The Replacement

Top 5 Wednesday: January 16, 2019

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Most Disappointing Reads of 2018

These are books you read in 2018, not only ones released in 2018.
To participate in Top 5 Wednesday, head over to their Goodreads Group!

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

This book really disappointed me. I had been looking forward to reading this book for years, but kept putting it off for one reason or another. Now I wish I had kept putting it off…

Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett

Considering the little mystery and the obvious mental illness, I thought this book would be more interesting than it was. Instead I spent the whole time with a look of vague disgust on my face. Read my review.

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

I’ve discovered Yovanoff books are pretty hit or miss with me. Either I love them or I hate them. Unfortunately this was a hate. I wound up abandoning this book.

I Don’t Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star by Judy Greer

So BORING. The prologue to this book made it seem like it was going to be soooo interesting, but it really wasn’t. DNF.

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham

It just seemed so rambling… I don’t really have much to say about it. I had high hopes and they weren’t met. Read my mini-review.

What were your disappointing reads of 2018?

October 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
(Strange the Dreamer, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★★ – it was amazing
Review:  Yes
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  September 30 – October 3
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Dreamer’s Weep
Least Favorite Thing:  Descriptions of the Carnage

I reread this on a whim to prepare for Muse of Nightmares and I’m glad I did because I enjoyed it just as much as the first time.

My Posts About Strange the Dreamer

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
(The Mitford Years, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 27 – October 9
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The peaceful nature of the village.
Least Favorite Thing:  So much religion…

This is one of those calm books where even when something happens, nothing really happens. But I mean that in a good way, I promise; it’s mostly character based. I found this series when I was in jail and it was so calming I bought them all when I was released.

My Posts About At Home in Mitford

Clarity by Kim Harrington
(Clarity, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 9 – 10
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The mechanics of the various psychic abilities.
Least Favorite Thing:  She saw her brother have sex in a vision like….yikes, poor Clarity.

I grabbed this book on a whim, partly because I accidentally grabbed it’s sequel on a whim also, but mostly because it’s October and I wanted to read something with a little supernatural tint.

My Posts About Clarity

Perception by Kim Harrington
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 10 – 12
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Perry’s anxiety was relatable as hell.
Least Favorite Thing:  Clarity is incredibly judgmental of like…everyone.

Hmm… Well, that was not as good as the first one. It wasn’t terrible or anything, it just wasn’t good. And once again the romance was super clumsy; I just didn’t buy either of the love interests at all.

My Posts About Perception

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 13
Read Count:  1 (DNF)
Favorite Thing:  Nothing.
Least Favorite Thing:  The supernatural creatures need you to be in a band! For fucks sake…

I got about halfway through this book and then could go no further. The premise had potential, but it just wouldn’t get there and the writing felt awkward. I’ve read other novels by this author and they were alright, but this first one just wasn’t doing it for me.

My Posts About The Replacement

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows
(The Lady Janies, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 13 – 18
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  So funny!
Least Favorite Thing:  Can’t think of a single thing! Hurray!

This book was so funny, I definitely recommend everyone read it. (Don’t worry, you don’t need to know any of the actual history to enjoy this, although it is a little bonus.)

My Posts About My Lady Jane

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
Rating:  N/A
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  March 27 – October 21
Read Count:  1 (DNF)
Favorite Thing:  Nothing.
Least Favorite Thing:  So boring…

Well I tried for almost a year and never got past the first quarter of this book, so I’m giving up! I like to think I’m not usually so impatient when I read classic novels, but this one really beat me, y’all. Maybe I’ll give it another go when I’m older and wiser.

My Posts About Wives and Daughters

Touched by Corrine Jackson
(Sense Thieves, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 20 – 24
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  This book is like if Twilight had been actually good.
Least Favorite Thing:  Dean. Yuck.

I’m officially calling this as a guilty-pleasure read. Now I just need to find the sequels!

My Posts About Touched

Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart
(Grace and Fury, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 26 – 27
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The Mount Ruin women.
Least Favorite Thing:  Men.

As I mentioned before, this book starts a little slow, but it picks up pretty soon and once it gets going it’s hard to put down.

My Posts About Grace and Fury

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Rating:  Unrated
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 28
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Not likely.
Least Favorite Thing:  Graphic.

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Child Sex Abuse (and others)

This book was well-written, but I think in the case of this story that’s almost a bad thing.

My Posts About Living Dead Girl

In Progress

First Lines Fridays: November 17, 2017

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First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

I don’t remember any of the true, important parts, but there’s this dream I have.

Interested? Scroll down for the cover and summary!

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate’s baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.