Showing posts with label hannaford prep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hannaford prep. Show all posts

Monday, January 6, 2025

Book Series I Finished in 2024


One of the posts I like to do at the end of every year is where I look back at all the book series I finished. It motivates me to finish series in the next year and also gives me a sense of accomplishment as sometimes series start slipping through the cracks. In 2024, I read ten series. Now, there were rereads in that number, which I'll get into later on. I read a total of eight unique series, with two of the series being read twice each in 2024. It'll make more sense if I just get right on into the series...




The first series I read this year was a reread of the Hannaford Prep series by J. Bree. This is a dark why choose series that quickly became an all-time favorite of mine in 2023. I read it twice in 2023 and then again in January of 2024. I went through a rather difficult transition in my life in January and this series was such a godsend at that time. I then reread it again in August of 2024. So far, I apparently tend to reread this series every six to eight months. It's just one of my all time favorites that I adore so deeply. You can find my original review for the series here




The next series I read was the Pack Darling duology by Lola Rock. This was a new one for me in 2024 but I did end up reading this one twice as well. The first read was in February and the second read was in May, just a few short months apart. I quickly became addicted to the characters and loved the storyline. I know I'll be rereading it in 2025, most likely in the next couple of months, due to how much of a comfort series it is for me now. You can find my original review here




The third series I read in 2024 was the Reapers of Caspian Hill series by Jessa Halliwell. This is a dark why choose crime series. I read the entire series as they were addicting but I will say that I pretty much forgot everything the moment I finished. It was a solid 3-star series that filled the need I had for something to read that was engaging and easy to read. But it didn't stand out to me at all and I won't be rereading it in the future.




Up next was This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada. This is a YA sci-fi trilogy that had been on my radar for ages. I really enjoyed this trilogy. It had such an interesting concept and I found myself very much addicted to it. I read it quite quickly as the pace moved easily and the characters were engaging and interesting. It's definitely a solid sci-fi/dystopian if you're looking for one in the YA sphere. 





I then finally read a series I've been wanting to for years: A Tempest of Shadows by Jane Washington. Jane is an auto-read author for me with lots of great books and I hadn't gotten around to reading this series yet. This is a dark (and I mean dark) complex fantasy series. I binge-read it and it was definitely a mind fuck of a series. Jane doesn't mess around with her possessive love interests either. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I do think Jane's other series still rank above this one for me. 




Then we have The Vicious Lost Boys by Nikki St. Crowe. This is a dark Peter Pan retelling and it was very addicting. I read this rather quickly and just couldn't put it down. While it's not one of my all-time favorites, it is a solid why-choose series if you like dark romances. There's not much I can say about it other than it was solid but not extraordinary and it was rather spicy. 





I also read the Cruel Shifterverse series by Jasmine Mas this year. This is a six book series with three books from one character's POV and three from another. However, they are not separate. It is the same, overarching storyline across all six books. I will say, it was addicting and I enjoyed reading them. However, they were a bit convoluted by the end and you have to suspend your disbelief a lot. A solid read if you're just looking for fun but a series that wouldn't hold up to rigorous inspection. 




The last series I read this year was a reread of The Bonds That Tie by J. Bree. This is one of those authors where I truly just love everything she writes. This was my first time reading this series in 2024 but my third read overall. Each time I am surprised just how much more I love them and how many new details I find. I absolutely love this series, despite its flaws, and know that it'll likely be on my series list for 2025 as well. You can find my original review here



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



You can follow my bookstagram here for more bookish content!

To get more awesome posts like this one, click the follow button to the right!



Sunday, October 27, 2024

Finally Fall Book Tag: 2024 Edition


Fall is here! Autumn is my favorite time of year. The weather gets cozy, the colors are beautiful, the food options are delicious...it's just an amazing time of year. I've enjoyed doing this tag in the past and I thought it would be fun to do it again but with a twist. For this year's tag, I'm only using books that I read this year, I'm currently reading, or are on my TBR for the rest of the year! 



1. In fall, the air is crisp and clear: name a book with a vivid setting!


The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe is a sci-fi space opera with one of the coolest plots I've ever read. This first book is set on a planet overrun by ecological disaster. With the way Megan writes, it was so easy to picture and so vivid. The setting is such an important part of this first book that it couldn't stand to be anything less than vivid. I felt like I was there, I could picture every bit of it clearly, and it was delightfully creepy. It was an amazing book, simply put.  



2. Nature is beautiful… but also dying: name a book that is beautifully written, but also deals with a heavy topic like loss or grief.


Cherished by Emilia Emerson deals with quite a few difficult topics, including a very extensive look into severe, chronic illness and treatment. It's an amazing book and I can tell I'll revisit it in the future. But it's also a difficult one in many ways because of the hard journey the main character goes on. I don't want to say much in ways of spoilers but it's a beautiful book with lots of light but also lots of dark.  



3. Fall is back to school season: share a non-fiction book that taught you something new.


I'm currently working my way through Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. This is a highly recommended cookbook by Samin Nosrat that I got for Christmas last year. I love cooking but I also want to get better at it. Give me a recipe or basic guidelines and I can whip up something amazing. My hope with this book, though, is to understand the science of food a lot better to get to the point where I can create my own recipes. 



4. In order to keep warm, it’s good to spend some time with the people we love: name a fictional family/household/friend-group that you’d like to be a part of.


One of my absolute favorite worlds is the Mounts Bay world consisting of Hannaford Prep, Queen Crow and The Butcher of the Bay. It's gritty and dark and the characters would go to hell and back for each other. Anyone who crosses one of them has to deal with the others. It's a type of love that is fierce and powerful. I would hate to be on their bad side but if I were a part of their found family I know I'd have someone at my back no matter what. 



5. The colorful leaves are piling up on the ground: show us a pile of fall-colored spines!




6. Fall is the perfect time for some storytelling by the fireside: share a book wherein somebody is telling a story.


This was kind of hard to do with only the books I've read this year. It's been a while since I read Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow but I believe it to be the one that best fits this bill. This is technically a short story and it's so good. An absolute masterclass in short stories. Impactful and brilliant. 



7. The nights are getting darker: share a dark, creepy read.


My current read is A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson and it perfectly fits this prompt. I'm not a huge fan of creepy or scary books but YA thrillers seem to fall in the acceptable range for me. I'm about halfway through and it is so good. Creepy, nerve-wracking, addicting. I know for a fact I'm going to be binging the rest of it after this post and then binging the rest of the trilogy as soon as I can. 



8. The days are getting colder: name a short, heartwarming read that could warm up somebody’s cold and rainy day.


This one has to go to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. I finally read this for the first time this month and it was everything I'd hoped it would be. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I swooned...it was perfect. It was atmospheric and heartwarming with a twist I didn't see coming at all. It was the perfect cozy read for fall and I cannot wait to read more from this author. 



9. Fall (luckily, it’s my favorite season) returns every year: name an old favorite that you’d like to return to soon.


The fifth book in the Ironside Academy series by Jane Washington comes out in December. It's been about a year since I read the first three books and I cannot wait to reread them and then get into two whole new books (since I haven't read the fourth one yet). This series is addicting and such an interesting take on the omegaverse genre. 



10. Fall is the perfect time for cozy reading nights: share your favorite cozy reading “accessories!"


I am so excited about this new blanket I got this fall. It's from Aldi and so soft and fluffy, but light enough that I've been able to use it despite some warmer weather lately. This specific blanket is patterned with books, scarves, leaves, and other autumnal objects. It's so cute and I am so excited to have it. It's the perfect blanket for cozy fall nights. 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



You can follow my bookstagram here for more bookish content!

To get more awesome posts like this one, click the follow button to the right!



Tuesday, September 3, 2024

August 2024 Wrap-Up + Haul


Another month gone in 2024. What a month it was! Lots of great things happened, including a lot of financial wins and some exciting purchases as well as fun events and moments. In between everything happening in real life, I also read 12 books! I read a new series, reread a favorite series, and started another. I got a new favorite book in it all and everything I read was, at the very least, an enjoyable read. There wasn't anything too complex or full of depth, but with how my reading mood has been this year that's okay. 


1. 
Title: Belladonna
Author: Adalyn Grace
Rating: 4.25 // 5 stars
Review TK

2. 
Title: The Never King
Author: Nikki St. Crowe
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars

3. 
Title: The Dark One
Author: Nikki St. Crowe
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars

4.
Title: Their Vicious Darling
Author: Nikki St. Crowe
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars

5.
Title: The Fae Princes
Author: Nikki St. Crowe
Rating: 3 // 5 stars

6.
Title: Just Drop Out
Author: J. Bree
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
-reread-

7. 
Title: Make Your Move
Author: J. Bree
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
-reread-

8. 
Title: Play the Game
Author: J. Bree
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
-reread-

9. 
Title: To the End
Author: J. Bree
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
-reread-

10. 
Title: Blood of Hercules
Author: Jasmine Mas
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Review TK

11. 
Title: Psycho Shifters
Author: Jasmine Mas
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars 

12. 
Title: Psycho Fae 
Author: Jasmine Mas
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars




I hauled only three books this month. I feel like that's a pretty good number as it means I appreciate them more. I also got a lot of non-bookish items this month so, if anything, I feel like I've over-hauled this month in all areas. Of the three books I got, I bought one for myself on preorder and the other two were birthday presents. I'm excited about all of them!

Up first is Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. This is the sequel to Assistant to the Villain, which I read last year and thoroughly enjoyed. To me, this book feels like the fantasy romance equivalent of a Hallmark movie. Addicting and fun, but not overly complex. The first book ended on a cliffhanger so I am very much anticipating diving into this sequel after I do a reread of the first. 

Then I got Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X Kendi. I had a copy of this that I sadly had to leave behind when I moved back from the UK. I knew I wanted to replace it though and continue reading it. I feel it's an important part of history that often gets toned down or completely erased. As an American and white person, I feel it's even more important to read and learn these things to be able to properly understand a lot of how the country and society has been impacted by this history.

Lastly, I got Broken Bonds by J. Bree. This is a book I've read multiple times but have not been able to get a physical copy of yet. I love this series and I want to slowly start getting the paperbacks to add to my bookshelves. My plan is to turn my bookshelves into a space where only my absolute favorite books get to live. And this series definitely deserves a spot. I can't wait to reread this one and give it a nice, thorough annotation while I do so. 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



You can follow my bookstagram here for more bookish content!

To get more awesome posts like this one, click the follow button to the right!