Happy March madness ghoulies!
SooOOoOOOooO, I was so proud of myself for entering into March with NO TBR! February went so smoothly without any TBR drawing me back and I was so happy to not have to be held down by a TBR. Well, we are officially 4 days into March and I’ve committed to reading books. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!?
What books made me throw away my peaceful serenity? Let’s check em out!
The Hollow Gods by A.J. Vrana
Fantasy
409 pages
Synopsis:
A perfect story for contemporary fantasy readers who love their narratives razor-sharp and their secrets dark and deadly. Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret. For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker—an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women into the woods and possess them. Yet the boundary between fact and fable is blurred by a troubling statistic: occasionally, women do go missing. And after they return, they almost always end up dead. When Kai wakes up next to the lifeless body of a recently missing girl, his memory blank, he struggles to clear his already threadbare conscience. Miya, a floundering university student, experiences signs that she may be the Dreamwalker’s next victim. Can she trust Kai as their paths collide, or does he herald her demise? And after losing a young patient, crestfallen oncologist, Mason, embarks on a quest to debunk the town’s superstitions, only to find his sanity tested. A maelstrom of ancient grudges, forgotten traumas, and deadly secrets loom in the foggy forests of Black Hollow. Can three unlikely heroes put aside their fears and unite to confront a centuries-old evil? Will they uncover the truth behind the fable, or will the cycle repeat?
Why I’m Reading This Book:
This book is a carry forward from February. I was almost 50% finished before the end of last month. I’ve been in a reading slump so reading the book is taking a lot longer than it should. This is absolutely no fault of this book because I am actually enjoying this book.
A little while ago, the author actually reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in receiving a copy of this book in return for an honest review. In all my dealings with authors, I’m not sure why, but she has resonated with me. I liked her so much! I think that even if this book doesn’t end up being a favourite I will still buy all her books for that reason. That, and she’s a Canadian! Us Canucks need to stick together.
Give her a chat sometimes guys, she’s super pleasant! And read her book, tell her if you love it!
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fantasy
545 pages
Synopsis:
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.
Why I'm Reading This Book:
It's surprising that I've made it through my entire 25 years of life without reading or watching Lord of the Rings. Being on bookstagram made me realize how much I have been missing out. Isabelle, @miss.misty, who is my best friend, praises this series like no tomorrow. When I scoped out a complete set at my favourite used bookstore here in Sudbury, Bay Used Books, I grabbed it! Immediately, I messaged Isabelle and initiated a buddy read. Here we are in #middleearthmarch and Isabelle's birth month, and I am finally reading the start of this series! Woot woot!
Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
Horror
248 pages
Synopsis:
Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking. To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination. A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör comes packaged in the form of a glossy mail order catalog, complete with product illustrations, a home delivery order form, and a map of Orsk’s labyrinthine showroom.
Why I'm Reading This Book:
This book was chosen for the bookstaghouls monthly buddy read. This is the first month since I have joined the group that I actually own the book that has been chosen, so naturally I need to participate. It's just reason enough to lower my never ending TBR!
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Young Adult Fantasy
385 pages
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.
Why I'm Reading This Book:
Netgalley has sent me an e-ARC for the second book in this series, Ruthless Gods, which means that I obviously need to read Wicked Saints in order to read and review the second book. I wasn't planning on reading this book this month but Kas, @ladyofstardust, who has NEVER steered me wrong, rated this book with all her stars and recommended reading it ASAP. So, naturally... this is added to this month's docket. I need to read this and give Kas the play-by-play right away. I am desperate to read this!!!