2015 Reading Challenges: Halfway Update

2015 Audiobook Challenge

July Update!

2015 Audiobook Challenge, hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens! 

You can join the challenge or link up your update post HERE.

For this challenge, I chose the level Binge Listener 20 - 30 Audiobooks.

Here's my progress so far:

Jan. - March

1. Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2. Dead of Winter (The Arcana Chronicles #3) by Kresley Cole

3. By A Thread (Elemental Assassin #6) by Jennifer Estep

4. The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead

5. Deadly Spells (Prospero's War #3) by Jaye Wells

6. Widow's Web (Elemental Assassin #7) by Jennifer Estep

7. Jinn and Juice (The Jinni #1) by Nicole Peeler

March - June

8. Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard #1) by Christina Lauren

9. Beautiful Bitch (Beautiful Bastard #1.5) by Christina Lauren

10. Beautiful Stranger (Beautiful Bastard #2) by Christina Lauren

11. Beautiful Bombshell (Beautiful Bastard #2.5) by Christina Lauren

12. Love is Darkness (Valerie Dearborn #1) by Caroline Hanson

13. Eighth Grave After Dark (Charley Davidson #8) by Darynda Jones

14. Deadly Sting (Elemental Assassin #8) by Jennifer Estep

15. Heart of Venom (Elemental Assassin #9) by Jennifer Estep

16. Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5) by Marissa Meyer

              

                

16 out of 20 - 30

Looking good! If I keep up this pace I'll make my goal for sure!

Let me know if you're participating in the challenge and feel free to leave a link to your update post in the comments!

2015 Snagged at the Library Challenge

Sponsored by The Geeky Blogger and The Book Nympho

Join the Challenge or link your update here. 

I'm going for Overdrive Junkie (36 books) and I've created a Goodreads shelf to keep track. 

Here's my progress so far:

January

Blood Assassin (The Sentinels #2) by Alexandra Ivy

The King (Original Sinners: White Years #2) by Tiffany Reisz

Chained by Night (Moonbound Clan #2) by Larissa Ione

Daring (Pax Arcana #2) by Elliott James

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Bound by Flames (Night Prince #3) by Jeaniene Frost

The Hunter (Legend Chronicles #1) by Theresa Meyers

February



Wickedly Magical (Baba Yaga #0.5) by Deborah Blake

The Slayer (Legend Chronicles #2) by Theresa Meyers

The Chosen (Legend Chronicles #3) by Theresa Meyers

Gunpowder Alchemy (The Gunpowder Chronicles 1) by Jeannie Lin

The Loving Daylights by Lynsay Sands

The Master (The Game Maker #2) by Kressley Cole

March

Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs (Jane Jameson #1) by Molly Harper

Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men (Jane Jameson #2) by Molly Harper

Nice Girls Don't Live Forever (Jane Jameson #3) by Molly Harper

Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors (Jane Jameson #4) by Molly Harper

Driving Mr. Dead (Half Moon Hollow #1.5) by Molly Harper

April

Prudence (The Custard Protocol #1) by Gail Carriger

How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #1) by Molly Harper

How to Run With a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #2) by Molly Harper

The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #3) by Molly Harper

May

The Virgin (The Original Sinners: White Years #3) by Tiffany Reisz

I didn't read any library books (and only 5 books total) in June.

 I've read 25 books so far, so reaching my goal should be no problem even though I've slowed down quite a bit lately. (I blame Netflix!)



Review: Wicked Embers by Keri Arthur

Wicked Embers
(Souls of Fire #2)
Keri Arthur
Release: July 7, 2015
Goodreads Amazon

Keri Arthur, New York Times bestselling author of Fireborn, presents the thrilling new Souls of Fire Novel featuring Emberly Pearson, a phoenix that can transform into a human—and is haunted by the ability to foresee death....

Crimson Death, the plague like virus spawned from a failed government experiment to isolate the enzymes that make vampires immortal, continues to spread. Emberly and her partner, Jackson Miller, are desperately seeking the stolen research for a cure before the virus becomes a pandemic.

But their mission is jeopardized by another threat uncovered in Emberly’s prophetic dreams. A creature of ash and shadow has been unleashed on a murdering spree. Now Emberly must summon all her gifts and investigative knowledge to put an end to this entity’s brutal rampage—even if it means placing herself in harm’s way....

Review:
The story in Wicked Embers is very much a continuation of the events in Fireborn, the first book in the series. I would definitely recommend reading Fireborn first, even though everything is summarized pretty well. I have read the first book and I still felt like there were too many names to keep track of in Jackson and Emberly's investigation. The characters also refer to the events in the previous book quite a bit. That continuing story line really overshadows the stand alone plot about the creature that Emberly sees in her dreams.

I feel like I could almost repost my Fireborn review here because I liked almost exactly the same things about this book. I like the fact that Emberly and Rory and their fire powers are something that I haven't read about before. But I didn't really learn anything new about them in this second book.

I still like Jackson, even though he sounded like a horny teenager through much of the first half, and I think the new things that are happening with his Fire Fae powers are interesting. My favorite thing was getting to meet his Earth Fae friends and see their powers in action. I think other than the creature in the dreams, they are the only new bit of world-building here.

I also liked the fact that Emberly's relationship with her ex Sam seems to be less antagonistic now. He's involved in both the ongoing search for the missing Red Plague research and the hunt for the creature, so he's on the page quite a bit. Emberly learns some new information about Sam that came as a shock to her. I had already figured it out from the last book though, so it was a little anticlimactic for me.

I think that if you enjoyed Fireborn, Wicked Embers is worth your time. The police procedural elements are well-done, as they usually are in Arthur's books. I didn't feel like much progress was made in the series plot, though. This book leaves a lot of loose ends about the virus and the Red Cloaks, so you have to keep reading the series for resolution. Personally, though, I want to keep reading until I meet the Air and Water Fae. I hope that I'll find some other original ideas in the process.

Recommended for fans of: unusual supernaturals, paranormal police procedurals

ARC provided by the publisher

   

3  stars

 

My reviews of other books in this series:
Fireborn

Review and Giveaway: Shades of Treason by Sandy Williams

Shades of Treason

(An Anomaly Novel, #1)
By Sandy Williams

Blurb: 

Ash would have given her life to save her teammates.

Instead, they gave their lives to save hers.

Lieutenant Ramie Ashdyn is an anomaly, a person whose genetic makeup makes her stronger and smarter than the average human. She’s pledged her life to protect the Coalition, an alliance of thirteen planetary systems, but when a top secret operation turns bloody, she’s charged with treason and the brutal executions of her teammates.

The Coalition needs the information Ash’s team stole on their last mission, so they send in Commander Rhys “Rest in Peace” Rykus to get it. He’s the man who’s responsible for turning Ash into an elite soldier... and he’s a man who isn’t, never was, and never will be in love with the woman he trained. Or so he tells himself.

Ash wants nothing more than to clear her name and be the woman her former instructor wants her to be, but the enemy who killed her teammates did more than frame her for treason and murder: they telepathically silenced her mind, preventing her from saying anything that might point to the truth about what happened.

Now Ash is trapped and set to be executed, the truth dying with her. Unless she can prove her innocence. But taking that path could destroy the Coalition she’s sworn to preserve and protect...

  

Review:

Sandy Williams' Shadow Reader series is one of my favorite urban fantasies out there, so when I heard she had an upcoming sci-fi romance I jumped up and down with glee! I was not at all disappointed. Shades of Treason has non-stop action and is riddled with great characters, terrific twists and turns, and a promising romance. 

Let's start with the obvious...this is sci-fi. Some of you might lean more toward fantasy and paranormal, as I tend to do. Make no mistake, this is definitely a science fiction story. However, it is not at all overwrought with  science-y terms or so futuristic that you can't enjoy the story. Readers who enjoy UF will really be able to get into this story and not get hung up on the science. I was fully engrossed, and there were only a few times that I had to back up and reread to fully understand. A large part of the story takes place on a ship (think outer space, not the sea) and a few of the descriptions of things on this futuristic ship were the only times I found myself really needing to read again.

Now, the characters. This story is told from the alternating POVs of Ashdyn and Rhys Rykus. Ash is the only female "anomaly" to be a part of a loyalty training program that makes her a stronger and better soldier but attaches her mind's loyalty to a commander. She is a bit feisty and bucks against authority, despite her loyalty to the Coalition and her job as a soldier. She is a complex character, balancing logic with impulsiveness, indoctrination with rebelliousness. Sometimes her attitude reminded me of a grown up Rose from Vampire Academy. She wavers back and forth between admirable and infuriating. Its a purposeful waver, as it gives her character a lot of layers. Sometimes you love her and feel for her and sometimes you want to jump through your book and shake her! She has the added challenge of not being able to actually speak about the events that took place on her previous mission, the events that led to her entire team being murdered and her being named a traitor. This challenge causes a lot of the action and conflict in the story that I both loved and bit my nails while reading. 

Rhys Rykus is is beloved and decorated Commander is the Coalition's military. He is also the Commander to whom Ash's loyalty is attached. With a certain voice and intent, he can give her a direction that she almost always has to follow. He's the strong and silent type for sure, more action than words. It was good that we got to read from his POV because I don't know that I would have really understood him as well if the entire story had been from Ash's POV. He is constantly having an internal battle with himself about roughly five different things at any given time. One of those battles is over his feelings for Ash...first because everyone thinks she is a traitor and later because he is her Commander. Their romance is sure to be complicated over however many more books we can expect in this series. 

The last thing I MUST talk about is all the action in this book! There was something exciting happening nonstop. I tore through this book in a very short period of time, which is reminiscent of Williams' other series. This is why I suggest this book to lovers of UF. Those readers will greatly appreciate all of the action: multiple mysteries, never knowing exactly who to trust, well thought out fight scenes, a kick-ass heroine, etc. 

I highly recommend this start to the new Anomaly series! I was totally absorbed in Shades of Treason the entire time I was reading it. I look forward to what happens to Ash and Rykus next!

This review is based on an advance copy of the book, provided by the book tour.

    

  5 / 5 Stars

About The Author:

Sandy Williams has lived and breathed books all her life. When she was a teen, she was always the first to finish her class assignments so that she could read as much as possible before the bell rang. Her grades didn't suffer (much), and she was able to enroll in Texas A&M University. She didn't sneak in novels there, but her college lecture notes are filled with snippets of stories. After she graduated, she decided to turn those snippets into novels.

Sandy writes books with high-octane action adventure infused with a strong romantic element. She is best known for The Shadow Reader novels, an urban fantasy romance series about a human who can both see and track the fae. When she’s not reading or corralling her twin boys, she enjoys playing EuroGames like Dominion, 7 Wonders, and Agricola.

You can find Sandy at 

         

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 Presented By

Read This F@!%ing Book 43

Welcome to a feature we're going to post on Mondays called:

Read This F@!%ing Book!

This is a feature for us to push our favorite reads that just aren't getting enough attention! 

We're also opening it up to anyone who would like to guest post. Do you have a book that you just LURVED but feel like it's not getting the play it deserves? Email us to let us know and we'd be THRILLED to have you post about it here! Especially if its something we haven't reviewed yet - that's even better (but not necessary)!

If you're interested email: Goldilox3weres@hotmail.com

or send us a message on Facebook.

  This week's post comes from our very own: 
Gretl!

Read This F@!%ing Book Post 43: The Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance

I've been having a Cassie Palmer craving lately. I think I've reached the limit for how long I can go without a new book from Karen Chance. (Her latest release was delayed by a year when it wound up over 500 pages long.) So I'm going to revisit the series now and tell you why you should all catch up in time for Reap the Wind's November release.

 

 

I See Dead People (in more ways than one)

Cassie Palmer starts out as a pretty normal girl (who happens to be clairvoyant) on the run from a vampire mobster. She soon finds out that she's heir to the Pythia throne - she's The Oracle and all the supernaturals want her for themselves. Cassie ends up under the protection of the Vampire Senate and hiding out in a Las Vegas hotel, which is of course staffed mostly by demons. But when she gains the power to teleport and travel through time she's kind of hard to watch over. Her lack of training, and general desire not to be held captive in her own room, get her into trouble in some really fun ways.

 

I may have mentioned (about a hundred times) before that I love supernatural politics. Cassie aligns herself primarily with the vampires, but not all of them are happy to see her. Spy Master Kit Marlowe, for example, doesn't trust anyone and makes his opinion known. Yes, he's that Marlowe, and he's not the only character you might recognize from history and literature. Cassie's world features lots of other supes as well, primarily demons, mages, and Fae, who want to use her skills or kill her to keep anyone else from using them.

 

PRITKIN!

As part of the effort to keep Cassie out of trouble, she's assigned bodyguards, mostly the stereotypical big, burly vampire kind. But then there's Pritkin. He is absolutely my favorite thing about this series! He also has a really interesting history, which is revealed in later books so I can't spoil it. Pritkin is a former demon hunter and War Mage (think magical Special Ops) who doesn't usually play well with others. He's sent to kill Cassie, but isn't very good at following orders he doesn't agree with. He becomes Cassie's bodyguard/ personal trainer and the two have great chemistry.

But there was a lot more to Pritkin than looks, although even there I'd started to come around recently. The strong, stubborn jawline, the rock-hard body, and the flashes of humor behind the taciturn expression -- hell, even the rigid blond spikes he called hair might not add up to handsome, but they added up to something. -Tempt the Stars

With his combat skills and potion bombs, Pritkin is a part of many of the action scenes that make this series so much fun. I always say it's like reading an action movie. With his often surly attitude and questionable fashion sense, he's also a big part of the comedy. I love Pritkin so much and I can't even fully explain why because spoilers. He's the reason why the wait for Reap the Wind is so excruciating too - in my head, he's been in the same tough spot for over a year now.

 

Wide World of Shorts

Another thing I love about Cassie's world is that it's so much bigger than her series. The Dorina Bassarab series features several of the secondary characters from Cassie's books. Dory, a dhampir, works as something of a mercenary so her books are action-packed. They also provide more insight into the world's Fae than the Cassie books. (The relationship between the two series is a lot like that between the Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series, which we've featured here recently.)

The Lia de Croissets stories feature a half-were member of the War Mage Corps and can be found in various anthologies. They give more insight into the Mages and were politics. The author's website has several free short stories, many of which were only available previously in anthologies, starring secondary characters like Marlowe and Pritkin. Chance's website also has the series timeline, including the proper reading order to avoid spoilers. You might find that helpful if I've confused you with my attempt to explain everything.

Are you interested in starting this series? Did we persuade you to add it to your TBR mountain? Or have you read it and love it as much as I do? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

Early Review: Hell or High Water by Julie Ann Walker

 

Hell or High Water
(Deep Six #1)
Julie Ann Walker
Release: July 7, 2015
Goodreads Amazon

In a world on the brink...

Six men. One sunken Spanish galleon. Millions in gold and silver coins lying on the ocean floor. And a past that refuses to let the guys of Deep Six Salvage forget the Navy SEAL motto: the only easy day was yesterday...

There's more than one kind of treasure...

The nation's security has always been CIA agent Olivia Mortier's top priority. But a mission-gone-wrong has begun to make her wonder if there's more to life than risking hers.

And more than one secret at the bottom of the sea...

Only two things could make Leo Anderson abandon his hunt for the legendary lost ship, La Santa Christina, and return to the world of weapons and warfare he swore to leave behind: a capsule of enriched uranium, lost on the ocean floor, and a plea for assistance from the one woman he can't seem to forget...  

Review:
I’ve been excited about the Deep Six series ever since Leo and his crew were introduced in Julie Ann Walker’s last Black Knights Inc book Full Throttle. The former SEALs certainly did not disappoint. Hell or High Water maintains the feel of the BKI series with great action and steamy romance, but brings in fresh, fascinating characters and exotic new locations, which are well researched and highly detailed. I could easily picture the island in the Florida Keys where the crew is based. I’m looking forward to learning more about the area as the series progresses.

I really enjoyed the romance between Leo and Olivia. It’s sort of the battlefield version of a friends to lovers story. Despite having history together they don’t jump right in, but build up to the physical relationship and confessing their feelings. I liked that they worked for it, but I don’t love that thing where the heroine has a secret that she assumes the hero will condemn her for so she thinks the relationship is doomed. I feel like I’ve seen that too many times and it always frustrates me.

The suspense plot about a CIA mole kept me guessing. I was afraid it might cover too much familiar territory when oil heiress Maddy’s yacht is hijacked by terrorists - In Rides Trouble (BKI #2) started out much the same way – but it never felt repetitive. I thought the primary villain was well-developed and believable. I might have liked to see him have a closer connection to Olivia though.

I feel like this first book may serve as a transition for both the characters and readers from a mercenary storyline into the salvage operation. I’m excited to see what happens if and when they start searching for the sunken galleon. I hope to learn more of the story of the Santa Cristina as well as the getting to know the Deep Six crew.


Recommended for fans of: Walker's Black Knights Inc, Carolyn Crane's The Associates, or Shannon K Butcher's Edge series

ARC provided by the publisher

    

4  stars

Graphic Novel Review: Mercy Thompson: Hopcross Jilly

Mercy Thompson: Hopcross Jilly
(Mercedes Thompson Graphic Novels)
Written by Patricia Briggs and Rik Hoskin
Illustrated by Tom Garcia
Release: June 30, 2015
Goodreads Amazon

Mercy is a shapeshifting coyote and honorary member of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack. When the pack stumbles upon the buried bones of numerous dead children, she shapeshifts into a mystery of the legendary fae - a mystery that draws Mercy's stepdaughter Jesse into the fray! The supernatural romance series Mercy Thompson continues in this all-new, original story by New York Times bestselling author, Patricia Briggs, exclusively created for the comic book medium! 

We're all huge fans of Mercy Thompson here at the blog, but not necessarily of graphic novels. So
Gretl and Rose Red decided to review Hopcross Jilly together to give you both perspectives.

Our Review: Hopcross Jilly is set in the official Mercyverse continuity between Frost Burned and Night Broken (Mercy #7 and #8) and just after Dead Heat (Alpha and Omega #4.) This edition collects six issues of the Mercy Thompson comic book series.  

On Mercy Thompson and graphic novels:

Rose Red: You all probably don’t know this about me but I absolutely love graphic novels and comics! I’ve read a ton of them over the years. I love Patricia Briggs’ books so when I discovered that there were graphic novels set in both series, I picked one of them up. I got the Cry Wolf graphic novel and I was disappointed with it.

My problem wasn’t actually with the illustrations but with how the story was adapted for graphic novel form. It’s probably me just being nitpicky because I loved Cry Wolf so much! In my mind, it just wasn’t a good adaptation. That being said, it put me off picking up the Mercy Thompson ones even though those are more original stories and not adaptions. I’ve wanted to give them a try to see if that fact made a difference. So when Gretl informed that the new graphic novel Hopcross Jilly was on NetGalley, I knew I had to try it. I’m really glad to say that I enjoyed it! This graphic novel really was well done. It reinforced my belief that anything from Patricia Briggs can be expected to be amazing! And seriously, the art and storyline were on point!

Gretl: I wouldn't say I've never read a graphic novel, but I honestly couldn't tell you what I read or when. I think choosing a familiar subject like this - I've been a fan of the Mercy Thompson books for years - is a good way to get in to a new medium.

On Hopcross Jilly:

RR: Hopcross Jilly was a quick read with the perfect amount of words and images to tell the story in a gripping way. Like always, Mercy and Adam are the stars in the story which think is fantastic! I always want more of them when I finish any Mercy book. What I love most is that Adam’s daughter, Jesse, got her own story thread. We only get glimpses into Jesse’s life outside of the pack in the novels so I really appreciated that we got a more in depth look into her school life even though it was a little sad to see how she was being treated.

The story isn't very long or very challenging compared to others, but I still had a good time reading it. I actually figured out pretty quickly what was happening, but I enjoyed seeing how it all played out on the pages. The illustrations in this graphic novel were great! I really enjoyed getting to see the images to go along with the story. While I’m reading, I like to imagine each of the characters in my head so seeing the artist’s renditions of my beloved characters for the first time was pretty cool! I will admit that I picture most of them somewhat differently myself.

What I enjoyed the most was the interactions between Adam and Mercy as well as their interactions with Jesse. I love seeing the little moments they have as a family. I found the insight into Jesse's life at school a nice addition as well as the special scenes with her and Mercy. It was just a nice interlude between the novels that answered some questions I had from the series more directly.

G: At the same time, it's always weird for me to see the characters from books depicted outside my head. (I actually made a note that said "OMG! Zee looks like Thor!" while I was reading.) Whether it's in a movie, a book trailer or fan art, they never look exactly how I want them to. Though I admit that this Mercy comes pretty close to the book covers, which made her feel familiar.

The story alternates between Jesse at her high school, investigators at the crime scene, and flashbacks to other victims. I really liked the fact that Jesse was a big part of the story, but between her increased involvement, which reminded me of Night Broken, and the Fae killer, which is a lot like the one in Dead Heat, the story felt very repetitive to me. Although I did appreciate the clear, concise explanation for why some of the Fae are getting off their reservations which wasn't given in Dead Heat. I also felt like the end was a little anticlimactic since it was obvious who the killer was from the very beginning.

Final Thoughts:

RR: I gave it 4 stars. All in all, this story was an excellent addition to the Mercyverse. You can never go wrong with anything by Patricia Briggs, right? I think most Mercy Thompson fans will enjoy this story but I think those in the fandom who enjoy graphic novels will enjoy it the most. It’s one that I’d highly recommend!

G: I gave it  3.5 stars. Hopcross Jilly really captured the feel of the Mercy Thompson books for me. I think it would be great for someone new to the Mercy Thompson or Alpha and Omega series who wants to get an idea of what this world is like without investing the time in reading a whole novel. It's also good for those of us who need a quick fix while we're waiting for the next book to come out.

ARC provided by the publisher

 

and

Our reviews of other books in this series:
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs 
Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs 
Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

July Releases: Buy, Borrow or Beg?

Buy, Borrow or Beg is our monthly new release feature. Each of the co-bloggers is going to tell you which books they're most excited about and whether you should buy - the ones we preordered or plan to stand in line for, borrow - the ones we'll be stalking at the library, or beg - the ones we've gotten for free as review copies or prizes that you'll be begging us to tell you about. Let us know what you're eagerly awaiting this month in the comments.

Buy

The Werewolf Meets His Match (Nocturne Falls #2) by Kristen Painter
Releases July 1 Goodreads Amazon
I'm in love with the town of Nocturne Falls where it's Halloween every day of the year. The supernaturals live out in the open because the tourists think it's all pretend. In the second book in the series, the town sheriff agrees to an arrange marriage to settle a feud with a rival werewolf pack.

Spider's Trap (Elemental Assassin #13) by Jennifer Estep

Releases July 28 Goodreads Amazon

You really can't go wrong with Gin Blanco. But her life's changing a little after becoming the head of the underworld. She gets to settle disputes between crime families and I'm really curious about how she's going to handle problems she can't stab.

Borrow

Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine
Releases July 7 Goodreads Amazon
The Great Library at Alexandria survived. It's also sentient and has taken over the world! (This may be why no one asks me to write their blurbs.) Seriously, this YA dystopian sounds so good! I'll be waiting not so patiently for a copy from my library.

Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson

Releases July 14 Goodreads Amazon

I'm really excited about this YA Steampunk! Set in an alternate version of late 19th century America that never declared independence. The English use magic to enforce their rule and the rebels invent. Hoping for some of those Steampunk gadgets I love so much.

Beg

Hell or High Water (Deep Six #1) by Julie Ann Walker
Releases July 7 Goodreads Amazon
A sexy spy story great for the beach or pool side. Deep Six is a spin-off of Walker's Black Knights Inc. series and has a very similar feel. Look for my review tomorrow!

 

 

The Bourbon Kings by J.R. Ward

Releases July 28 Goodreads Amazon

I was so excited when I got this early. But I haven't gotten to read it yet. *sob* It's a non-paranormal from J.R. Ward! Romantic suspense about a family of bourbon magnates in Kentucky - I'm intrigued! Look for my review later this month.

Buy

Time Salvager (Time Salvager #1) by Wesley Chu
Releases July 7 Goodreads Amazon
I'm a huge fan of Chu's Tao series! So when I heard that he was coming out with a new science fiction book that features a time traveler, I knew I had to get my hands on it! This time traveler brings some back from the past which is against the law. So both of them are on the run and hiding on a future Earth that isn't so great. I can't wait to read this one!


Last First Snow (Craft Sequence #4) by Max Gladstone
Releases July 14 Goodreads Amazon
I just started Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence series and I'm loving it! I'm not sure how to classify it. Maybe it's weird urban fantasy. I actually have no idea what this one is about but I'm buying it so I can continue my series reread.

Armada by Ernest Cline

Releases July 14 Goodreads Amazon

I absolutely adored Cline's Ready Player One so I'm so excited to read his newest book! This book sounds like an excellent space opera in the making! I can't wait to see what pop culture references Cline threw into this one!

Borrow

Silver in the Blood (Silver in the Blood #1) by Jessica Day George
Releases July 7 Goodreads Amazon
I've been a huge fan of George's middle grade series (Dragon Slippers) for a long time now but I've never picked up one of her YA books. This start to her new historical fantasy series set both in New York and Romania sounds right up my alley! I hope there's vampires in it! :) I can't wait to get my hands on this one.


Spider's Trap (Elemental Assassin #13) by Jennifer Estep
Releases July 28 Goodreads Amazon
I'm several books behind in reading the Elemental Assassin series. I'm hoping to be caught up with Gin's adventure by the time I go home for visit this fall so I can borrow this from my Mom.

Beg

Raisonne Curse (The Brothers Bernaux #1) by Rinda Elliot

Releases July 14 Goodreads Amazon
I have a soft spot for books set in and around New Orleans or in bayous. So I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard about it. I've actually already read it and it's a great start to a new series. I'm interested to see where it goes and to learn more about the magic the Bernaux brothers have!


The Conquering Dark (Crown & Key #3) by Clay and Susan Griffith
Releases July 28 Goodreads Amazon
This is the last book in the Crown & Key trilogy and I'm really sad to see it come to an end. I've been enjoying the heck out of these books! I haven't read this one yet but I'm excited and nervous to see how this one wraps the storyline up after what happened in book two. I have no idea how the Griffiths are going to go about doing that.