A Reading Slump, A New Blog Feature, and Accountability

Part of my goals for 2019 were to whip this blog back into shape. It kind of got pushed to the side a bit in 2018 and it's made me want to refocus on it this year.

I have already failed in that mission so I decided to do something about it! I need a way of being more accountable, and a more fun way to pick out the books I read for the month. I decided to share my monthly 'to-be-read' list at the beginning of each month. This is a way for me to hold myself more accountable and to share what reviews will be upcoming on the blog.

I've hit a pretty big reading slump and I am hoping having this focus will help me get out of it! I have a bunch of amazing sounding books for February and with the weather being awful I hoping to make a sizable dent on this before the middle of the month.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (goodreads)
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (goodreads)
Enchantee by Gita Trelease (goodreads)
The Umbrella Academy: Volume One by Gerard Way, Gabriel Ba, Dave Stewart (goodreads)
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (goodreads)
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne (goodreads)

I am almost done 99 Percent Mine (so expect a review of that soon) and will probably be able to quickly devour The Umbrella Academy so I am expecting those will put me off to a great start.

I also have two ebooks that I am going to be reading this month:

The Blood Spell by CJ Redwine (goodreads)
The Au Pair by Emma Rous (goodreads)

I'll provide an update of my progress at the beginning of March along with my March TBR pile! This one is a little late but you can expect the March one to fall on the 1st (and it'll be around the first of the month from there on out).

What books are you excited to read this month? Any of the ones on my list also on yours? Let me know in the comments!

Waiting On Wednesday ... Four Dead Queens

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick Four Dead Queens Astrid Scholte

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Maddie and Theo have two things in common:

A divided nation. Four Queens. A ruthless pickpocket. A noble messenger. And the murders that unite them.
​
Get in quick, get out quicker.

These are the words Keralie Corrington lives by as the preeminent dipper in the Concord, the central area uniting the four quadrants of Quadara. She steals under the guidance of her mentor Mackiel, who runs a black market selling their bounty to buyers desperate for what they can’t get in their own quarter. For in the nation of Quadara, each quarter is strictly divided from the other. Four queens rule together, one from each region:

Toria: the intellectual quarter that values education and ambition
Ludia: the pleasure quarter that values celebration, passion, and entertainment
Archia: the agricultural quarter that values simplicity and nature
Eonia: the futurist quarter that values technology, stoicism and harmonious community

When Keralie intercepts a comm disk coming from the House of Concord, what seems like a standard job goes horribly wrong. Upon watching the comm disks, Keralie sees all four queens murdered in four brutal ways. Hoping that discovering the intended recipient will reveal the culprit – information that is bound to be valuable bartering material with the palace – Keralie teams up with Varin Bollt, the Eonist messenger she stole from, to complete Varin’s original job and see where it takes them

I was in as soon as I read the synopsis! A mystery revolving around four murdered Queens, and a sci-fi feel to the story are making me eager to get my hands on this one.

Luckily, the wait time for this is barely anything at all with the release date being in February. It'll be here before you know it!

Expected release date - February 26, 2019

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

A small Weekly Obessions post this week. I am looking forward to all of the movie trailers that are coming next week so expect it to be a little bigger next week!

BOOK

Cover Of Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (goodreads)

I immedately loved the look of this cover and how eye catching it is. It also helps that the book sounds amazing (it just happens to now come in pretty packaging).   

I really like the colour scheme of the cover. It makes the crowns stand out sharply against the backdrop.

TV/MOVIE

A Simple Favor Teaser Trailer

This trailer pretty much shows next to nothing about the plot of this movie, but I am so in. It has a mystery at its core and seems like it might be dark and twisty.

I look forward to seeing if the full trailer gives a little more insight into the plot. Either way I'll be going to see it when it's released.

OTHER

ALA 2018

It is June so that means that I will be in New Orleans THIS MONTH! I am getting pretty excited. I cannot wait to see everyone, go on some ghost tours, and basically be surrounded by people who love books as much as I do!

Novelly Yours' Welcome To Hawkins Limited Edition Box (link)

My reaction when I came across the announcement that Novelly Yours was going to be releasing a Stranger Things themed box for June would not suprise anyone who follows this blog. It would be an understatement to say that I thrilled. A box full of amazing things inspired by my fave TV show? SIGN ME UP!

photo copyright @ Britany from Novelly Yours

I love my Friends Don't Lie candle from this shop and fully intend to try to snag one of these limited boxes. It comes with 5 candles (which is worth the price all on its own) and other goodies! Check out the link as I am sure there will be something you immediately want to buy. The Stranger Things box goes on sale soon for those who are interested! 

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.