January 2021 Wrap Up: a new favorite book and tons of fantasy and romance

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 10 Comments

Hi everyone! It’s time for the first wrap up of 2021. I was in a reading slump for a while during January, but I still managed to read 14 books, I enjoyed all of them and I even found a new favorite book. So overall it was a good reading month.

Before getting into the books, here are the posts I published this month, in case you missed any of them:

Withouth further ado, let’s talk about the books I read this month:

The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl by Theodora Goss (3,7 stars): after how much I loved the two previous books in the series, I was a bit disappointed. I still enjoyed this, because I love the characters and their relationships so much. But I felt like the resolution of the personal storylines of the characters wasn’t that satisfying. This book focused too much on the plot, which I found a bit boring. The author tried to tie the plot of this book to the overarching plot of the previous two installments, but it didn’t really work, this felt like a different story that came out of nowhere. 

White Hot by Ilona Andrews (4 stars): I loved the world and the magic system in this book, it’s so imaginative, cool, and unique. I liked the relationship between Nevada and Connor a lot more in this book than in the first one. I also liked them as individual characters more. I enjoyed seeing Nevada come into her power more and learn how to use it, and I’m not entirely sure why, but I liked Connor more in this book as well. The Baylor family was amazing as always and I think this book lets us get to know other secondary characters more, which I enjoyed.

Wildfire by Ilona Andrews (4 stars): Again, I loved the world, the magic system, and the characters. I liked the way the romance wrapped up and the way the storyline revolving around the Baylor family developed and how so many of the members of the family came into their own in this book. My only issue with this is that despite the fact that the main characters solved a big part of the mystery in this book, the ending wasn’t as satisfying as I wanted it to be because they didn’t catch the main villain and they don’t even know who it is.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo (4 stars): Nghi Vo wrote a beautiful story set in a very interesting and whimsical world and full of captivating characters. This book was bittersweet for me and made me emotional in a few parts.

The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi (4 stars): This was an angsty story full of complex relationships, longing and grief, but also a fun adventure with twists and turns that will keep you at the edge of your sit. (Full review)

Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova (4 stars): While I liked Rose, I didn’t like that her character was reduced to her fear of using her magic and to comparing herself to her sisters. But Adas, the world this is set in, was captivating and intriguing and the gods and the magical creatures were so cool and unique. My favorite part of the book was Rose’s relationship with the people she met in Adas. There was a romance, but it was barely there so I really didn’t care, and I would have liked the romance to be between Rose and another side character.

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (3,7 stars): it took me a while to get into this story, because the beginning is slow. What I discovered in this book is that as much as I enjoy Murderbot as a character, I don’t find it as entertaining when it’s alone, I like seeing it interact with humans and be irritated by them. Since Murderbot spent a chuck of this book alone, that’s probably a reason why it took me a while to get into the story.

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (3,7 stars): This was highly entertaining and I liked seeing Murderbot start to question certain things and grow and change as it experiences new things. I liked seeing characters from book one, especially Mensah, and I liked the hopeful tone this ended in because I want Murderbot to be happy. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying a Vampire by Grady Hendrix (4,5 stars): I LOVED THIS and it’s a new favorite book. This book got me out of a reading slump, it was so captivating, I was completely invested and it made me feel so many different emotions. I think this book did a good job of including important conversations about feminism, race and privilege. Also, it’s a grusome and disgusting type of horror, which I hadn’t read before, but it was very well done. (Full review)

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn: The first half of this book was fun and entertatining, it had great banter and family dynamics. Julia Quinn’s writing is compulsively readable. But then the second half is  really angsty mainly because the characters don’t communicate with each other and then there is the non-consensual scene, which ruins the book. (If you want to know more of my thoughts, here’s my full goodreds review)

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (4 stars): I LOVED Kate! and I loved the banter and the whole relationship between Kate and Antony, this was a very entertaining hate to love romance. My main issue is that I didn’t love Antony. He wasn’t terrible, but definitely not the type of hero that makes me swoon. Also, the bee scene was very silly and not in a way that worked for me. I was cringing.

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore (4 stars): I really liked Anabelle as a protagonist and the relationship between Sebastian and Anabelle was so delightful. I enjoyed seeing them slowly go from dislike to love, the tension and chemistry between them were so captivating. I think this addressed how perilous Anabelle’s situation as a woman was before getting involved with Sebastian but also because of her involvement with him, and I really appreciated that. I also really liked the way this book included the women’s suffrage movement in the story.

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters (4 stars): I think this book worked so well for me because the pranks weren’t mean, they were fun and entertaining. This book actually made me laugh out loud a couple of times. Also, I really liked the main characters, their chemistry, and banter. I do think they were a little bit immature but also they grew throughout the book, so I was ok with that. The side characters were amazing and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Shipped by Angie Hockman (3,5 stars): This was a fast, engaging read. But the characters lacked depth. I wish we could have read from his perspective and not only hers, because she was so self-centered and a bit annoying. The banter between the main characters was good and they did have chemistry, but most of the time, when they had conversations with any emotional depth, those conversations were stilted and a bit cringy.

What is your favorite book that you have read in 2021? Was january a good reading month for you?

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Book Review: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 5 Comments

Title: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

Author: Grady Hendrix

Publishing date:  April 7th 2020

Publisher:  Quirk Books

Genre: Horror

Pages: 400

IPatricia Campbell had always planned for a big life, but after giving up her career as a nurse to marry an ambitious doctor and become a mother, Patricia’s life has never felt smaller. The days are long, her kids are ungrateful, her husband is distant, and her to-do list is never really done. The one thing she has to look forward to is her book club, a group of Charleston mothers united only by their love for true-crime and suspenseful fiction. In these meetings, they’re more likely to discuss the FBI’s recent siege of Waco as much as the ups and downs of marriage and motherhood.

But when an artistic and sensitive stranger moves into the neighborhood, the book club’s meetings turn into speculation about the newcomer. Patricia is initially attracted to him, but when some local children go missing, she starts to suspect the newcomer is involved. She begins her own investigation, assuming that he’s a Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy. What she uncovers is far more terrifying, and soon she–and her book club–are the only people standing between the monster they’ve invited into their homes and their unsuspecting community.

Goodreads | Amazon

CW: child abuse, child grooming, child self-harm, sexual assault, domestic violence, emotional abuse, dead bodies, murder, suicide attempt.

This book got me out of a reading slump, it was so engaging, I was completely invested and it made me feel so many different emotions.

I went into this book thinking the villain was the vampire, but the real villain in this story is the husband of the main character. I hate Carter with my entire soul, I was so frustrated and angry at the way he makes the main character feel small and unimportant, the way he gaslights her, makes her doubt herself, and tries to make her be seen as silly by her kids and her community. Honestly, all the husbands in this book are shitty, but I have a special hatred for Carter.

This book is not really spooky or atmospheric, the horror is a lot gruesome, there are a few really disgusting scenes that made me feel gross-out. But beyond that, the true horror in this book is seeing how the main character is treated by her husband mainly, but also by her book club friends at some points and by other people. She gets trapped in this horrible, scary, frustrating situation of knowing the truth but having no one believe her and then doubting herself and feeling silly, so she has to pretend that everything is alright.

There were so many sad and frustrating moments between the book club group of friends. Their friendship at the beggining is amazing, but it was so devastating to live the realization and the betrayal with the main character, because her friends will only support her as long as it doesn’t affect them and particulary the way their husbands and other people see them. And then when they finally come together again is just so bittersweet.

I think this book does a great job of exploring the roles white women were confined to in the 90s, especially housewives living in the suburbs, and how everyone saw them as unimportant and silly. While, at the same time, showing the privileges they had and that marginalized communities and, in this case, especially Black women and Black communities didn’t have. And also, how strongly white women held onto those privileges and how they managed to racionalize the choices they made to not lose them. Until finally something affected them too and they couldn’t ignore it anymore.

The ending of this book is bittersweet, realistic, and also satisfying. It shows how strong and resilient women can be even when they are faced against an actual monster. I can’t wait to read Grady Hendrix’s other books.

4.5 STARS

Have you read this book? Did you like it? What horror books would you recommend to someone who wants to start reading horror?

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February TBR: books I want to read for Black History Month

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 18 Comments

Hi everyone! February is Black History Month and while I read books by Black authors all year (and you should too!), I wanted to put together a tbr that would help me make sure I don’t read only fantasy and romance books (which are my favorite genres). In 2021, I want to explore two genres a bit more and those genres are horror and non-fiction and I want to make sure I read diverse books within those genres, so I think this is a good way to start doing that. Which is why this tbr is fantasy, romance, horror and non-fiction.

Without further ado, here’s my tbr:

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin: I read the first book in the series for Black History Month 2020 and it’s finally time to read the sequel. This book is going to break my heart and I’m ready (I think).

A Phoenix First Must Burn: I have been meaning to read this for a while and this seemed like the perfect chance. I really wanted an anthology in this tbr as a way of discovering new authors, so I can pick up their other books later.

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole: I love Alyssa Cole’s romance books, so I’m excited to read her first attempt at a thriller/horror book. I have heard that the commentary this book makes on gentrification is on point, so I’m looking forward to reading it.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson: This book sounds exactly like something I would enjoy, an atmospheric, quiet book about witches and it also involves a cult, which makes it sounds even more interesting.

How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole: Another Alyssa Cole book on this list because I love her romance books, I haven’t read her lastest release and this seems like the perfect time to do it.

Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan: I have heard a lot of amazing things about this book and I’m looking forward to reading a book by a Black romance author that I have never read before.

Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi: I decided to read the shorter, more accesible version of this book first, because it’s very focused on the history of the United States and I’m not from the United States. But I may pick up the longer version later on.

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin: I have watched the documentary about James Baldwin, I have watched his speeches and commentary on youtube, and I have read some of his quotes, it’s finally time I read one of his books!

What are you planning to read for Black History Month? What are your favorite books by Black authors?

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Book Reviews: The Gilded Wolves & The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 12 Comments

Title: The Gilded Wolves

Author: Roshani Chokshi

Publishing date:  January 15th 2019

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 388

It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.

Goodread | Amazon

The Gilded Wolves is the story of a ragtag group, each with individual motivations that make them work together to steal magical artifacts from a powerful organization. The strongest element of this book is the characters, they are all very different from each other, they are interesting and they are easy to root for. The relationships between them are complex and captivating and they have a beautiful found family. Also, there are some amazing ships in this book, the romances are subtle, angsty and full of tension.

While I wasn’t really invested in the plot, I think the way the author used the plot to talk about the looting of global south countries by colonial European countries during this time period was very well done. The way this book addresses colonialism, colorism, and slavery, without it taking over the book, adds depth to the story. Also, while I didn’t really care about the plot, I liked the ending, it was sad and angsty and twists kept coming.

One of the main issues with this book is that the magic system isn’t explained, not even the abilities of some of the main characters, which are used often throughout the book to get them out of trouble. A part of this magic system is a mix between science and magic that helps them build artifacts and, since the magic isn’t explained, there’s no way to know how the artifact that they use in the heists are built or how they work, so a lot of times, it feels like these cool inventions came out of nowhere to solve all the problems.

Another issue with the book is that it is a bit confusing, the pacing is so breakneck that sometimes it’s hard to understand all the discoverings that the characters make and how they are making them. Sometimes it’s even hard to understand what is happening because everything happens so fast. Also, the breakneck pace means the characters are always in the middle of a heist, and since I wasn’t that invested in the plot, all I wanted was more time with the characters to get to know them better.

Overall, The Gilded Wolves was a fun, fast-paced story with amazing and complex characters and a very light magic system.

3,7 stars

Title: The Silvered Serpents

Author: Roshani Chokshi

Publishing date: September 22nd 2020

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 416

Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost — one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant its possessor the power of God.

Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is a myth after all.

As hidden secrets come to the light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined.

Goodreads | Amazon

I liked this book a lot more than The Gilded Wolves. I think partly it is because I went into this with the right expectations, so I knew there wasn’t going to be a lot of explanations about how the world and the magic system worked. It’s still a pretty cool world and magic system even things are not really explained in detail.

The main characters are still amazing and the relationship between them got so angsty and so much more complex in this book, because all the characters are trying to deal with their grief over what happened in The Gilded Wolves and some are not handling it well, which is messing with all the relationships. Also, there’s so much longing in this book, everyone is longing for someone else and not only in a romantic sense, and it was very painful to read at times. Zofia and Eduardo are my favorite characters and their relationship is the best, I can’t wait to see where it goes in the next book.

This is another heist book and it isn’t outstanding but it’s interesting enough. Mostly, I was invested in everything that was happening because I didn’t want anything bad to happen to the characters, and this book did such a good job of keeping me at the edge of my seat for the last chunk because so much happens. While there were some predictable aspects, the plot was overall more engaging than the plot in The Gilded Wolves, I think partly because there weren’t as many things happening, so it was easier to follow and be engaged in the story. There’s a change of setting and the characters end up in a strange and magical place and it was interesting seeing them explore it, which is something I really appreciated about the story.

Overall, The Silvered Serpents was an angsty story full of complex relationships, longing and grief, but also a fun adventure with twists and turns that will keep you at the edge of your sit.

4 stars

*The amazon links are an affiliate links and I may receive a small commission for purchases made through them at no additional cost to you*

Have you read these books? What historical fantasy books do you recommend?

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What I’ve Been Watching #1: Bridgerton, Derry Girls, Vampires vs The Bronx & More

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 9 Comments

Hi everyone! Today, I’m introducing a new series that I’m so excited about. I have tried a few times to talk about movies and tv shows in my blog and I haven’t been able to find format that works for me, but hopefully that’s about to change.

In 2018, I tried doing monthly movie wraps ups and I called them The Movie Journal, and in 2020, I tried to wrap up the movies I watched in a month by ranking them, but sometimes I didn’t watch enough things in a month to warrant a post and both of those ideas left out tv shows. So then I tried to do themed posts like the one where I ranked Jane Austen Adaptations or where I reviewed book to screen adaptations, but that limited the amount of tv shows and movies I could talked about and sometimes I ended up watching things I didn’t want to watch just because they fitted a theme.

So that leads us here, in 2021, I will be talking about the movies and shows I watch in small batches, the exact number that I will include in these posts will depend on how much I have to say about the things I watched and the periodicity of this posts will be determined by how long it takes me to watch enough things to warrant a post.

WIthout further ado, let’s get into the post!

Bridgerton (Season 1)

I watched this on January 1st and it was exactly what I needed at the time. I definitely had issues with it, which I’ll discuss, but let’s start with the good. Bridgerton is a fun, fluffy, entertaining show. It has lovable secondary characters, Penelope was my absolute favorite, followed by Colin and Eloise. Lady Whistledown (who narrates the show) adds sassy commentary in Regency era style, which makes the show fun to watch. The way the show looks (the locations and clothing) is beautiful and very distinctive, even if some things are not entirely accurate. The steamy scenes are great and Daphne and Simon have good chemistry.

I have 2 main issues with the show:

1.There’s the scene where, after he has told her that he doesn’t want to have kids, Daphne takes advantage of a moment where she has control of the situation and tries to get pregnant, disregarding Simon’s wishes. And Daphne never apologizes and never realizes she did something wrong. While that was the most worrisome scene, the truth is that Simon takes advantage of Daphne’s trust and ignorance and lets her believe he can’t have children. Neither of these complicated issues were handled well.

2. This show is a historical fantasy and in it, the King marries a Black woman and gives royal titles to Black people, this happened less than 50 years before the show starts since the queen is still alive, and there’s no tension or conflict whatsoever between white and Black people. There’s only one mention of racism and it’s a conversation between two black characters about how easy they could lose everything. I understand that their goal was to make a fun and fluffy show with Black people being happy and thriving in a historical setting, but I wish they would have handled it differently.

Derry Girls (Seasons 1 and 2)

This is SO FUNNY. It was exactly what I needed when I watched it. Nicola Coughlan is hilarious in this, her character Claire is my absolute favorite. The characters in this show are not entirely likable but they are easy to root for and all the messes they get themselves into are so entertaining. I really like the way this show includes the political conflict of Northern Ireland in the 1990s, while the show is not about that, it’s interesting to see how growing up in that political climate affects the lives of the characters. Also, this show has an excellent soundtrack!

Vampires vs The Bronx

I went into this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it, I only heard about this because a couple of my friends saw and liked it. Horror comedy is not really my thing, but I actually liked this movie. It was sweet, fun, and silly, but at the same time, it did a great job of addressing gentrification, the way it works and the way it affects the communities being push out of their neighborhoods. Also, I love the fact that most of the cast is Latinx, Afro-Latinx and Black. I wish Gloria, the instagrammer, had a bigger role, I think that would have been fun. But overall, a solid feel good film.

Wonder Woman 1984

I wasn’t planning on watching this but it was picked for family movie night. I don’t have that much to say about this one. It was so slow at the beginning, it definitely dragged at some points. It was very cheesy in the way that superhero movies tend to be, but it mostly worked if you simply accepted it for what it was. Kristen Wiig and Pablo Pascal did a good job in their roles as the villains of the film. Also, the 80’s fashion in this movie was great.

Dream Home Makeover (Season 1)

My anxiety has been kicking my ass lately and I needed something that wasn’t going to make it worse. I was watching two friends do house flipping on youtube, the Austin Flipsters but they don’t have that many episodes, so I was looking for another home makeover show and that’s how I ended up watching this.

This is definitely not a great show. There are so many awkward moments, the husband doesn’t really do anything, he’s supposed to be the one that makes people feel comfortable but he is not that charming and he tries to be funny and he isn’t (but she finds him funny, so good for them!). Also, the design element is so boring because it feels like it’s the same for every house, a mix of white and beige with a bit of brown and grey sprinkled in there. It’s true that people go to her because they want that look, but it gets boring as someone watching the show.

What have you watched lately? What’t the best show or movie you have watched so far in 2021?

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On My Radar #1: Books that Other People Loved

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 24 Comments

Hi everyone! It’s a new year and it’s also time for a new feature here on Bookish Wanderess called On My Radar, where I talk about books that I have heard a lot about and I’m curious about, but they are outside of my comfort zone and I’m not sure if I should give them a chance. My idea is that hopefully, you all can help me decide which books are worth reading because I would like to read a few books outside my comfort zone in 2021.

For this first post, I chose books that I have seen in other people’s lists of favorite books of 2020. At the end of a year, I always end up with so many new books on my tbr because other people loved them and recommended them, and a lot of time they are not books that I would usually pick up. This list is full of those books, beloved by others but not books I would usually pick up, and I want your help deciding if I should give them a chance! 

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas: This was the first book that came to mind when I came up with the theme for this post, because I saw in so many lists of best books of 2020 but I also saw it in so many lists of worst books of 2020.

I’m curious about this book because it sounds like a gothic, dark academia book but weirder. I’m not someone who loves weird books, but I have loved some of them and I have liked the gothic stories I have read so far, so I think I may like this even if it is outside my comfort zone.

Bunny by Mona Awad: Another weird book that I’m on the fence about. I heard someone describe this as Mean Girls but weird and that sounds so interesting and intriguing to me. But I have also heard so many people say this is the weirdest book they have ever read and that makes me hesitant to pick it up. I think it may be a bit too weird for me.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn: I haven’t been reading that much YA Fantasy because I haven’t loved that many of the ones that I have read recently. But this book has me so curious, the concept of a secret society of descendants of King Arthur’s knights sounds really interesting and all my friends and people I follow who have read it loved it.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid: I don’t read literary fiction often, it’s not a genre that I’m drawn to, but I have seen this book everywhere and everyone seems to love it, so I’m curious. Also, I know it deals with performative activism and that sounds interesting and it’s a subject that I would definitely want to read more about.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell: this sounds like something I would never want to read, it’s literary fiction and it’s dark and sad. But so many people love this book and it deals with a predatory relationships which sounds interesting. I’m curious but I don’t know if that’s enough to make me pick up this book since I think it’s going to be a very disturbing read.

Which of these books do you think I should read? Are there any books on your radar that you are not sure if you want to read or not?

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Ranking all the books I read last month aka My December 2020 Wrap Up

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 8 Comments
Header

Hi everyone! This post is a bit late, but my anxiety has been kicking my ass for the last few weeks and I needed some time off. This is my last wrap up of 2020, so it’s the last one where I’ll be ranking all the books I read in the month, I had a lot of fun doing my wrap ups like this in 2020, but I think it’s time to shake things up again.

Before getting into this post, here are my lists of favorite books of 2020 in case you missed them:

Without further ado, here are the books I read in december 2020:

My Least Favorite Book of the Month

My least favorite books this month were a really disappointing romance book:

19. Fans Only by B. Love (2.5 stars): I didn’t like the writing in this at all and that was my main problem, it was SO CHEESY and there were parts that sounded like a bad self-help book. Also, there’s a part where the hero tells the heroine what he likes about her and his answer sounded like someone looked up a badly written birth chart or horoscope and copied it. Also, I didn’t particularly like the characters. This book has an interesting premise, but beyond that, the only thing it has going for it is that it was really steamy.

The “Just Ok” Books

These can be books that 1) I had issues with, but I don’t have a strong negative opinion about them 2) had good elements but bored me or didn’t really impact me in any way, the meh books.

18. Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass by Lana del Rey (3 stars): This poetry collection was ok. Nothing that moved me or that it’s going to stay with me, but I listened to the audiobook and it was a pleasant enough experience.

17. Holiday Home Run by Priscilla Oliveras (3 stars): This was ok. I think my main issue is that the dialogue felt stilted and that made it really hard to see the chemistry between the main characters.

16. Steele by Sawyer Bennett (3 stars): The characters in this were ok, but nothing special. They had a lot of chemistry, so that was good. My main issue with this, beyond the writing, is the message. This idea that you are supposed to be extremely happy 100% of the time in a marriage, which it’s unrealistic. Recently, I have read a few very good second chance romances where people are trying to save their marriages and they put in the work and it’s hard but worth it, and I think this book doesn’t execute that trope that well.

The “I Mostly Liked Them, But…” Books

These are books that I had significant issues with, but they had redeeming qualities that made me mostly enjoy them:

15. Cocaince Blues by Kerry Greenwood (3,5 stars): I started reading this series because I love the tv show based on these books. While so far they are not as good as the adaptation, I still really love the characters in the books, which is why I’ll continue reading the series.

14. Murder in the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood (3,5 stars): This was quick and entertaining. The case was interesting enough, but I have an issue with the writing. I feel like these books need a bit more description, sometimes it’s hard to understand what happened because places and actions are not always described.

13. Flying Too High by Kerry Greenwood (3,5 stars): Like all the books in this series, this was quick and entertaining. I love all the characters and that’s what keeps me reading. The two cases in this book were my favorite in the series so far.

12. A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean (3,5 stars): This book and particularly the main characters are very forgettable. But I didn’t dislike either of them, I even really liked Penny and some of the things she did. Penny and Michael spent way too much time apart and when they are together they had some cute scenes and some steamy scenes that were good, but I feel like I needed a little bit more. I guess I needed a little more from the romance. The concept of The Fallen Angel Club is really cool, I really enjoyed getting to see that world in this book and I did like the side characters a lot.

11. The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss (3,5 stars): The premise of this is interesting, the 12 dates aspect was entertaining and a lot of funny things happened. But the author focuses solely on those dates and not on the actual romance, which left me wanting more romance. Also, the love interest is not that great. (full review)

The Ones I Liked

The ones I liked are books that I had really small issues with, but after I finished them I had mainly positive feelings towards them:

10. The Gilded Wolves by Roshana Chokshi (3,7 stars): The characters are precious, I love the relationship between them and the found family element. The romances in this are so subtle and angsty, I LOVED THEM. The writing is beautiful and the way it addresses colonialism, colorism, and slavery, without it taking over the story is amazing. My main issues with this is that the magic system isn’t really explained, not even the abilities of some of the main characters that are used often to get them out of trouble.

9. No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean (3,7 stars): I liked the main characters and the premise was very unique. The tension and chemistry between the characters were to die for. The romance was angsty and steamy. I also really liked the kids in this book and I think they were an interesting addition to the book, especially because Mara was so committed to ensuring their safety. I think it made her more likable. The one problem I had with Mara was how long it took her to talk to Temple and tell him the truth, I don’t think that would have solved everything but I think it would have made things easier and quicker.

8. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean (3,7 stars): I really liked the main characters in this book, Pippa especially was a very unique, interesting, and lovable main character. Their relationship was great, they had a lot of entertaining and funny conversations and banter because of the way Pippa thinks and the way Cross responds to her. The romance took a while to get going because Cross refused to help Pippa for a long time, but I didn’t feel like the book dragged because Pippa was such an entertaining character

7. If They Come For Us by Fatimah Asghar (4 stars): This is a very powerful poetry collection about . The author manages to say a lot, say it beautifully, and say it clearly.

The Ones I Really Liked

I consider books I really liked the ones that stay with me and that I recommend all the time:

6. An Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman (4 stars): This was an emotional and moving novella. I cried from beginning to end, which it’s very uncommon.

5. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (4 stars): I loved both of the main characters and they were so adorable together. Also, The sex scenes in this book were STEAMY. The complicated relationships that the two main characters had with their families added a lot of depth to the story and it was amazing getting to see them stand up for themselves and set up boundaries. I think this book handles very well the conversation about how we don’t owe anyone a place in our lives, not even our parents, if all they do is hurt us.

4. Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (4 stars): This book includes the fake dating and opposite attract tropes and I loved that about it. The main characters are both so different and each of them is great in their own way. They have so much chemistry and they are so sweet together. (full review)

3. Ever After Alwasy by Chloe Liese (4 stars): This is the first 2021 release that I have read and I’m so glad I loved it! This is a wonderful and emotional second chance romance between two amazing characters. The anxiety representation in this book is incredible. (Full review)

My Favorite Books of the Month

In december, my favorite books of the month were a sequel from a series I love and a book that made me sob:

2. European Travel for the Monstruos Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss (4 stars): I really enjoyed this sequel. I still love the main characters, the concept is still fantastic, unique, and entertaining, and the author added so many cool elements to the story (like vampires!) that made it even better. My only little issue with this is that it was a bit longer than it needed to be.

1. Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder (5 stars): This made me sob. As someone whose mom has been very, very ill a few times in my lifetime, this was so scary and sad. I think Tyler Feder did an amazing job of portraining the different feelings and thoughts that she went through in a very honest, relatable and heartbreaking way.

Have you read any of these books? Do you have any of them on your tbr?

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ARC Review: Ever After Always by Chloe Liese

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 2 Comments

Happy New Year, everyone! This is my first post of 2021, I took the first week of January off because I needed a bit of rest, but I’m excited to be back talking about a book I loved. Ever After Always is the first and only 2021 release that I have read so far, I read it back in December 2020 when I got the eARC and I loved it, so I’m hoping it’s a sign that I’m going to read some amazing new releases in 2021.

This book comes out today, January 12th 2021, and you should go get your copy!

Title: Ever After Always

Author: Chloe Liese

Publishing date:  January 12th 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 368

Aiden: I’ve spent twelve years loving Freya Bergman and twelve lifetimes won’t be enough to give her everything she deserves. She’s my passionate, tender-hearted wife, my best friend, and all I want is to make her happy. But the one thing that will make her happiest is the one thing I’m not sure I can give her: a baby. With the pressure of providing and planning for a family, my anxiety’s at an all-time high, and I find myself pulling away, terrified to tell my wife how I’m struggling. But when Freya kicks me out, I realize that pulling back has turned into pushing too far. Now it’s the fight of a lifetime to save our marriage.

Freya: I love my cautious, hard-working husband. He’s my partner and best friend, the person I know I can count on most. Until one day I realize the man I married is nowhere to be found. Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the pain of our growing distance becomes too much. As if weathering marriage counseling wasn’t enough, we’re thrown together for an island getaway to celebrate my parents’ many years of perfect marriage while ours is on the brink of collapse. Despite my meddling siblings and a week in each other’s constant company, this trip somehow gets us working through the trouble in paradise. I just can’t help worrying, when we leave paradise and return to the real world, will trouble find us again?

Goodreads | Amazon

*The author kindly provided an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Chloe Liese did it again! Ever After Always is the third book in the Bergman Brothers Series, which is a series of companion novels following the Berman Siblings. I read the first two books in the series as well as this ARC in 2020 and I fell in love with every single one of the books and this is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance series of all time.

Ever After Always is a wonderful and emotional second chance romance between two amazing characters. This book is about a marriage in crisis and two people that love each other so much but that have hurt each other deeply. It’s not a fluffy romance, it’s a story about rebuilding a relationship, accepting that people change and relationships need to change with them or they won’t last, it’s a story about learning to trust again and about being honest and vulnerable with each other even when it’s really hard.

Chloe Liese does a great job with the second chance romance and accomplishes something very difficult, she makes the reader care about a couple that has been together for 10 years and while there are two or three short flashback scenes, the book doesn’t rely on the flashbacks or the couple’s past to make the reader root for them.

Aiden, the hero, has anxiety and the representation was hard and wonderful to read about, I just saw so much of my own struggle with anxiety in Aiden’s experience. This book does a great of showing how much Aiden’s anxiety affects his everyday life and how hard can it be to talk about it with others. I love that this book normalizes going to therapy and taking meds, we need to see more of that in romance and in books in general.

Freya, the heroine, is strong and confident, she is described as being curvy and there are a couple of scenes where body image and social expectations are talked about, but overall Freya loves herself and she just wants society to let her be and let her have the body she does without feeling like she has to show everyone all the time that she really loves herself.

Getting to see the Bergman family again and getting to know them all better added so much to the story, it definitely made it more entertaining. I love the fact that the Bergman Brothers read romance! I can’t wait for the next book, I have been intrigued by the possibility of a relationship between two of the secondary characters since book 2 and I’m so glad we are finally getting their story next!

Have you started the Bergman Brothers series? What romance series have you enjoyed recently?

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Favorite Adult Books of 2020

~ Sofia @ BookishWanderess ~ 12 Comments

Hi everyone! This is my last post of 2020 and that’s so wild! Blogging was such a refuge for me in 2020 and I fell even more in love with it, so I’m excited to keep sharing content with all of you in 2021.

In case you missed it, the last couple of days I posted my Favorite YA Books of 2020 and my Favorite Romance Books of 2020. Check them out if you want to see what other books I loved this year. Today, I want to talk about 10 adult books that I loved in 2020. These are all books that I read in 2020 even if they didn’t come out in 2020 and the only rule that I had was that I couldn’t have two books from the same series.

Without further ado, here are my top 10 adult books of 2020:

10. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

The world-building and magic system in this book are unique, captivating and devastating at the same time. The way the society in this book mirrors our society is smart and poignant. There are so many twists, some that I saw coming and some that I didn’t, but they all make sense to the story and make it more interesting. I loved Syenite and Alabaster and I’m heartbroken over everything they went through. What this book has to say and how it says it is so powerful and heartbreaking that it left me feeling hopeless and it took me a long time to recover but I think it was worth it.

9. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-García

The writing in this book makes it feel like reading a myth or fairytale, it is so engaging. The Mayan mythology is captivating and lush, and since it’s a mythology that it’s not often used in fantasy books, this book is full of gods and mythical creatures that feel unique. This book is set in 1920’s Mexico and the mix of the mythological elements and the ‘modernity’ of the Jazz Age works well and gives this story an even more unique touch. Finally, the main characters, Casiopea and Hun-Kamé, who is the Mayan god of death, are both very engaging characters and their journeys and character development were fascinating.

8. To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

This is a quick, fascinating, and thought-provoking read. It focuses a lot on the scientific and technical side of space travel but the truly interesting thing is that Becky Chambers doesn’t forget about the impact that the discoveries, the advancements, and the search for those things have on people and environments. Also, there are a lot of queer characters in this book, which I love.

7. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

This book was so powerful. I was captivated the entire time while reading, I was amazed by the way the author takes all of these different elements (a pandemic, a cult, a theater group, some graphic novels) and different timelines and ties them all together in a way it makes sense and it’s interesting and meaningful. I found all the characters and storylines incredibly fascinating. This book made me really sad while reading it, but it also made me feel thankful and, in the end, it gave me hope. 

6. The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

This book is brilliant. I’m not the biggest fan of Military fantasy, but this series does it so well that I’m really invested in the story. The way this book talks about war and power is grim but fascinating. I think the main reason I enjoy this series and this book so much is that it has given me some characters that I adore. I still love Kitay as much as I did in book 1, this book made me fall in love with Venka and I love the angsty, complicated relationship between Rin and Nezha. Also, this book discusses colorism, colonialism, and the role of religion within colonialism in such a thought-provoking way.

5. Jade City by Fonda Lee

This book may have one of the coolest premises ever, it’s like the Godfather with martial arts and magic. It’s such a unique book! Fonda Lee does an amazing job of describing the action scenes in this book and the way she incorporates martial arts is incredible. The clan war element of the story is so interesting, this is a very intense book and I was completely invested in everything that was happening. I think I cared so much because I LOVED the main characters, who are siblings that are incredibly loyal to each other and they won my loyalty too. This book broke my heart at one point, I was devastated but it was SO GOOD.

4. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

This book is whimsical, nonsensical, and peculiar and the writing is absolutely beautiful. This book doesn’t have a defined plot; it’s full of metaphors and stories within stories, so it can be very confusing and, by the end, I felt like I only understood parts of it; and since it feels like you are reading a story, a myth, a fable, most of the characters feel like characters in that story and not like real people. But I didn’t dislike any of that. While I read this, I felt like I was lost in a strange and beautiful world. I loved and I was invested in all the stories within stories, I was intrigued by the mystery of this underground library, I was captivated by everything.

3. The Strange Case of The Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss

I love the characters in this book, monstrous women are my favorite thing in the world, and I love their relationship with each other and the found family aspect of the book. The premise of this is so unique, the daughters of famous scientists from classic gothic literature work together to solve a mystery that it’s linked to their lives. Also, I love the funny and unique structure in which this book is told, the fact that the characters interrupt the narrative to give their commentary on what’s happening. Basically, I love everything about this.

2. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

This is a hopeful and heartwarming book that explores the idea that prejudice keeps growing and wins when people stay silent in the face of it and live comfortably in their bubbles. The concept of this book is fascinating, well-executed and it mirrors a lot of real-life situations, this book is set in a world where magical beings exist and there’s a lot of prejudice against them. The main character in this book is so endearing and the children are cute, funny, lovable and so compelling. The sweet, loving relationship between the main character and the kids is my favorite part of the book. Also, there’s a very sweet m/m romance in this!

1. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-García

This creepy, atmospheric, and disturbing book. The writing is beautiful and captivating while being simple and unpretentious, and the main character is three-dimensional and flawed, while being charming and bewitching. This story is so effective in being scary because even when it’s not clear if there are ghosts, magic, or other supernatural things going on, the real villains of the story are manipulative, abusive, disgusting men that you could find anywhere in the world and anytime in history. This book is creepy from very early on, Moreno-García made my skin crawl with the simplest scenes, sometimes nothing too scary was happening but with one perfectly crafted phrase, I was spooked. Also, this includes important commentary on sexism, colonialism, and eugenics that gives depth to the story.

What are your favorite Adult books that you read in 2020?

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