October 2018: Monthly Recap
Welcome to my monthly recap post, in which I highlight the books I read in the last month, bookish items I acquired, book events I attended, bookish news, and/or subscription boxes I received this month.
★★★★
Link to review below.
★★★★★
This is my second time reading The Raven Boys, and I loved it even more this time around. I love the friendships that are created in this book. And ahhh…the magic, the history, the setting, and even the side characters are perfect.
★★★★
This is my second time reading The Dream Thieves and once again this series keeps blowing me away. I enjoyed diving back into story and the lore. I wasn’t crazy about Ronan at first, but now he’s one of my favorite characters.
★★★★★
I have finally read Blue Lily, Lily Blue (it’s taken me years), but WHOA! Maggie is such a an amazing and atmospheric writer. Her characters are so real and drive this these books with so much force.
★★
Link to review below.
★★★★
I really enjoy Paranormal Romance books and this one did not disappoint. The characters are funny and strong-headed, and the romance is so swoony.
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Physical Books and ARCs
Thank you to Jimmy Patterson Books for an early copy of Once & Future.
Synopisis:
I’ve been chased my whole life. As an illegal immigrant in the territory controlled by the tyrannical Mercer corporation, I’ve always had to hide who I am. Until I found Excalibur.
Now I’m done hiding.
My name is Ari Helix. I have a magic sword, a cranky wizard, and a revolution to start.
When Ari crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind.
No pressure.
Thank you to Delacorte for an early copy of The Waking Forest.
Synopsis:
The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She’s desperate to know more—until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.
To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.
The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea’s and the Witch’s paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?
Thank you to Fierce Reads for sending me a finished
copy of Anna and the Apocalypse to review.
Synopsis:
School’s out for the end of the world.
Anna and the Apocalypse is a horror comedy about a teenager who faces down a zombie apocalypse with a little help from her friends.
Anna Shepherd is a straight-A student with a lot going on under the surface: she’s struggling with her mom’s death, total friend drama, and the fallout from wasting her time on a very attractive boy. She’s looking forward to skipping town after graduation–but then a zombie apocalypse majorly disrupts the holidays season. It’s going to be very hard to graduate high school without a brain.
To save the day, Anna, her friends, and her frenemies will have to journey straight to the heart of one of the most dangerous places ever known, a place famous for its horror, terror, and pain…high school.
This novel is inspired by the musical feature film, Anna and the Apocalypse.
NETGALLEY (e-ARCs/galleys)
White Stag by Kara Barbieri
Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith
Romanov by Nadine Brandes
Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller
October’s Uppercase Box
October’s OwlCrate Box
October’s ShelfLoveCrate
October’s Whimsify
October’s Fox and Wit Box
Octobers’s Fairyloot
rants and raves of a bibliophile 
I love this little recap! I especially love the different bookish boxes you got – I really want to try one out so this post gives me plenty of choices on what to start with. Thanks for sharing x
You’re very welcome. I kinda went overboard in October, lol. I’m a regular subscriber to Owlcrate and Uppercase Box, so the others were just one-time purchases that I had to try.
Romanov sounds interesting! I’d love to know what you think of it!
Definitely! I love Anastasia retellings so I’m so excited to read it.
Holy sub boxes, Batman! I do appreciate you including them in wrap up posts though because it’s always fun seeing what comes in the boxes!! Looks like you read some quality books and scored some new ones to keep you busy in November! Happy reading!
I totally forgot I bought 6 boxes, lol. I’m a regular subscriber to Uppercase and Owlcrate, but for some reason I needed more, lol.
I feel you. I usually only do it when the fandoms speak to me, but I ordered Owlcrate (double book box) for the first time ever this month, FairyLoot and the HP-themed wick & fable box. You forget since you order them like weeks in advance and they all arrived together to my hubby’s horror lol
Hahahaha, that is so true. They all did kinda arrive around the same time. I did skip Owlcrate for November, so I think I’m just getting Uppercase Box, but I’m not 100% sure if I ordered another box and forgot about it, lol.
Looks like a great month. I’ll be looking forward to your thoughts on Once & Future.
Yay! I cannot wait to read it and hopefully RAVE about it.
I need to read the final Raven Boys book and I feel like I need to do a total reread to fully enjoy it. I read slow though, so that’s why I haven’t just DONE it yet. I love that you loved the books even more the 2nd time around!! And also– holy book boxes!! You got lots of cool things 🙂
Yeah, the first two Raven books were a reread for me and the last two were my first time reading them. I just finished The Raven King over the weekend. The series is so good.
And the book boxes! HAHAHAHA…I don’t know what happened, but I went a little too crazy in October, lol.
So many beautiful books!! I’m very intensely jealous of your copy of Once and Future. I’m soooo looking forward to it!
Also holy book box batman! Love all your photos of the unboxings. 🙂
Once and Future sounds so good. I’m so grateful that I got it. And yes, October was the month I went overboard on subscription boxes, lol. Thank you for all the kind comments.