Review: Rule (The Unraveled Kingdom #3) by Rowenna Miller

Rule (The Unraveled Kingdoms #3) by Rowenna Miller

Orbit

Publication Date: May 19th, 2020

Paperback. 432 pages

About Rule:

"In this epic conclusion to the Unraveled Kingdom trilogy that began with Torn and Fray, the magical seamstress Sophie Balstrade joins forces with her brother the revolutionary leader and her betrothed the Crown Prince in a deadly bid to change history. 

The civil war that the charm caster Sophie and the Crown Prince Theodor tried so desperately to avert has come to Galitha. While Theodor joins Sophie's brother and his Reformist comrades in battle, hoping to turn the tide against the better-supplied and better-trained Royalist army, Sophie leverages the only weapon she has: charm and curse casting. She weaves her signature magic into uniforms and supplies procured with the aid of unlikely foreign allies, but soon discovers that the challenges of a full-scale war are far greater than the entrepreneurial concerns of her small Galithan dress shop. The fractured leadership of the Reformist army must coalesce, the people of Galitha unite against enormous odds, and Sophie create more than a little magical luck, in order to have a chance of victory."

Torn (The Unraveled Kingdom #1) Review
Fray (The Unraveled Kingdom #2) Review

I am both satisfied and heartbroken that The Unraveled Kingdoms trilogy is now over, but I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to wrap up this beautiful and intense story. The previous two books were sent to me courtesy of Orbit, but because of COVID things have gotten a little crazy and rather than simply request it on NetGalley, I decided to pre-order this one specially because I felt like I should support both Rowenna Miller and Orbit right now--and I'm so glad I did because that cover looks even more beautiful in person!

Where do I begin? First, if you haven't read the first two books in this trilogy but plan to and don't want any sort of spoilers, then you may not want to read this review in full detail. I won't give any spoilers for Rule and I will try to refrain from saying too much that could give away details from the first two books, but there will probably be some general plot details that do slip through, so consider yourself warned. :)

Despite attempts to prevent it, a civil war has erupted in Galitha, where Reformists strive to topple the nobility and Royalist army in order to give the people of Galitha better rights. This is the moment that the previous books have been building up to--the final stand on whether or not the people of Galitha can be successful in their revolutionary endeavor. Though they had success int he past with passing important bills, we all know that that doesn't mean any problem is over, and tensions have finally reached their final point.

Sophie, our sole protagonist, remains a truly captivating character to follow, and it has been such a incredible journey watching her grow in both her physical powers as a charmcaster as well as her personal growth into someone somehow even more independent and headstrong than she already was at the beginning of the trilogy. In Rule, Sophie learns just how high the stakes have risen and what true battle is like, along with all of the loss, triumph, and struggle that comes with it. I've also liked watching Sophie's relationships with Theodore and her brother, Kristos, develop over the course of The Unraveled Kingdoms trilogy. There are a lot of ups and downs between them, especially when it comes to Sophie and her brother, and it was such an enjoyable to see how they handled all the different conflicts and intense moments that happened and how those ultimately shaped everything in the end.

I also liked Miller's inclusion of women's rights issues that pop up in this world, and I think the way that she chose to incorporate it had a very real-world authentic feel to it. Although the people of Galitha are fighting for better rights and quality of life, there's no real emphasis on the women of Galitha and that they should have more opportunities, such as running for political office. Sophie repeatedly brings this up to Kristos and Theodore, but is repeatedly told that that is not what they are fighting for right and that she should bring it up again later once they've established their new way of life in Galitha. Of course, Sophie doesn't take this as an adequate answer and continues to push, and I thought it was a really thoughtful and important way to show how there are so many more sides to any revolution than appear, and that just because one problem might be solved, it doesn't mean everything is perfect.

Along those lines of not everything being perfect, I also appreciated how Miller had her characters discuss not only the current civil war, but what the future could look like if they actually won. Contrary to what most books and stories make it sound like, winning a war doesn't mean things are automatically perfect for the victors--instead, Sophie, Theodore, her brother, and other chosen leaders must figure out how to go about creating this 'better' life in an equal and acceptable way for everyone. This is no easy task, and I appreciated how much prominence Miller gave to these issues.

Overall, I've given this amazing conclusion to a magical and politically intense story five stars! I have loved following this revolution of sorts from the very beginning where Sophie is working at her store and focusing on building up her business to being a vital component of one of the most important moments in Galitha's new history. If you like revolutions, politics, the idea of charms being sewn into cloth items, and people who never give up on fighting for what they believe is right and fair for everyone, then absolutely pick up this trilogy!

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Top 5 Tuesday: Magic Systems

 

It's been a minute since I've posted once of these, but today I've finally been able to participate again in Top 5 Tuesday, originally hosted by BionicBookworm, now hosted by MeeghanReads!

This week's theme is: Magic Systems

This week's topic is all about magic systems! There are a lot of magic systems I enjoy, and I tend to like both hard and soft magic systems–usually whatever fits the story best works for me. For this list, however, I've opted to share some systems that are a little more on the harder side, or at least ones that have more obvious rules, limits, and/or methods of being used. There are so many more magic systems I could rave about (especially softer ones like elemental types of magic, the 'Gnosis' from R. Scott Bakker's trilogy, to name a few), but here are just five that I've liked learning about!

1. The Drowning Empire Trilogy by Andrea Stewart
Books: The Bone Shard Daughter, The Bone Shard Emperor, The Bone Shard War (not yet released!)

The Drowning Empire Trilogy has been quite popular and I know all of us fans are anxiously awaiting the release of the third and final book in the trilogy, The Bone Shard War. I'm not actually always that great at describing magic systems, but here's an excerpt from my review where I did my best to describe it: "Bone shard magic basically works to help create and direct creatures known as 'constructs,' which are essentially put together with various animal parts and seem to be the sort of military/police of the land. Without these constructs, there isn't a whole lot to enforce law and order, so when the various 'commands' that are imbued into them fail, repercussions can be fairly momentous. I loved seeing all the different ways that bone shard magic functioned and how Lin learned how to use it most effectively." Needless to say, it's a pretty cool system to get to explore as a reader. 

2. The Ascension Cycle by David Mealing
Books: Soul of the World, Blood of the Gods, Chains of the Earth (not yet released!)

I'll be honest here, it's been a couple years since I last read a book in this trilogy so my knowledge of the magic system is a little fuzzy... but I know I had a lot of fun with it and it's one that I tend to think of when I think about cool magic systems. It reminded me a bit of a video game in the sense that you could really keep track of abilities and stamina, and that it was a very visual sort of magic system where you could actually see how the magic was used. From my review for Blood of the Gods, I wrote this about the magic system:
"The first and most prominent standout of this book is the magic system- or should I say the magic systems? That's right, there isn't just one unique magic system, there are multiple, and each one is incredibly interesting to explore and see in action. What I really loved was that all of the setup in the first book regarding how the magic systems worked and how the characters were able to use their magic completely paid off because this book allowed us to dive even deeper into not only the magic, but also the world, characters, and politics." I'm not sure when we'll finally get the third book, but I'm really excited for it!

3. The Unraveled Kingdom by Rowenna Miller
Books: Torn, Fray, Rule

I had so much fun with the magic in The Unraveled Kingdom because it's all about the ability to sew various types of charms into basically any fabric, from clothes, bags, sails, anything–if it has stitches, it can have a charm sewn into it. I loved how much detail Miller put into what seems like a more straightforward magic system when it's anything but. We get to see how it affects the protgaonist, such as whether she is creating positive charms versus more negative charms, as well as the different ways it can be used, such as with political issues... which sounds weird, but you'll find out more about if you read the trilogy. 

4. Jekua series by Travis Riddle
Books: On Lavender Tides, (more TBA!)

I don't think I could make a post like this without including the super fun magic system in Travis Riddle's newest series, which is very Pokemon-inspired and makes for a really great time. Here is, one again, an excerpt from my review where I describe it: "Much like Pokemon, Jekua are the many animal-like creatures that inhabit this world, each with their own unique skills and abilities. Jekua Summoners use special devices called kayets to ‘imprint’ them, essentially creating a copy of them, which they can then use to have battles with other Summoners and their own Jekua. Summoners have to train with their Jekua in order to work cohesively together and can learn a wide myriad of tricks and techniques to become better and stronger competitors, many of which go on to compete in tournaments and acclaim great fame for their skills. I haven’t read all that many progressive fantasy books, so I wasn’t sure exactly what I might be getting into this time around, but I have to say that I had such a blast learning about the mechanics of summoning. From the hard rules about imprinting and how to work Jekua to the more varied lessons about teaching Jekua new skills and learning how to better work with them, I was fully engrossed and watched everything play out in my hand like a movie." It's awesome!

5. The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington
Books: The Shadow of What Was Lost, An Echo of Things to Come, The Light of All that Falls

The Licanius Trilogy is one of my favorite series (and did you hear that The Broken Binding is doing a special edition set of these!? I'm beyond excited) and one reason is because of how much I loved and understood the magic system.  A brief explanation of the set up of this world's magic: "People in this world are separated into three main groups: the Gifted, the Augurs, and those with no magic. Augurs are the rarest and are considered to be essentially eradicated after they became unreliable and seen as a danger to the population. As a result of this, the Gifted were also 'bound' to the Four Tenets, which basically means that, at the core, they are unable to use their powers on any non-Gifted people--not even for self-defense--and are closely watched by the Administration. They are also, for the most part, completely hated and feared by all non-Gifted people. I thought that this setup made for an interesting story as it examined the various power constructs among these groups. For instance, the Gifted are technically more physically powerful, but the non-Gifted have them bound and unable to defend themselves, so therefore they are actually weaker." The magic that the Gifted can do vary from the Augurs, and even within both groups things are hard to succinctly describe so I'll leave it there, but it's such a cool and incredible read and you should really check this series out. 

Bonus #6: Swords and Fire trilogy by Melissa Caruso
Books: The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir, The Unbound Empire

This has a super interesting magic system because it's characterized by what is known as a Falcon/Falconer relationship in which a Falcon's, or mage's, magic abilities are bound by a non-mage in order to control their magic. This is done because Falconer's in the past have wreaked havoc with their magic and those in charge decided it was no longer safe to let them use or have their magic in an unchecked capacity. It makes for a really fascinating read to see how all the dynamics of this setup play out amidst a lot of other drama and political intrigue. It's another one that I highly recommend!

Have you read any of these books and magic systems? What are some magic systems you like?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Rule (The Unraveled Kingdom #3) by Rowenna Miller & Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Rule (The Unraveled Kingdom #3) by Rowenna Miller
Publication: May 19th, 2020

Orbit

Paperback. 432 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The civil war that the charm caster Sophie and the Crown Prince Theodor tried so desperately to avert has come to Galitha. While Theodor joins Sophie's brother and his Reformist comrades in battle, hoping to turn the tide against the better-supplied and better-trained Royalist army, Sophie leverages the only weapon she has: charm and curse casting. She weaves her signature magic into uniforms and supplies procured with the aid of unlikely foreign allies, but soon discovers that the challenges of a full-scale war are far greater than the entrepreneurial concerns of her small Galithan dress shop. The fractured leadership of the Reformist army must coalesce, the people of Galitha unite against enormous odds, and Sophie create more than a little magical luck, in order to have a chance of victory."

I have been loving this trilogy and I am so incredibly excited for this finale! Sophie is a character that I have really grown to love and I've missed following her and this entire world and storyline.

and...

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

Publication: May 5th, 2020

Random House

Hardcover. 480 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Cadence Archer arrives on Harvard’s campus desperate to understand why her brother, Eric, a genius who developed paranoid schizophrenia took his own life there the year before. Losing Eric has left a black hole in Cady’s life, and while her decision to follow in her brother’s footsteps threatens to break her family apart, she is haunted by questions of what she might have missed. And there’s only one place to find answers. 

As Cady struggles under the enormous pressure at Harvard, she investigates her brother’s final year, armed only with a blue notebook of Eric’s cryptic scribblings. She knew he had been struggling with paranoia, delusions, and illusory enemies—but what tipped him over the edge? With her suspicions mounting, Cady herself begins to hear voices, seemingly belonging to three ghosts who walked the university’s hallowed halls—or huddled in its slave quarters. Among them is a person whose name has been buried for centuries, and another whose name mankind will never forget. 

Does she share Eric’s illness, or is she tapping into something else? Cady doesn’t know how or why these ghosts are contacting her, but as she is drawn deeper into their worlds, she believes they’re moving her closer to the truth about Eric, even as keeping them secret isolates her further. Will listening to these voices lead her to the one voice she craves—her brother’s—or will she follow them down a path to her own destruction?"

I'm a sucker for any mysterious plot line set on a college campus or boarding school situation, so this one seems right up my alley! Ghost stories can be hit or miss in execution, but I'm hoping this one will be done well.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Review: Fray by Rowenna Miller

Fray (The Unraveled Kingdom #2) by Rowenna Miller
Orbit
Publication: June 4th, 2019

Paperback. 496 pages.

About Fray:

"In this epic sequel to Torn, the magical seamstress Sophie Balstrade navigates a royal court and foreign alliances fraught with danger -- and may well have to risk everything for love and for country. 

Open revolt has been thwarted -- for now -- but unrest still simmers in the kingdom of Galitha. Sophie, despite having built a thriving business on her skill at both dressmaking and magic, has not escaped unscathed from her misadventures in the workers' rebellion. Her dangerous foray into curse casting has rendered her powers unpredictable, and her increasingly visible romantic entanglement with the Crown Prince makes her a convenient target for threatened nobles and malcontented commoners alike. With domestic political reform and international alliances -- and her own life -- at stake, Sophie must discern friend from foe... before her magic grows too dark for her to wield."

When I read Torn, the first book in the Unraveled Kingdom trilogy, I was excited by how much I fell in love with the world, magic system, and main character Sophie Balstrade. I'd been anticipating picking up Fray ever since, and it managed to up the intensity and plot to even further than I expected.

This series has always had politics at its core, but Fray took this trilogy to even higher political heights than in Torn. There is so much plotting and planning and political maneuvering that I almost started feeling dizzy at times--and it was brilliant. Miller does a wonderful job of creating a historical-inspired setting with strong political and social world-building, as well as developing a feel for the natural environments of the different locations that exist within it.

Sophie remains a truly charming character. What I love so much about her is that she is far from perfect and comes into this story with her own preconceptions and ideas about social classes, how to make improvements, and many other world views. It is through her experiences, the experiences of others, and her dealings with others that she continues to expand her viewpoint on the world and become a better person everyday. What really stands out about her is that she is not afraid to admit if she is ignorant in regards to a specific topic and will not attempt to force out an uninformed opinion, a trait that I find rather mature and impressive. Her strength really shines in how tough she has to be when dealing with an extensive amount of people who have developed their own hatred for her for how she is helping the lower classes. There were a few things I didn't love about what she chose to do at various crossroads and that felt slightly out of character, especially in regards to her prized clothing store, but I also see this as a turning point for Sophie as she embarks upon a new phase of her life. Plus, I have no idea what could still happen in the next book.

Theodor is another character that comes into the story from a very specific background with fairly specific viewpoints, but he grows as a person in the first book and also in this book. He is another great example of how well Miller can develop multi-dimensional character with real human growth and struggles. Nobody's perfect in this book--the "good" guys sometimes need to learn things, the "bad" characters can sometimes make sense, and in a sense many of the people who aren't outwardly bad do many things that are seen as welcome and positive by some, whereas others would see those actions as wholly negative and unhelpful.

I really love how Miller handled the issue of a revolution from lower classes of citizens against the elite. Sophie is used as a sort of middle man, since she is now engaged to Theodor and can actively try to influence the elite. In doing this, Miller touches on the difficulties of Sophie struggling to make everybody happy. The lower class want a lot all at once, but they have to start off by taking only a little, which they say as being counterproductive when in reality it is the best way for them to get what they want. It was exciting to see how she worked all of this out and showcased it in the ways that she did. The violence that erupts as a result of misunderstood actions or overly passionate feelings coming to a boil place an enormous role in this story as well, and I appreciated how she incorporated all components into a cohesive and thought-provoking novel.

And of course one of the things I love most about this trilogy--the magic! I loved getting to explore more about the depths of this magic, including the darker side of it and how it can be manipulated for bad intentions as well as good, which Sophie usually does.

Overall, I've given Fray 4.75 stars! I cannot wait for the finale!

*I received a copy of Fray in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Review: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller

Redhook

Publication Date: March 28th, 2023

Paperback. 416 pages.

About The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill:

"There is no magic on Prospect Hill—or anywhere else, for that matter. But just on the other side of the veil is the world of the Fae. Generations ago, the first farmers on Prospect Hill learned to bargain small trades to make their lives a little easier—a bit of glass to find something lost, a cup of milk for better layers in the chicken coop. 

Much of that old wisdom was lost as the riverboats gave way to the rail lines and the farmers took work at mills and factories. Alaine Fairborn’s family, however, was always superstitious, and she still hums the rhymes to find a lost shoe and to ensure dry weather on her sister’s wedding day. 

When Delphine confides her new husband is not the man she thought he was, Alaine will stop at nothing to help her sister escape him. Small bargains buy them time, but a major one is needed. Yet, the price for true freedom may be more than they’re willing to pay."

If you've read and enjoyed Rowenna Miller's The Unraveled Kingdom series, then you'll probably also adore The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill and know exactly what to expect. If you haven't, here's a taste of what's in store: strong female characters, a cozy setting and plot, magic in the best ways from the subtle to the overt, and beautiful writing that makes each page fly by. I really loved this latest release from Rowenna Miller and was so glad to see her writing something just as dazzling as The Unraveled Kingdom series, but with a much different setting and plot. 

The Fairborn family has lived on Prospect Hill for generations as farmers, and it is where they now still own many acres of land and a healthy orchard. These farmers also learned that it was possible to bargain with the Fae folk for various boons, though the need for careful thought and consideration when making these bargains has always been critical so as not to be tricked. Alaine and Delphine have grown up on the land and Alaine now lives in a house built there with her husband Jack, and daughter Emily. Delphine is recently engaged to a wealthy man and will be leaving Prospect Hill. Alaine is saddened by this and concerned about Delphine's future, but is supportive and happy for her... until both she and Delphine discover that her new husband is not the man they thought he was. 

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill has a fairly slow start where we really take the time to get to know each of our main characters and the world they live in. The slow start is definitely worth the wait for everything that eventually happens, and I enjoyed experiencing this somewhat quieter fantasy novel that has hints of magic in every page. This book has an incredibly charming tone and atmosphere to it, full of whimsical notes and an abundance of folktale energy throughout. Within this cozy atmosphere, however, is a very persistent undertone of something a little more serious and even sinister, in a sense. 

Alaine is a very determine and headstrong–I may even go as far as calling her stubborn–woman who has a lot of responsibilities between the orchard, her daughter, and seeming to feel a need to take care of everyone. She bargains a good bit and does more than she should. Delphine also has some of that stubbornness and it very compelling to watch both Alaine and Delphine come to terms with their own conflicts in order to help one another int he best ways possible. I liked getting a chance to see how these two women managed to handle very different struggles in ways that worked best for both of them, all while maintaining their loyalty and love for their family. 

I loved Miller's creation of the Fae world and the rules around bargaining. There are of course many folktales about the Fae that exist in our own world, all of which come with their own unique rules and general customs. I appreciated the detail that Miller included in the bargaining rules in this book, which added so much life and authenticity to the story by doing so. These are not simple bargains or trades, but very rich and intricate exchanges between the human and Fae that have very real consequences if not done in thoughtful manners. I really appreciated how Miller crafted all of this and managed to create something that felt true to folktales and intelligent in how the Fae and humans interacted.

As mentioned, this is a bit of a slow burner of a story, and I found that this also played into the fact that we don't really get to interact much with the Fae world itself until near the very end of the story, which was a little disappointing to me because I knew it would probably be one of my favorite parts of the story–and it was. Much in the same way that Miller crafted the Fae bargaining, she also did an excellent job of developing a captivating Fae world that effortlessly captured the intensity, fearsomeness, and wonder that embodies any Fae world. This is not some cute Fae world where there is magic and fun, it is a harsh yet playful world that is not for the faint of heart, which is how a Fae world should be. Miller seems to take inspiration from a lot of the more traditional views of the Fae and how Fae worlds and bargains work, and it all worked beautifully in this story.

The only things I didn't love as much about this book were the pacing and some confusion around the setting itself. I don't mind a slower paced story at all, and in fact the style of this story is exactly what I expected from Miller Miller (in a good way!), but I do wish there had been just a bit more going on in the first or even middle portions of the story to keep things more engaging. As it stands, much of the action occurs in the final third part of the book, and while that generally works, it made me wish there had been more stakes or more intrigue in general to earlier parts of the book. With regard to the setting, my main complaint is that it felt a bit grey about when exactly this story takes place, and I wasn't even sure at first where this was meant to take place (such as in a real world or a fantasy world, in North America, Europe, etc.), which left me feeling a bit surprised whenever we'd hear about a historical event or something similar and I had to reorient how I perceived the world. 

Outside of those minor issues, I really had a pleasurable time with this story! I think Rowenna Miller will continue to be an author whose work I will always pick up and will likely always enjoy. Her writing flows beautifully and always manages to include incredible women, themes that are both relevant and meaningful without being overdone, and storytelling that brings everything to life. Overall, I've given The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill four stars!

*I received a copy of The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Month in Review: June 2020

So I learned something about myself in June--or rather, confirmed something I wondered about--and that is that my "comfort books" are, undoubtedly, historical fiction books. My anxiety was on high alert pretty much through all of June because of this huge move that I'm in the middle of (as I'm writing this, I'm almost done packing and my husband and I will be driving back down to Southern CA for good-yay!) and we're moving into a new apartment on Sunday (which is the day I'm posting this now!). Also, I'm sure most of you already know this, but moving is exhausting. I thought I had it under control, but yeah... no, this has been not fun--but since it's my first 'big' move, I now know a lot more that will make it easier in the future. 

So all in all, there are a lot of reasons for my anxiety around this move (one of them being that I'll be about an hour from my mom, which isn't that long, but considering how close I am to her and the dog, it's hard!), but I won't go into them all and will leave it at saying that this month I leaned heavily on books that kept my anxiety at bay and allowed me to just relax and feel warm and comforted reading them--which happened to be historical fiction this month!

In reading news, this month was really pretty uneventful. I know ten books is a lot, but I'm still pretty disappointed because I planned to read quite a few more, but unfortunately stress and anxiety kept me from being able to focus on things. Still, I managed a re-reading of The Secret History, one of my favorite books, and I had so much fun with Beatriz William's and Melanie Benjamin's books--they always seem to deliver great historical fiction. I'm hoping to pick back up with my reading next month, but... we'll see. I really want to push myself, but I also know that I shouldn't push myself. 

On another note, besides just missing libraries in general, has anyone started missing library sales yet?? The library near us usually had a 'Second Saturday' sale every second Saturday of the month with twenty-five cent books and I'm really missing the opportunity to buy some cheap books! Anyway, all my woes aside, haha, I hope you're all doing well, staying safe, and having a great summer so far! 

How was your reading month? Did you read any great books? Have you read any of the books I read? Let me know, I'd love to chat about any and all the books!

# books read: 10
 

The Secret History by Donna Tartt ★★★★★ (re-read)
Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike ★★★★
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni ★★★
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

The Library of Legends by Janie Chang ★★★★
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC



The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams ★★★★
Source: Owned (Library Sale) | Format: Paperback

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin ★★★★
Source: Owned (Library Sale) | Format: Paperback

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin ★★★★
Source: Owned (Library Sale) | Format: Paperback

The Latecomers by Helen Klein Ross★★★★
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC



Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust ★★★

Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin ★★ 
Source: Owned (Library Sale) | Format: Paperback

The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso ★★★★★
Trouble the Saints by Alaya Dawn Johnson  ★★★
Wonderland by Zoje Stage ★★★★
Rule (The Unraveled Kingdom #3) by Rowenna Miller ★★★★★
The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni ★★★
The Library of Legends by Janie Chang ★★★
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia ★★★★★
Night by Alexandria Warwick ★★★★


(other than reviews)

Month in Review: May 2020
Anticipated July 2020 Releases!

Top Five/Ten Tuesday:
Books that Give Off Summer Vibes
Books I Forgot I Once Added to My TBR
Summer TBR
TBR Update--Have I Been Reading the Books I've Said I Will?
Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020

Can't-Wait Wednesday:
6/3: Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings, The Book of Dragons edited by Jonathan Strahan, & The Storyteller's Daughter by Victoria McCombs
6/10: Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim, The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman, & Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters
6/17: Ashes of the Sun by Django Wexler, The Nesting Dolls by Alina Adams, & Splinters of Scarlet by Emily Bain Murphy
6/24: Crossings by Alex Landragin & The Daughters of Foxcote Manor by Eve Chase

The Friday Face-Off:
Flight
Time

Have you read any of these? What books did you read this month? I hope you all had a great month-- comment below and let me know!