It has black sprayed edges and stars painted on the pages. I’m so excited to just stare at it.

14. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (Indigo exclusive)
15. A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum (BOTM)
16. Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (BOTM)

Thrifting Endeavors

My wonderful hometown has a brand-spankin' new used book store and, of course, I keep going there and getting beautiful books. To be fair I did sell a bunch of books to them for store credit.

1. Check Please Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu

2. Becoming by Michelle Obama

3. Dating You Hating You by Christina Lauren

4. The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

5. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

~ My beautiful friend, Brook @brookesbooknook

6. Warriors of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

~ This was my Black Friday purchase. It was $6 on Amazon and I’m counting that as thrifting (even though it isn’t).

Pre-Orders

As an avid reader, I love to pre-order books. I love to support my faves and get their books ASAP. Here are the books I was able to pre-order!

1.  A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (collector's edition)

a.     Gorgeous!

2. Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

3. Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff (signed 1st edition)

4. Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (regular)

5. Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (OwlCrate)

a. My friend Brittany is a beautiful human who also has an Owlcrate subscription. I sent her some money to cover the cost and she bought it for me. The box is fantastic! I’m so in love with the exclusive cover.

6. Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (Barnes & Noble)

7. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (Barnes & Noble)

8. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (Waterstones)

9. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (regular)

10.  Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

11.  Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks (signed)

a.     I was able to snag a signed copy of this book at the Rainbow Rowell/Faith Erin Hicks event in Cincinnati! I love it so much! It’s such a great graphic novel!

12.  The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young (regular)

Various Purchases

I am honestly unsure how I have acquired this many books. I appreciate that you have made it to the end of this weird blog post.

1. A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

~ I nabbed this when I was at the Rainbow Rowell/Faith Erin Hicks event because it was so beautiful and 20% off. I cannot wait to read it.

2. Awaken the Magic: A Children of Blood and Bone Journal by Tomi Adeyemi

~  I picked this up while at the Tomi Adeyemi event. She’s lovely and I would die for her.

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (BOTM)

4. Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston (BOTM)

5. Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (BOTM)

6. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (BOTM)

7. Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi (BOTM)

8. Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzie Lee

9. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

10. Tales of Norse Mythologies by Helen A. Guerber
11. Meg & Jo by Virginia Kantra0

12. Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin (signed)

1.   One of my Hoosier #bookstagram babes sent this book to me after she went to Shelby Mahurin’s event in Lafayette. She was able to get the book signed for me. I managed to finish it on New Years Eve, making it my final book read for 2019! I loved it!

Books for School

I'm taking one last literature class, a women and literature course, and these are the books I've acquired.

• Room by Emma Donoghue
• A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolfe
• Paula Spencer by Roddy Doyle

Which of these books should I prioritize?

Happy reading!
Olivia
~ Liv the Book Nerd ~
Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code

July & August 2019 Book Haul

Hey, guys!

I cannot believe that I didn't get to posting my July book haul, but oh well. It was definitely a wonderful month for reading and for acquiring books. I'm really pleased with all that I bought/acquired. However! August was an even bigger month for acquiring books too. I really did not mean to acquire over 30 books in August, but it happened. Before the end of the month, though, I gifted or traded some books that I did not buy for myself or was gifted. 

Here are the stacks and stacks of books that I acquired in the past couple of months!

*Please be aware that I did not buy the majority of these at their full price. I'm not as excessive as this book haul makes me out to be. Promise. I am excessive, but not "nearly 50 books" excessive.*

Personally Purchased

• The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker
• My Amazon Prime Day purchase! Thank you, Amazon for coupons!
• Gods of Shade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno Garcia
• my YA BOTM pick!
• Three Women by Lisa Taddeo 
• one of my BOTM picks!
• Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center
• another BOTM pick!
• Mississippi Jack by L.A. Meyer 
• $3 hardback? Thank you Half Priced Books!
• In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L.A. Meyer
• another $3 hardback? Thank you Half Priced Books!
• The Pisces by Melissa Brandes
• I splurged and bought this lovely book at an indie bookstore in Indianapolis!
• The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
• I also bought this at Half Priced Books, new, but at a reduced price!

Gifted and Traded

• Writer's Market Guide to Getting Published
• How to Write a Book Proposal (3rd edition)
• A massive thank you to my pastor and his wife for gifting me these awesome books for writers!
• ((ARC)) The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
• Landline by Rainbow Rowell
• ((signed)) Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell 
• One Day In December by Josie Silver
• ((signed, sprayed edged Owlcrate edition)) Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston
• Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

~~~

This month was such a wild ride. I only personally purchased 5 of these books, but I'm quite excited about the books that I was sent this month. 

Personally Purchased

• A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3) by V.E. Schwab
• I picked this up at Joseph-Beth Booksellers Cincinnati. I was originally going to pick up Nevernight in hardcover, but they didn't have it in stock. I'm so glad that I picked this book up. I'm so obsessed with this series right now.
• Godsgrave (Nevernight #2) by Jay Kristoff 
• This is a signed first edition from Barnes and Noble! 
• This month, I won a gift card from my job to B&N for the summer reading program. 
• Well Met by Jen DeLuca 
• This is one of the books that I picked for my BOTM monthly subscription!
• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
• This is another book that I picked for my BOTM box!
• Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
• I had the pleasure of going to Cincinnati for the first tour stop for Rainbow and Faith's book tour for Pumpkinheads! It was such a wonderful experience and meeting them was a dream come true! 
• My book is SIGNED!

School Books 

Yes, I did purchase these, but not by choice. These don't count!

• White Teeth by Zadie Smith
• Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie
• The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Gifts/Trades/Prizes

• Recursion by Blake Crouch
• I actually found this book at my job's free little library! So!!!!! It basically fits in this category! I got it for freeeeee!
• The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
• I was sent this book through a trade! 
• Frankly In Love by David Yoon
• This lovely ARC was also acquired through a trade!
• Fire by Kristin Cashore
• Another trade! My Graceling trilogy is complete!
• Sky In The Deep (Russian edition) by Adrienne Young
• Adrienne Young actually sent this to me! I won this awesome edition on one of her Instagram live stream!

ARCs/Review Copies

• Dinosnores by Sandra Boynton 
• This was sent to me by the publisher, Workman Publishing Company. It was super super cute and I definitely will be saving it for when/if I have some kid(s) of my own. 
• This will be out on September 3!
• House of Salt & Sorrows by Erin A. Craig 
• My YA BOTM affiliate complimentary copy! I cannot wait to get to this book! It's so gorgeous and I just need the murder-y, mystical-ness in my life!
• Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall
• This was sent to me from Bookish First! 
• I'm not usually into thrillers, but this instantly caught my interest. I hope that I can get to it before its release date: September 24.
• Juliet Takes A Breath by Gabby Rivera 
• I also acquired this via Bookish First!
• This was originally published in 2018, but it is being published again with some rebranding! 
• This will be released on September 17!
• Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis
• Another Bookish First ARC! 
• I'm so excited to dive into this before its release on October 1!
• As Many Nows As I Can Get by Shana Youngdahl - ARC & finished hardback
• Penguin was so so kind and sent me an ARC & a finished copy of this lovely book. 
• We Speak In Storms by Natalie Lund 
• Penguin also sent me an ARC and finished copy, but I sent the finished copy along to another reviewer. 
• Mirror Bound by Monica Sanz
• This was kindly sent to me by Entangled Teen/Entangled Publishing!
• Unsolicited finished copy. 
• The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus 
• This was sent to me by Penguin too! I was given an ARC and finished copy, but I gifted the ARC to my best friend Courtney.
• Ziggy Stardust & Me by James Brandon
• This was such a lovely book. I have a full review up!
• Penguin kindly sent me an ARC and finished copy.
• Michigan vs. The Boys by Carrie S. Allen 
• This was sent to me by KCP Loft. I think my fiance is going to read it. 
• Unsolicited finished copy.
• The Hive by Barry Lyga, Morgan Bayden, 
  Jennifer Beals
  , & 
  Tom Jacobson
• This was also sent to me by KCP Loft. 
• Unsolicited finished copy.

These are all such fun books. I'm eager to get to the books I haven't read yet and I'm so glad to have the books that I have read. 

What is your favorite book that you acquired this month? I think I'm the most excited about Godsgrave, A Conjuring of Light, and Pumpkinheads!

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // 

Book Depository Affiliate Code // Book of the Month link

Spring Book Haul

Hey, guys!

      I've managed to neglect to post my full list for the past few months' book hauls. I've decided to just combine these past three months. Once again, I've managed to acquire SO MANY books. 

     March was full of preorders and a lovely weekend with my boyfriend where we went on an adventure to Indianapolis and did some book shopping. 

     April was a really hard month, emotionally. I also had a full schedule with final examinations and projects. I managed to go on another treat-yo-self-trip with Alex and bought some books. I was gifted some books too, by some dear friends. I'm super thankful. 

     May -- what can I say? I got to meet some fellow Hoosier Bookstagrammers where we exchanged books and chatted about our favorite books. It was so much fun. That is where I acquired the majority of my books. I also got some of my preordered books and I purchased a couple new releases. Overall, I'm still excessive and I'm really excited about the books I've acquired. 

MARCH

1. Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
• Gifted by my baby sister
2. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend ~ 5 stars
3. Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
4. One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid ~ 4.75 stars
5. In Real Life by Jen Wang + Cory Doctorow ~ 3 stars
6. The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab 
• Signed Forbidden Planet edition
7. A Crystal of Time (The School For Good & Evil: The Camelot Years #2) by Soman Chainani 
• Signed first edition
8. More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
9. Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd 
• Gifted from Alex
10. Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi [ARC]  ~ 5 stars
• Twitter trade
11. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid  ~ 5 stars
12. Throne of Glass (TOG #1- US Collectors Edition) by Sarah J. Maas  ~ 5 stars
• Another Twitter trade from my dear friend, Lauren @laurensboookshelf)

APRIL

1. The Horse and His Boy (Narnia #3) by C.S. Lewis ~ 4 stars
2. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Narnia #5) by C.S. Lewis ~ 5 stars
3. The Silver Chair (Narnia #6) by C.S. Lewis ~ 4 stars
4. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
5. Meet Cute by Helena Hunting
6. The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande (The Unicorn Rescue Society #4) by Adam Gidwits and David Bowles ~ 3.5 stars - review coming soon!
7. Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer ~ 4 stars - reread review coming soon!
8. Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer ~ 5 stars
9. Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles #4.5) by Marissa Meyer
10. {BOTM} Normal People by Sally Rooney
11. {BOTM} Wicked Saints by Emily A Duncan
12. {BOTM} The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
13. A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1) by Sarah J. Maas
14. Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
15. The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa ~ 5 stars
16. The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa ~ 5 stars
17. The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa ~ 5 stars
18. The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

MAY

1. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang ~ 5 stars
• paperback
• BOTM hardback
2. How To Not Die Alone by Richard Roper 
• BOTM pick
3. Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston
• July BOTM for the book club
• preorder
4. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
5. Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) by Tahereh Mafi
• signed copy from my Defy Me Hangover Crate
6. With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo ~ 5 stars (review coming soon!)
7. The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
8. The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
9. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
10. Honestly, We Meant Well by Grant Ginder
11. Modern Lovers by Emma Straub
12. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code

{Bookish Subscription Box} Book of the Month #6 - #9: February ~ May

Hey, guys!

The past few months, I've been subscribing to the Book of the Month Club. I absolutely adore this box and the company. It's so much fun and I love the books that they've been picking out. They've also started including YA extras and more books from previously featured authors. Here are the books I've picked for the past few months! I'm sure you're not surprised, but I haven't read all of these books yet. I just wanted to be fully transparent.

What Is The Book Of The Month Club??

Book of the Month is a monthly book subscription box. Each month, 5 curators pick out their favorite new hardcover books, and you can choose which one you want to receive on the first of the month. You can also add up to 2 additional books for only $9.99 each.

How It Works:

1. New selections are chosen each month. On the 1st of the month, the site announces the 5 books that they chose for the month.

2. Choose your book! Choose by the 6th, or skip the month.

3. The boxes are shipped and you get a beautiful BOTM box and book!

Shipping: U.S. only (apologies to my international readers!)

Cost: $14.99/month (includes a book credit - after all credits are used each extra book is $9.99); Shipping is FREE

Overall Product: Subscribers will receive a hardcover book from the books that were selected that month. You can add up to 2 extra books for $9.99 each plus BOTM goodies for an additional fee.

February 

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

I'm really excited to dive into this book. Angie Thomas is such a relevant and iconic writer. Her characters are always so poignant and inspiring. 

Goodreads synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least make it out of her neighborhood one day. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died before he hit big, Bri’s got big shoes to fill. But now that her mom has unexpectedly lost her job, food banks and shutoff notices are as much a part of Bri’s life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’s homage to hip-hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; of the struggle to become who you are and not who everyone expects you to be, and of the desperate realities of poor and working-class black families.

Average Goodreads Rating: 4.35 stars (22,936 ratings)
Release Date: February 5, 2019
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Fiction
Page Count: 447
CW: racism, drug dealing, gun violence

~ ~ ~

March

{skipped this month BUT I acquired on of the BOTM picks after regretting my skip}

Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is by far one of my all-time favorite reads of 2019. I'm so freaking excited to read more from Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her characters and stories are so unique and so well done. I absolutely adore this book. 

Check out my mini review {here}!
5/5 stars!

Goodreads synopsis:
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice. 

Average Goodreads Rating: 4.28 stars (48,026 ratings)
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Genres: Historical, Fiction, Contemporary
Page Count: 368
CW: substance abuse, addiction, and abortion 

~~~

April

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Goodreads synopsis:

At school, Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school soccer team while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers—one they are determined to conceal.

A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years in college, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.

Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.

Average Goodreads Rating: 4.06 stars (45,348 ratings)
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Page Count: 273
CW: sexual assault, domestic violence, depression, suicide

[add on] Wicked Saints (Something Dark & Holy #1) by Emily A. Duncan

Goodreads synopsis: 
A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. 

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy...

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.83 stars (4,032 ratings)
Release Date: April 2, 2019
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Page Count: 385
CW & TW: for self-harm (both as a magic system, and talk of self-harm in the past), torture, parental abuse, abandonment, abduction, a lot of alcohol consumption (maybe addiction), gore, violence, and war themes. 

[add on] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I'm so excited to read this in June. I plan on reading this for the Romance-a-Thon and a buddy read with @whatelizabethreads. Stay tuned for my TBR and my future thoughts!

Goodreads synopsis:
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the '80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.

Written with Reid's signature talent for creating "complex, likable characters" (Real Simple), this is a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it costs—to face the truth.

Average Goodreads Rating: 4.3 stars (81,600 ratings)
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Genres: Historical, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Adult, LGBTQIA+
Page Count: 388

CW & TW: domestic abuse, death/grief, homophobia/biphobia, racism, suicide, abortion

~ ~ ~

May

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

I had the privilege to read this story early via NetGalley. It's no surprise that I absolutely adored it. Helen Hoang is a masterful writer and I will read and purchase everything she writes. When I saw that BOTM was featuring it, I had to get this copy. I first fell in love with Helen's work when I read a copy of The Kiss Quotient from the BOTM box. 

Check out my mini-review {here}! 

5/5 stars!

Goodreads synopsis:

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.

Average Goodreads Rating: 4.15 stars (81,600 ratings)
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Adult Fiction, #ownvoices
Page Count: 296

CW & TW: grief, abandonment

How Not To Die Alone by Richard Roper

Goodreads synopsis:
Andrew's day-to-day is a little grim, searching for next of kin for those who die alone. Thankfully, he has a loving family waiting for him when he gets home, to help wash the day's cares away. At least, that's what his coworkers believe.

Andrew didn't mean for the misunderstanding to happen, yet he's become trapped in his own white lie. The fantasy of his wife and two kids has become a pleasant escape from his lonely one bedroom with only his Ella Fitzgerald records for company. But when new employee Peggy breezes into his life like a breath of fresh air, Andrew is shaken out of his routine. She doesn't notice the wall he's been safely hiding behind and their friendship promises to break it down.

Andrew must choose: Does he tell the truth and start really living his life, but risk losing his friendship with Peggy? Or will he stay safe and alone, behind the façade? How Not to Die Alone is about the importance of taking a chance in those moments when we have the most to lose. Sharp and funny, warm and real, it's the kind of big-hearted story we all need.

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.85 stars (614 ratings)
Release Date: May 28, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction
Page Count: 336

CW & TW: emotional adultery 


Do you guys subscribe to BOTM? What kinds of books do you like to pick? Do you like to get multiples?

I'm really excited to get to my BOTM books. I always purchase them to read ASAP, but then it never happens. I'm sure many of you can relate. 

This box is fantastic and I definitely recommend it. It's improved so much since my first subscription in 2017.

My Other BOTM Club Blog Posts:

☆ June 2018: {click here}

☆ March 2018 : {click here}

☆ April 2018: {click here}

☆ May 2017: {click here}

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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