On my nightstand: Spooky reads

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Hello Everyone,

I thought I would share with you what’s currently on my nightstand. I want to join in the fun and find a book in my possession that would fall under spooky reads. I haven’t read a thriller since I was in high school. I am pretty much a chicken when it comes to horror. But I thought since Halloween is this month, a spooky read might be fun. It’s time to leave my comfort zone and go exploring.  I had bought, “Daughters of Gods and Shadows” by Jayde Brooks a long while back and thought it would work nicely. I am also excited to read a debut black author in the genre of Fantasy. This is book one in a trilogy and lucky me, the second book in the trilogy is coming out November 17 and it is called, “City of Dark Creatures”. So I could marathon through book two once I finish.

daughterofgodsandshadows

This book is about:

Eden Reid is not interested in prophesy. The problem is that a doozy of a prophesy is bearing down on her. Such is the case when you’re a twenty-four-year-old from Brooklyn, New York who is about to discover she is an ancient god. A truly powerful one. And with power comes problems.
A truly formidable demon is gunning for her; a zombie-like pandemic is spreading across the country, creating creatures who are hungry for flesh, fast on their feet and clever; and there is the mysterious, handsome stranger with powers of his own who claims to have been her lover from a time and a life that Eden cannot remember. He promises to help awaken her powers for the upcoming war. A war where there is only one prize: survival…in Daughter of Gods and Shadows from debut author Jayde Brooks.

If I finish it quickly, I will read, “Hollywood Witch Hunter” by Valerie Tejeda  which is an ebook on my Kindle.

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This book is about:

From the moment she first learned the truth about witches…she knew she was born to fight them.
Now, at sixteen, Iris is the lone girl on the Witch Hunters Special Ops Team.
But when Iris meets a boy named Arlo, he might just be the key to preventing an evil uprising in Southern California.
Together they’re ready to protect the human race at all costs. Because that’s what witch hunters do.
Welcome to Hollywood.

This one is suppose to be a fast-paced fun book. It is only 99 cents on Amazon right now if you need another spooky read.

Happy Spooky Reading!!

Belinda

Belinda’s Book Nook Review: Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

magonia

Title: Magonia
Author: Maria Dahvana Headley
Copyright: April 28, 2015
Genre: fantasy
Format:book  Pages: 320

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air.

Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live.

So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn’t think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia.

 

My Thoughts:

I admit, I fell in love with the cover of this book before I even knew what it was about. Not only is the dust jacket beautiful but the hardcover is embossed with the feather and birds on a brilliant blue cover.  Just stunning. I always take the dust coat off when I read hardcover books and then replace when I am finished. I’m pretty sure this would be the reverse of purpose of dust jackets but that’s how I roll! So I have to say, I found myself looking at the cover while it was all over my house during my reading times.

This is my first bit of fantasy in a long while. Not including graphic novels. I fell into this story from the first page. It pulled me in to the mystery of what was wrong with this girl. I think the author did a great job of exploring the experience of a terminally ill person with little details.

I also enjoyed the development of the the two main characters, Aza and Jason. Their friendship was enviable. Of course they did through in a little bit of a love-triangle as most YA fiction seems to have but I didn’t mind it.

The world that Ms. Headley created in the sky was so amazing. I thought it was beautiful like the movie Avatar. Remember all the blue beings and the amazing jungle scenes. That is how pretty I believe Magonia to be.

I look forward to that follow-up book. This was a great summer read.  Light, engrossing, and fast.

I gave it 4 1/2 stars for all of the above reasons and just for the originality of this other world and beings.

4.5rating

Happy Reading!

Belinda

Belinda’s Book Nook: Tea and Literature

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I don’t know how far back my love affair with tea began but I do know it has been a long time. I remember when I was first exposed to loose tea. I had always had them pre-bagged and packaged that I bought at the supermarket. So the loose tea provided a new and exciting world to me.  I love going into tea shops and trying new loose teas. Seeing all the canisters makes me happy.  I also love beautiful teacups and of course all the yummies that accompany tea.

Living in the Northeast, I think the comfort of warm tea on a dreary or cold winter day came naturally.  There is something so comforting about holding a beautiful cup in your hands while watching the steam rise and the warmth radiating all the way down to my fingertips that has had me hooked.  And I haven’t even gotten to the taste.  The variety in tastes are amazing.  I used to only drink herbal tea but years back fell pretty hard for Green tea. I also love Jasmine tea and Oolong. For the last 8 years, I have been in love with Starbucks Chai tea. I can’t get enough of it.  Then Miss Oprah came up with her new Chai tea with Teavana/Starbucks and I am falling in love again. Her’s has a more cinnamon flavor and let’s face it, this time of year, cinnamon is prevalent in everything from tea to baking and even candles.

I recently went to Teavana and bought some of Oprah’s Chai tea and a cute canister to hold it. It’s my favorite color green and my friend Joan would tell you, “If it has a butterfly on it, Belinda will buy it.” and so I did.

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I just received this book in the mail from Amazon, “Snow Like Ashes” by Sara Raasch.

“Game of Thrones meets Graceling in this striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self.  Sara Raasch’s debut fantasy is a lightning-fast story of loyalty, love, and controlling one’s destiny.”

This just might be my next read. I have ordered up a winter supply of books to keep me happy this winter so I will be sharing them with you as I read them.

I have some reviews of books I recently completed  that I will be posting soon. So stick around my friend.

What are you reading?

Belinda

Belinda’s Book Nook Review: Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3) by Sarah Rees Brennan

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Title: Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3)
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Copyright: September 23, 2014
Genre: fiction, fantasy, young adult
Format: paperback Pages: 400

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.

My Thoughts on Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan:

I heard about the first book in the series, Unspoken,  this past summer and I read the it in July. I loved it. You can see my review here. I couldn’t wait and rushed to read the second in the series, Unmade and again enjoyed the story.  Even all the way to the third book, I found my fascination with the idea of people being connected via their thoughts and feelings very intriguing. It could be sexy at times in the case of Cassie and Jared and down right awkward with Ash. It could also be invasive when you want private thoughts but I found it an interesting element in the story.

This third and final book in the series did deliver and I felt it was worth the read.  Cassie continued to be a strong character in the face of difficulty and still youthful in her inability to figure out Jared.  In the first book I used to get so angry with her logic when it came to him and then I realized the author is keeping her age appropriate in that regard while still providing her strength and bravery in all other areas.

I loved the secondary characters, Cassie’s friends, they have so much energy and really add to the story. I found myself laughing at times at comments from her friend Angela and her brother.  They all helped to bring the story to life.

The beauty of coming to books late, is that the wait for the next books in the series are little to none in some cases. So I find my late arrival to the table of some good reads works out great for me.

I enjoyed the books in this series a great deal and would recommend them. It was a fun read that held my interest and for that reason I gave it 4 butterflies!

Happy Reading friends!

Belinda

4ratingA

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