Category: Orillium Readathon

Posted in Announcements, Chopped Readathon, Orillium Readathon

Seek and Find Prompts TBR

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

For our Chopped Seek and Find we came up with a week of prompts to keep everyone interested for our little Easter adventure of fun where there will be prizes, surprises and who knows what else.

Flower – The first book that you think of or the first book that you see.

Gallant

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

Amazon: Gallant

Chocolate – Plot twist or a surprise

Extasia

Her name is unimportant.

All you must know is that today she will become one of the four saints of Haven. The elders will mark her and place the red hood on her head. With her sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain—an evil which has already killed nine of her village’s men.

She will tell no one of the white-eyed beasts that follow her. Or the faceless gray women tall as houses. Or the girls she saw kissing in the elm grove.

Today she will be a saint of Haven. She will rid her family of her mother’s shame at last and save her people from destruction. She is not afraid. Are you?

Amazon: Extasia

Cake – Multiple POV

Flight or Fight

This is an ARC so I can’t say too much about it but I know it’s going to be very cute.

Bunny – a short read

Making Friends: Back to the Drawing Board 

Dany, Madison, and…wait-another Dany?!-must navigate some very complicated friendships while trying to capture a magical dog that is turning their town upside-down!Almost everything is going great for Dany. She and Madison are still best friends, she still has her magic sketchbook, and the new school year is looking up. But when Dany creates a duplicate of herself to secretly help with homework and raise her social status, the two of them accidentally unleash a magical dog that wreaks supernatural havoc on the town. Now, with the big school dance coming up, time is running short for Dany, Madison, and their friends to set things right before the night is completely ruined!

Amazon: Making Friends 2

Sun – Non-book prompt – such as watch bookish videos, take a bath etc have some self care

Play video games.

Moon – a mystery

All for One

Tania de Batz is most herself with a sword in her hand. Everyone thinks her near-constant dizziness makes her weak, nothing but “a sick girl.” But Tania wants to be strong, independent, a fencer like her father—a former Musketeer and her greatest champion. Then Papa is brutally, mysteriously murdered. His dying wish? For Tania to attend finishing school. But L’Académie des Mariées, Tania realizes, is no finishing school. It’s a secret training ground for new Musketeers: women who are socialites on the surface, but strap daggers under their skirts, seduce men into giving up dangerous secrets, and protect France from downfall. And they don’t shy away from a sword fight.

With her newfound sisters at her side, Tania feels that she has a purpose, that she belongs. But then she meets Étienne, her target in uncovering a potential assassination plot. He’s kind, charming—and might have information about what really happened to her father. Torn between duty and dizzying emotion, Tania will have to decide where her loyalties lie…or risk losing everything she’s ever wanted.

Amazon: All for One

And finally carrot – a title that starts with a c

Cece Rios and the Dessert of Souls

Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits roam the desert and threaten humankind. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas, much to her family’s disapproval. After all, only brujas—humans who capture and control criaturas—consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime.

When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, Cece is determined to bring Juana back. To get into Devil’s Alley, though, she’ll have to become a bruja herself—while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans and agrees to help her on her journey.

With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family—and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way.

I’m also reading this final one to help finish up my dwarven character for Orillium as I needed to read a book set in the desert.

So what are you all going to read, I can’t wait to see all your lists!

Posted in Chopped Readathon, Orillium Readathon, Realm a Thon

Plans for April

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

My plans for April are going to be a little different than most months of the year. I’m hosting and a Chopped mini Readathon with The Blind Scribe, this one is a Seek and Find based on an Easter Egg hunt, we’ll have prizes and sweets and fun galore. We’ll be back for the full length readathon in July, whose theme we will reveal sometime between now and then.

Also post may be a little later in the day for the first week of March and the beginning of April, I have realized I needed glasses and went to the eye doctor yesterday so my glasses are being made, but until I get them, I’ll have to limit my screen time to avoid headaches.

1) Plans for Readathons

So I’m doing at least two other readathons besides my own. I also think I saw another readathon I wanted to do last evening but can’t remember so far I’m doing Magical Readathon and Realm A Thon along with our own readathon so of course some books will be cross used.

2)Getting back to my reading goal

Since I’ve gotten to the root of why I haven’t been reading as much now I can read more through audio books and printed books until my glasses arrive then get back to reading on my devices once they do.

3) Books on Vacation

I’m going to a slightly bigger city to see a production of the travelling cast of the Broadway Show of Frozen. Slightly bigger city equals more book shops so I’m probably going to come home with goodness knows how many books. I will have so many pictures to post from this vacation I can’t wait.

4) More plans on my novel

I’ve been doing some solid work on my novel, but I make plans to need to do more research. But that has been a priority this past month I’d like to continue to make it a priority in April and get more scenes done.

Posted in Orillium Readathon, Readathons

Spring Equinox for Magical Readathon

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

The Orilium Readathon is back! So for my character the Novice Path was a life changing experience they have changed their name to Fable and are now using they/them pronouns. Now that they are at Orilium they have to choose a career, they were sorted into the Mind Walkers Guild last time and have found they like it there so they want to go with a career close to the guilds ideals. Hence they have decided to be a Dream Walker though they know this will be hard work in the Fall Equinox they are ready to face the Spring Equinox

Here is an image of them.

Here are the list of classes they they’ll be taking and books that will be read.

Astronomy-Top of your to be read list

Loveless

This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia, who doesn’t understand why she can’t crush and kiss and make out like her friends do. She’s surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It’s not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum — coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she’s been told since birth isn’t easy — there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia’s determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major drama of) her friends.

Amazon: Loveless

Alchemy-A book featuring romance

Ophelia After All

Ophelia Rojas knows what she likes: her best friends, Cuban food, rose-gardening, and boys – way too many boys. Her friends and parents make fun of her endless stream of crushes, but Ophelia is a romantic at heart. She couldn’t change, even if she wanted to.

So when she finds herself thinking more about cute, quiet Talia Sanchez than the loss of a perfect prom with her ex-boyfriend, seeds of doubt take root in Ophelia’s firm image of herself. Add to that the impending end of high school and the fracturing of her once-solid friend group, and things are spiraling a little out of control. But the course of love—and sexuality—never did run smooth. As her secrets begin to unravel, Ophelia must make a choice between clinging to the fantasy version of herself she’s always imagined or upending everyone’s expectations to rediscover who she really is, after all.

Amazon: Ophelia After All

Art of Illusion-A Book with a Trope You Like Disabled Badasses

Fight or Flight

Can’t say too much on this book for the Equinox as it is an ARC but it does fulfill the prompt

Spells and Incantations-Short stories/essays

The Fire Never Goes Out

In a collection of essays and personal mini-comics that span eight years of his young adult life, author-illustrator ND Stevenson charts the highs and lows of being a creative human in the world.

Whether it’s hearing the wrong name called at his art school graduation ceremony or becoming a National Book Award finalist for his debut graphic novel, Nimona, ND captures the little and big moments that make up a real life, with a wit, wisdom, and vulnerability that are all his own.

Psionics and Divinations-A book set in the future

Victories Greater than Death

Tina never worries about being ‘ordinary’–she doesn’t have to, since she’s known practically forever that she’s not just Tina Mains, average teenager and beloved daughter. She’s also the keeper of an interplanetary rescue beacon, and one day soon, it’s going to activate, and then her dreams of saving all the worlds and adventuring among the stars will finally be possible. Tina’s legacy, after all, is intergalactic–she is the hidden clone of a famed alien hero, left on Earth disguised as a human to give the universe another chance to defeat a terrible evil.

But when the beacon activates, it turns out that Tina’s destiny isn’t quite what she expected. Things are far more dangerous than she ever assumed–and everyone in the galaxy is expecting her to actually be the brilliant tactician and legendary savior Captain Thaoh Argentian, but Tina….is just Tina. And the Royal Fleet is losing the war, badly–the starship that found her is on the run and they barely manage to escape Earth with the planet still intact.

Luckily, Tina is surrounded by a crew she can trust, and her best friend Rachel, and she is still determined to save all the worlds. But first she’ll have to save herself.

Amazon: Victories Greater than Death

Conjuration-A source of light on the cover

Map of Flames

Fifteen years ago, eight supernatural criminals fled Estero City to make a new life in an isolated tropical hideout. Over time, seven of them disappeared without a trace, presumed captured or killed. And now, the remaining one has died.

Left behind to fend for themselves are the criminals’ five children, each with superpowers of their own: Birdie can communicate with animals. Brix has athletic abilities and can heal quickly. Tenner can swim like a fish and can see in the dark and hear from a distance. Seven’s skin camouflages to match whatever is around him. Cabot hasn’t shown signs of any unusual power—yet.

Then one day Birdie finds a map among her father’s things that leads to a secret stash. There is also a note:  

Go to Estero, find your mother,and give her the map.

The five have lived their entire lives in isolation. What would it mean to follow the map to a strange world full of things they’ve only heard about, like cell phones, cars, and electricity? A world where, thanks to their parents, being supernatural is a crime?

Amazon: The Forgotten Five

Lore Mythology inspired

The Flame of Olympus

When Pegasus crashes onto a Manhattan roof during a terrible storm, thirteen-year-old Emily’s life changes forever. Suddenly allied with a winged horse she’d always thought was mythical, Emily is thrust into the center of a fierce battle between the Roman gods and a terrifying race of multiarmed stone warriors called the Nirads. Emily must team up with a thief named Paelen, the goddess Diana, and a mortal boy named Joel in order to return Pegasus to Olympus and rescue the gods from a certain death.

Along the way, Emily and her companions will fight monsters, run from a government agency that is prepared to dissect Pegasus, and even fly above the Manhattan skyline—all as part of a quest to save Olympus before the Olympic flame burns out.

Amazon: Flames of Olympus

I think this is a good variety of books for the Spring Equinox I may read more or create another character for the Spring Equinox. There are a few more Callings I’m interested in but we’ll see April is busy for me. As I’m also doing Realm A Thon as well as running my own Chopped Readathon It all depends on how busy I am. I’m really looking forward to a challenge this Equinox even if that makes the Fall Equinox harder this one of my favorite readathons and I’ve been looking forward to this for awhile.

Posted in Monthly Reads, Orillium Readathon, Readathons

You Truly Assumed Review

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

And we’re back online faster, with more power, and better than ever. I’m now producing content off Lavender the Laptop. She has 90’s retro vibe, and I’ve got the feminist and witchy stickers coming in tomorrow. So I’ll probably get sticker happy but I’m happy to have a machine to work from again, and happy to be reviewing this wonderful book You Truly Assumed by Black author Laila Sabreen.

This is also helping me complete one of my Pondathon II challenges,. In addition it’s helping me complete one of my Trope-ical readathon prompts Finally this book is also helping with my Orillium Gear Challenge.

Summary

In this compelling and thought-provoking debut novel, after a terrorist attack rocks the country and anti-Islamic sentiment stirs, three Black Muslim girls create a space where they can shatter assumptions and share truths.

Sabriya has her whole summer planned out in color-coded glory, but those plans go out the window after a terrorist attack near her home. When the terrorist is assumed to be Muslim and Islamophobia grows, Sabriya turns to her online journal for comfort. You Truly Assumed was never meant to be anything more than an outlet, but the blog goes viral as fellow Muslim teens around the country flock to it and find solace and a sense of community.

Soon two more teens, Zakat and Farah, join Bri to run You Truly Assumed and the three quickly form a strong friendship. But as the blog’s popularity grows, so do the pushback and hateful comments. When one of them is threatened, the search to find out who is behind it all begins, and their friendship is put to the test when all three must decide whether to shut down the blog and lose what they’ve worked for…or take a stand and risk everything to make their voices heard.

Review of You Truly Assumed

I really liked this book for several reason; one the three points of view, two the way this book was centered around blogging and the different ways the girls celebrated their faith through their communities and the blog. For me this book brought up what is great about the blogging community, the family aspect, as well as the negatives and how to deal with them.

I think it did a good job portraying what minority bloggers have to deal with, any minority bloggers can of course correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to match up with the discourse I’ve heard from different bloggers of color about their thoughts not being heard. I think this is a must read for all white bloggers. Oh and just a personal favorite I especially I the scene where the piece of cookware is thrown on the floor after seeing the website. Just a personal favorite of mine also I’m a huge fan of the ship that happens in the book. It’s so cute. Those are my two personal opinions. Also, I couldn’t pick a favorite out of the three since I love them all. So don’t ask me to!

Amazon: You Truly Assumed

Posted in Orillium Readathon

Looking Ahead: March Goals

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

Are you all looking forward to the spring or more winter people like I am wishing it would stay cold? Either way warmer temperatures are coming along with lots of new spring releases and I for one can’t to catch some of the new books.

1) Read Everyday

I’ve been so focused on goals I’ve gotten away from just looking at a book at enjoying the habit of reading every day. I’m going to get back to that in March and not worry so much about goals. I’ll have them, but I’m also just going to try to pick up a book every day just for fun.

2) Write Everyday

My novel has been sitting on the backburner for too long and it needs some real attention and while I acknologde I might not be able to write EVERY day that why this is a goal. I need to work on outlining and the rules of my fantasy world and character background. Then I want to get into the fun part, writing.

3) Post Everyday

I’ve been doing pretty good about this and I want to keep it up. It makes the blog number good and I just feel a sense of accomplishment posting consistently. I’ve got a lot of posts coming up that I think everyone is going to like but I won’t have time till the weekend to work on them.

4) Particpate in Readathons

I’ve got a couple readathons I’m doing in March and I may add more. I really enjoy these particular readathons to I’m going to try and take part in the social aspect of the readathons as well since that was something I didn’t do last time.

I think these are four pretty good goals for March I don’t want to be too ambitious but I want to challenge myself and I think this set of goals does that. I’m looking forward to March to work on theses.

Posted in Orillium Readathon

Gear Up: Orillium Readathon

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

Some of you might remember the Orillium Readathon from last year. This is kind of a mini session where you pick your gear, in this case your magical conduit and your magic specialty. You only have to read two books, so basically you’re just getting your gear for this one before the next part of the readathon.

My character Ranela was chosen for the Guild of the Mind Walkers during the main readathon so they get a choice of weapons, things like swords a staffs, but I choosing a a dagger because I think it fits her character better and is specifically for the guild, for this weapon we have to read a standalone book. I’m choosing

Ophelia After All

Ophelia Rojas knows what she likes: her best friends, Cuban food, rose-gardening, and boys – way too many boys. Her friends and parents make fun of her endless stream of crushes, but Ophelia is a romantic at heart. She couldn’t change, even if she wanted to.

So when she finds herself thinking more about cute, quiet Talia Sanchez than the loss of a perfect prom with her ex-boyfriend, seeds of doubt take root in Ophelia’s firm image of herself. Add to that the impending end of high school and the fracturing of her once-solid friend group, and things are spiraling a little out of control. But the course of love—and sexuality—never did run smooth. As her secrets begin to unravel, Ophelia must make a choice between clinging to the fantasy version of herself she’s always imagined or upending everyone’s expectations to rediscover who she really is, after all.

Amazon: Ophelia After All

As for the magical specialty as a Mind Walker I get to access one additional realm, form that realm I chose the Psychic Realm which is a realm that helps you connect to the energy around you. You have to choose a supernatural book for this I’m going to use Long Lost.

Eleven-year-old Fiona has just read a book that doesn’t exist.

When Fiona’s family moves to a new town to be closer to her older sister’s figure skating club—and far from Fiona’s close-knit group of friends—nobody seems to notice Fiona’s unhappiness. Alone and out of place, Fiona ventures to the town’s library, a rambling mansion donated by a long-dead heiress. And there she finds a gripping mystery novel about a small town, family secrets, and a tragic disappearance.

Soon Fiona begins to notice strange similarities that blur the lines between the novel and her new town. With a little help from a few odd Lost Lake locals, Fiona uncovers the book’s strange history. Lost Lake is a town of restless spirits, and Fiona will learn that both help and danger come from unexpected places—maybe even from the sister she thinks doesn’t care about her anymore

Amazon: Long Lost

So now that that I’ve got my gear I’m ready for this little portion of the readathon. I’m looking forward to all the readathons in March when I can hopefully catch up on my book goals for the year so far.

Posted in Discussion, Orillium Readathon

Novice Path

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

So a couple of days ago I just finished up my readathon for Orillium: The Novice Path. It was a very well designed readathon and I can’t wait for it’s continuation in the spring. I didn’t read all seven books for the path but I think I made a pretty good showing with 3 and one for characterization of my character. I really enjoyed the choices at each point which determined our house for next session.

Here is my character who went on the Novice Path.

So this is Ranela who is a dwarf from Darune. While I was only able to establish one thing about their character while on the novice path this time, I can’t wait for the next round to fully establish them. At the end of the Novice Path they were invited to join The Mind Walkers.

So here’s what I read:

Ashthorn Tree-A book that keeps tempting you.

I kept being tempted by a book about pandemics and this is a great one.

This Mortal Coil by [Emily Suvada]

Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.

That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.

When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.

Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?

Amazon: This Mortal Coil

Mist of Solitude-Read a Standalone

The Smashed Man of Dread End by [J.W. Ocker]

Noe Wiley couldn’t be more excited to move. After the slumber party sleepwalking incident of last year, she’s ready to make some new friends.

But Noe didn’t expect the sullen, strange girls who live on her new street. And she certainly didn’t expect the strange warning they give her—to stay out of her basement, no matter what.

Noe’s not going to let these girls boss her around. She’ll go in her own basement whenever she wants.

So she does. And there he is.

And now there’s no going back.

Amazon: The Smashed Man of Dread End

Ruin of the Skye-Read a book featuring ghosts or other supernatural elements.

Ghost Girl by [Ally Malinenko]

The Ghost Girl is perfect for this prompt and I’ve also been meaning to read it forever.

Synopsis

Zee Puckett loves ghost stories. She just never expected to be living one.

It all starts with a dark and stormy night. When the skies clear, everything is different. People are missing. There’s a creepy new principal who seems to know everyone’s darkest dreams. And Zee is seeing frightening things: large, scary dogs that talk and maybe even . . . a ghost.

When she tells her classmates, only her best friend Elijah believes her. Worse, mean girl Nellie gives Zee a cruel nickname: Ghost Girl.

But whatever the storm washed up isn’t going away. Everyone’s most selfish wishes start coming true in creepy ways.

To fight for what’s right, Zee will have to embrace what makes her different and what makes her Ghost Girl. And all three of them—Zee, Elijah, and Nellie—will have to work together if they want to give their ghost story a happy ending.

Amazon: Ghost Girl

Obsidian Falls-Read a Thriller or a mystery book.

I would have read this book even if it weren’t for the Novice Path as it was such a great piece.

What Lives in the Woods by [Lindsay Currie]

Synopsis

All Ginny Anderson wants from her summer is to sleep in, attend a mystery writing workshop, and spend time with her best friend. But when Ginny’s father—a respected restoration expert in Chicago—surprises the family with a month-long trip to Michigan, everything changes. They aren’t staying in a hotel like most families would. No, they’re staying in a mansion. A twenty-six room, century-old building surrounded by dense forest. Woodmoor Manor.

But unfortunately, the mansion has more problems than a little peeling wallpaper. Locals claim the surrounding woods are inhabited by mutated creatures with glowing eyes. And some say campers routinely disappear in the woods, never to be seen again.

As terrifying as it sounds, Ginny can’t shake the feeling that there’s something darker . . . another story she hasn’t been told. When the creaky floors and shadowy corners of the mansion seem to take on a life of their own, Ginny uncovers the wildest mystery of all: There’s more than one legend roaming Saugatuck, Michigan, and they definitely aren’t after campers.

It’s after her.

Amazon: What Lives in the Woods

Character Books

I read this book for the Novice Path because my character build required a sci-fi book.

Goddess in the Machine by [Lora Beth Johnson]

When Andra wakes up, she’s drowning.

Not only that, but she’s in a hot, dirty cave, it’s the year 3102, and everyone keeps calling her Goddess. When Andra went into a cryonic sleep for a trip across the galaxy, she expected to wake up in a hundred years, not a thousand. Worst of all, the rest of the colonists–including her family and friends–are dead. They died centuries ago, and for some reason, their descendants think Andra’s a deity. She knows she’s nothing special, but she’ll play along if it means she can figure out why she was left in stasis and how to get back to Earth.

Zhade, the exiled bastard prince of Eerensed, has other plans. Four years ago, the sleeping Goddess’s glass coffin disappeared from the palace, and Zhade devoted himself to finding it. Now he’s hoping the Goddess will be the key to taking his rightful place on the throne–if he can get her to play her part, that is. Because if his people realize she doesn’t actually have the power to save their dying planet, they’ll kill her.

With a vicious monarch on the throne and a city tearing apart at the seams, Zhade and Andra might never be able to unlock the mystery of her fate, let alone find a way to unseat the king, especially since Zhade hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with Andra. And a thousand years from home, is there any way of knowing that Earth is better than the planet she’s woken to?

Posted in Orillium Readathon

Goddess in the Machine Review

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

I’m reading The Goddess in the Machine to do a second character on Magical Readathon. But I’m glad I came across it anyway, The book was published last year and I’m reading the sequel now, it. The sequel the Devil in the Device is also a great sci-fi story from what I can tell so far. I loved the Goddess in the Machine for its twist and turns, mix of future tech with past tech, and just the way that the overall society was structured.

Goddess in the Machine by [Lora Beth Johnson]

Summary

When Andra wakes up, she’s drowning.

Not only that, but she’s in a hot, dirty cave, it’s the year 3102, and everyone keeps calling her Goddess. When Andra went into a cryonic sleep for a trip across the galaxy, she expected to wake up in a hundred years, not a thousand. Worst of all, the rest of the colonists–including her family and friends–are dead. They died centuries ago, and for some reason, their descendants think Andra’s a deity. She knows she’s nothing special, but she’ll play along if it means she can figure out why she was left in stasis and how to get back to Earth.

Zhade, the exiled bastard prince of Eerensed, has other plans. Four years ago, the sleeping Goddess’s glass coffin disappeared from the palace, and Zhade devoted himself to finding it. Now he’s hoping the Goddess will be the key to taking his rightful place on the throne–if he can get her to play her part, that is. Because if his people realize she doesn’t actually have the power to save their dying planet, they’ll kill her.

With a vicious monarch on the throne and a city tearing apart at the seams, Zhade and Andra might never be able to unlock the mystery of her fate, let alone find a way to unseat the king, especially since Zhade hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with Andra. And a thousand years from home, is there any way of knowing that Earth is better than the planet she’s woken to?

Review

Andra dealing with what she is the the focus of the book, and it should be, she works past labels put onto her by Zhade, the people of Eerensed, and even by her family 1,000 years ago to find out what she truly is she’s the one who takes us on the journey through this confusing future world. Sometimes she isn’t the best guide and is betrayed but all and all she finds a way in a world beyond her time and when she finds herself with powers beyond her imagining. She solves layer after layer of mystery with the help of some modern friends to reveal that the future is much more complex than it seems and that saving herself, might require saving the the planet and that’s more complicated than she ever dreamed.

Even with the ‘help’ of the two goddess before her with Andra be able to save herself and Eerensed before she catches a killing blade?

Amazon: The Goddess in the Machine

Posted in Orillium Readathon, Weekly Wrap-ups

Reading A Lot this Week-All of the Books

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

I’ve found myself just reading more daily with my two readathons, I rolled, Humans, New and Cute for my Bookaplaton rolls so I’m read and am reading Ghost Girl, The Smashed Man of Dread End and Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating. For Magical Readathon I’m working on Fellowship of the Ring on the principle of getting the toughest book out of the way first, if other books come up the match my Bookaplaton prompts that are also on my Magical Readathon List I’m going to double up and try and maximize my reading as best I can.

What have I been doing when I haven’t been reading. I’ve been trying to post as you can see I’ve put up either reading or writing stuff every day. I’m also going to try and go back and do the reviews for the books I’ve been reading, for example all the stuff in August but that I’ve gotten behind on. I also plan to get back to posting new releases every Monday when there is enough content and all the other things I was doing for the blog before I kind of blinked out and took a bit of a hiatus due to my health.

I’m also using the blog as a bit of a distraction, I have a disability hearing on the 15th and that decides whether or not I’m considered disabled and can get the money to move out on my own, it’s causing me major stress so I’m just throwing myself into things I can control, like reading books. Or posting on the blog, maybe I’ll feel better after my hearing but they still have a month to tell me how I did so I think the blog might be a bit of a distraction for awhile.

I’m not sure I can focus due to stress levels but I also want to get back to writing, even if it’s just a little. I miss telling stories, and you only get better by telling the bad drafts first.

There is one good thing other good thing, it is starting to feel like fall here! One it took long enough, and two, that makes September the best month, and three that means it’s spoopy season! Lets be real though, it’s been spoopy season here since mid-July.

Posted in Orillium Readathon

Ghost Girl Review-A New Spooky Book

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

So my readathons have been going well, I’m trying to combine them as much I can, for example, I got Humans as my prompt on Day 1 of Bookoplaton, and Humans were the main characters in Ghost Girl but the book also fulfilled my prompt for Ruin of Skye where I needed a book with supernatural characters. Anyway, I’m doing great with all the extra reading so far and can’t wait to start my next book.

Ghost Girl by [Ally Malinenko]

Summary

Zee Puckett loves ghost stories. She just never expected to be living one.

It all starts with a dark and stormy night. When the skies clear, everything is different. People are missing. There’s a creepy new principal who seems to know everyone’s darkest dreams. And Zee is seeing frightening things: large, scary dogs that talk and maybe even . . . a ghost.

When she tells her classmates, only her best friend Elijah believes her. Worse, mean girl Nellie gives Zee a cruel nickname: Ghost Girl.

But whatever the storm washed up isn’t going away. Everyone’s most selfish wishes start coming true in creepy ways.

To fight for what’s right, Zee will have to embrace what makes her different and what makes her Ghost Girl. And all three of them—Zee, Elijah, and Nellie—will have to work together if they want to give their ghost story a happy ending.

Review

I’ve been meaning to read this book for a while and I wasn’t disappointed, Zee was a great protagonist. I knew I liked her from the moment she was up in the middle of the thunderstorm. She’s a great role model for every girl who has been cast out for not liking girly things or shunned for their interest in the macabre. The way the three main characters must face their fears at the end is a scary scenario even for adults.

And the villain is a unique blend of demon, ghost, and unknown creepy being. He’s especially creepy because you don’t know exactly what he is, and what his powers are, or how far they reach. The book is well-paced with many scary moments throughout that keep the reader interested and the plot going. Also, I really love the ending, I’d totally read another spooky book from the author.

Amazon: Ghost Girl