Waiting on Wednesday (5) Shallow Graves

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Breaking the Spine.

For fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma, a gripping, hauntingly atmospheric novel about murder, revenge, and a world where monsters—human and otherwise—lurk at the fringes.

When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Tense, complex, and wholly engaging, Shallow Graves is a stunning first novel from Kali Wallace.

This sounds so good and kinda creepy to me. Just the idea of someone coming back from the dead is one thing but being able to pinpoint murderers? Super creepy. Definitely not something I want to read when I am home by myself lol. I also am trying to read more debut authors and this is Kali Wallace's debut.

Have you heard of this one? What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments and link back your WoW. Thanks for stopping by and hope you're having a great week!

Stephanie

Waiting on Wednesday (4) The Secrets of Lizzie Borden

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Breaking the Spine

In her enthralling, richly imagined new novel, Brandy Purdy, author of The Ripper’s Wife, creates a compelling portrait of the real, complex woman behind an unthinkable crime. Lizzie Borden should be one of the most fortunate young women in Fall River, Massachusetts. Her wealthy father could easily afford to provide his daughters with fashionable clothes, travel, and a rich, cultured life. Instead, haunted by the ghost of childhood poverty, he forces Lizzie and her sister, Emma, to live frugally, denying them the simplest modern conveniences. Suitors and socializing are discouraged, as her father views all gentleman callers as fortune hunters. Lonely and deeply unhappy, Lizzie stifles her frustration, dreaming of the freedom that will come with her eventual inheritance. But soon, even that chance of future independence seems about to be ripped away. And on a stifling August day in 1892, Lizzie’s long-simmering anger finally explodes… Vividly written and thought-provoking, The Secrets of Lizzie Borden explores the fascinating events behind a crime that continues to grip the public imagination—a story of how thwarted desires and desperate rage could turn a dutiful daughter into a notorious killer.

I can't to get my hands on this book! I have always been fascinated with the story of Lizzie Borden, and this fictionalized take on her life seems right up my alley. What are you waiting for? Let me know in the comments or link back to your Wow!

Stephanie

Top Ten Tuesday (4) Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant to get to but Didn't

Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish

The list of 2015 releases that I didn't get to read extend way more than ten, but I managed to dwindle them down. Here are my top ten 2015 releases I meant to get to but didn't.

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses

I still can't believe I didn't make it to this one.. I did however devour Queen of Shadows by Maas. Hopefully I can find time to read this in 2016.

2. All the Bright Places

I have seen so many good reviews for this, but I never managed to get a hold of a copy. May have to make a library trip to get it.

3. The Heir

Following the trend with covers with gorgeous dresses, The Heir is America and Mason's daughter who is having a selection of her own. I loved the first three books in this series and hope to get to this one soon.

4. Winter

I own this and I have yet to read it.. Sad, but true. I think it's mainly because it's the last in the series. That being said, I need to get to it soon because I am afraid something is going to be spoiled for me in a review.

5. Never Never

I have never read anything by Colleen Hoover, but got hooked by the synopsis. It was also free on Amazon and last I checked, still is! Check it out!

6. Carry On

I am probably only one in a few that didn't get this read in 2015. Every review I have seen is glowing for it, another library option!

7. Uprooted

I received a preview of Uprooted from a swag pack I got in the mail and was interested even then. Sadly I still haven't got my hands on it yet.

8. The Wrath and the Dawn

Being inspired my A Thousand and One Nights is enough to make me want to kick myself for not getting to this. Alas, it is yet another I haven't acquired yet. I plan to remedy this in 2016.

9. Six of Crows

I had this as a WoW post and still didn't get around to it. It's another one that I own, so I really have no excuse. I do admit after reading reviews on it, I kinda want to read the Grisha Trilogy first.

10. Illuminae

This book received so many glowing reviews, it's kinda scared me. What if I end up not liking it? The idea of it is very intriguing though. I plan to look for this at the library too.

Well there's my top ten, have you read any of these 2015 releases? Let me know in the comments and link back your TTT. Hope everyone is having a great week!

Stephanie

Top Ten Tuesday (3) -- Book Habits I Want to Eventually Break

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Top Ten Tuesdays is brought to you by Broke and the Bookish

This week's top ten really made me take myself apart.. Bookwise that is. There were so many different options that came from this week's prompt. I do hope you like what I chose to do :)

Top Ten Bookish Habits I Need to Break

1. Checking page number/percentage 

This is one thing that drives me crazy, yet I can't NOT do it. I am always calculating how many pages and how close I am to being done.  Ultimately, I think I just stress myself out if I don't think I am reading fast enough.

2. Reading multiple books at a time

I am very bad at this, I have, right now, at least 10 books that I'm at varying stages of. This is actually something I want to remedy going into the new year. I will only allow myself to read 2 books at a time. I have come to realize that I end up reading less when I add to the "currently reading" pile.

3. Dog-Earing corners

I know, I know.. It's sad, really. I have gotten A LOT better at not doing this, though. It really just depends where I am at while reading and what is readily available to use as a bookmark. If nothing is suitable, I'll dog-ear.

4. Skipping ahead

The only real time I do this is when I am fully invested in a character, be it main or secondary. If it seems like something serious is fixing to happen, I'll look ahead and see if the character still has dialog. If I see their name, I'll go back to where I was.

5. Breaking/Creasing the spine

When it comes to the spines of my book, this isn't THAT big of a deal to me. Yes, books are beautiful when they look like no one has ever touched them, but I also love the look of a read book. I am a huge sucker for secondhand books, so unless it's so worn I can't read it, I buy it. I would like to take better care of my books, though.

6. Not looking words up

This is one that is strictly for when I am reading hard copies and not e-books. On my Kindle, it's as easy as highlighting the word and the definition pops up. With regular books, I tend to forge ahead and end up forgetting what the word was in the first place. I have been working on this as well by keeping a notebook handy to jot stuff down.

7. Cellphone

Ah, the dreaded cellphone.. If it is anywhere near me while I am reading, I end up on the phone posting updates on Goodreads. Or tweeting about something in the book, checking Facebook and my email, just for good measure. I end up having to re-read a page to get back to where I was.

8. Bedtime

Since as long as I can remember, I have always been an avid reader. With that, I have the worst habit of staying up half the night or more to finish a book. I get so zoned in and I tell myself, "just till the next chapter" over and over.

9. Food

I'm not sure what it is that makes me want to eat the entire kitchen when I read. I'm not doing anything physically strenuous, just sitting (laying) around reading and I am munching away on chips, sandwiches, banana peppers (Don't judge me), everything. Some of my books have suffered the consequences of my actions..

10. Lending books out

OMG.. I rather hate getting to the point of not wanting to share my mini library with whoever wants to be a part of it. I hate even more never getting my books back, or getting them back in worse condition than when they left me. Most every time though, I never get them back. When asked about, they don't know where they're at or they claim they've already given them back.. Makes my eye twitch more than I care to admit..

Anywho! That's my top ten, I can't wait to see what some of you come up with for this week. Post your link for your TTT in the comments and I'll check it out! Thanks and have a great day!

Stephanie

Spotlight -- Readaways

As a mother of four, there's not always that extra money to buy books. Being an avid reader for as long as I can remember, birthdays and Christmas' never come often enough to acquire all the books I want. So while waiting between gift related holidays and the hope of winning the lottery, I enter book giveaways often. One site that has helped my library grow a lot is ReadAways. Not only do they offer hard copies of books for prizes, but e-books as well. 

With what happened to my old laptop, I had to put the blog on a short hiatus. I wanted to highlight all the books that I have received from ReadAways.

State of Emergency

Poppy the Proud

A Gateway to Hope

Voice of Innocence

Dethroning Crown

Immortals

Time to Remember

The Superiors

Confessions of a Corporate Slut

Sky Ghosts All for One

The giveaways are super easy to enter. You make a profile, verify it, start entering. There's even somewhere you can post reviews for books that you have won. I also love that they don't spam you with emails. I get an email if I have won anything or when new giveaways are posted.

Have you heard of ReadAways? Definitely check them out! Hope everyone has a great week!

Stephanie

Waiting On Wednesday (3) - A Thousand Nights

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Breaking the Spine.

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time.But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.

I am really looking forward to this book! I am a HUGE fan of retellings, and it's nice to see one of One Thousand and One Nights. I have seen some very mixed rating from early readers of this. One in particular being one of my favorite blogs, Paper Fury, who gave it 2 stars.. BUT that shouldn't be a reason not to read it.. Right?

What are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments or add your link to your WoW. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!

Stephanie

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Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is brought to you by Tynga's Reviews

I decided to go with Stacking the Shelves instead of TBR Thursdays as my way to show my goodies throughout the week. Reason for the change is I can do this meme any day of the week. My plan is to have it up on Sunday or Monday. No promises, I lead a hectic life :)

This week's additions are..

Books

The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne

Won from Life With Two Boys giveaway

E-Books

The Ruby Iyer Diaries by Laxmi Hariharan

The Gatherer by A.G. Henley

Won from Contagious Reads giveaway

The Vigilantes by Lena Hillbrand

Gift from author

Rebirth by Gayle Parness

Purchased from Amazon for

FREE!!

(Last checked, the book is still available for free!!)

I'd love to see what you all got this week, whatever meme you use. Just post a link of your bookish goodies in the comments! Have you heard/read any of these? Let me know down below :)

Stephanie