Anticipated Releases (January-March 2024)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

I'm aware I'm a little late with this post, I usually plan to post these the month before the first month (in this case January) is due to start, but I can genuinely say I forgot about it until it was too late. 

So, better late than never I guess. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

January

1. Womb City, by Tlotlo Tsamaase

Release date: 23/1/24

In a world where men control the one thing that women should have a say in, how much will a woman risk to save both herself and her unborn child?

Nelah seems to have it all: wealth, fame, a child on the way. But languishing in a loveless marriage with a suspicious policeman, drives Nelah's hopes and dreams to a hopeless stop. 

After a drug-fueled night of celebrations ends in a hit-and-run scenario, Nelah buries the body, with her accomplish, Janith Koshal and leaves, hoping to leave behind a sentencing, and society, that favours men. 

But the body is nowhere near dead. When it threatens to hurt everyone Nelah holds dear, she knows she must uncover her society's terrible secrets to stop those in power, and become a monster unlike any other to quench the ghost's violent thirsts. 

I kind of like the mix of science, mixed with the motherhood theme in this book, which is what drew me to it in the first place. Aside from that, the cover is just amazing- it stands out. I'm expecting big things from this novel. 

February

1. The Women, by Kristin Hannah

Release date: 6/2/24

I really shouldn't be putting this on the list of Anticipated Releases when I've never even read The Nightingale yet, but I couldn't help it. 

With how much everyone loved Kristin Hannah's writing, and given how much I love reading about a new time period, I just know I'll love this when I pick it up. 

I won't go into a huge amount of detail of what it's about, but it's about twenty-year-old nurse Frankie following her brother to the Vietnam War to assist the wounded soldiers. Once there, she's overwhelmed by the amount of bloodshed and loss that surrounds her and the rest of the Army Nurse Corps. But through hard work and luck, Frankie becomes one of the brave- the lucky, the broken, the lost.

But the battle isn't over for Frankie and the rest of the nurses. The real struggle begins when they return home, to a changed and divided America, to angry protestors, and a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

  The Women is about one woman going to war, but it also shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm's way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has often been forgotten. 

March

1. Dear Younger Me: What 35 Trailblazing Wish They'd Known as Girls, by Elisa Boxer

Release date: 5/3/24

This is an account of 35 different women (ahletes, authors, a WWII code breaker, an activist, so many different women) writing an account of what they wish they knew as girls. 

I have no idea what's in here, what people think (there's one review on Goodreads for this book) but Kirkus Reviews has sung it's praises, so I'll give it a try. It's only 238 pages too, so I should be able to knock this out in a weekend. 

2. Promchanted, by MORGAN MATSON

Release date: 5/3/24

Morgan Matson has a book coming out! I can't remember the last time she had one out!

*Checks*.

Last year. 

Oops. 

Anyway, it's fine. 

Promchanted is (I'm assuming) a hate to love romance where two people, Stella and Reece (Stella has recently been broken up with and has lost all faith in love) and Reece who hates her guts, stumble through a hidden door at Disneyland and actually end up in Sleeping Beauty's story. (Always loved Sleeping Beauty- mostly because of the dragons, but whatever.)

But the minute Stella and Reece arrive, the story starts to go a bit awry- Phillip and Aurora meet too early, the fairies are suspicious of their presence- even Malificent gets wind of them! 

Can Stella and Reece put aside their differences and work together to get the story back on track, or will they be stuck in the fairytale forever? 

3. Breathing Underwater, by Abbey Nash 

Release date: 5/3/24

As always, I will always give a story that has a sport in it a chance, if I like the look of it. And the fact that it has representation makes me want to read it all the more. 

Tess has always had one passion in life- swimming. She lives and breaths it- if she's not in the pool, she's thinking about it. It's her one shot at a career, at getting into a good college with a scholarship- and it's all she's ever wanted. But all of that gets put on hold when she has a seizure underwater. 

Her life suddenly becomes one of doctor visits, missed practises, and a summer job behind the counter- not sitting in a lifeguard chair like every year before. New kid Charlie- whose cute, but isn't the priority right now. 

The question is, will Tess ever get back to where she was before?

4.The Other Lola, by Ripley Jones

Release date: 12/3/24

I won't lie, this drew me in because of my boyfriend's old cat was called Lola. Stupid reason, but I'm adding it on. 

I wouldn't even call this the first book in the Saga. It's the second. 

I'm thinking I might need to read the first book before this one (even though they're not linked together as a series). 

Basically this is about a duo, Cam and Blair, that after solving the town's big murder mystery were catapulted to fame. They swore, no more mysteries, no more podcasts theorising, no more poking their noses where they shouldn't belong. 

Until Mattie Brosillard arrives on their doorstep, claiming that his sister has returned home after being missing for years- except he's convinced it isn't her. Nobody else believes him, but he's desperate for Cam and Blair to prove him right. 

So of course, they take the case. 

I really should read the first one first though. 

5. Not Your Average Jo, by Grace K. Shim

Release date: 12/3/24

I honestly don't think I could explain this better than the blurb, so I think I'll quote it instead: 

"Riley Jo is a teenager who knows what she wants. 

Born and raised in Bentonville, Arkansas, this Korean 

American girl has her sights set on being a musician.

So when her parents are surprisingly cool about her 

attending the prestigious Los Angeles-based arts-

focused boarding school her senior year of high 

school, she jumps at the chance. This is her moment 

to make her indue rock dreams a reality! 

Things at Carlmont Academt start out strong: She

joins a band, and they set out to make plans to 

perform at the annual sprintg concert- with a chance

to land a record contract. Another student, Xander, 

decides his school project will be a documentary

about the band leading up to their first show. But not

everything goes how Riley Jo imagined. She is soon 

sidelined when other bandmates feel she is 'too

Asian' to be their lead singer, and they choose her

classmate Bodhi Collins for the role instead. 

Bodhi is rock music royalty, with a dad who is a

famous music exec. And he's got the 'all-American

rock star look.' Her classmates suggest she try

K-Pop, her heart is in indie rock. Riley Jo 

decides to take matters into her own handsand writes 

an original song to showcase her talent. But Bodhi 

takes the credit... and given his connectiona, the band 

lets him.

Xander captures all of this in his film, which he leaks 

in order to show the truth behind the band. Riley Jo 

decides to sign up for the spring concert and perform 

on her own... but will she finally be able to take 

center stage?" 

Okay, very blong blurb, but honestly, I love the idea of all of this. Much like sport romance novels, I love books that centre around music, and it's been so long since I've read something like this. Genuinely looking forward to this being released. 

Okay! Those are all my Anticipated Releases for the next few months! 

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my selected bunch, and feel free to comment what some of your Anticipated Releases are too! 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

 

January TBR (2024)

 Hey guys, this is me, Abi, back in 2024! 

And this year is going to be better than ever! 

Why? Because I say so, dammit! 

I'm just joking. 

But honestly, who knows what's in store for you, me or anybody, really? 

I hope good things befall you, my friend. 

Anyway... kicking the year of is my usual January TBR, but with some absolutely amazing books on it! 

I know you'll be excited to hear about them, as I am to hear about what you all plan to read below (comment if you wish). 

Here are my reading plans for January, I hope you enjoy. 

1. Clementine Book Two (Clementine #2), by Tillie Walden 

I have already read this, but I'm including it anyway. This is, of course, the second installment of the Clementine graphic novel TRILOGY (sad face) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a bit slow going for the first chapter or so as the plotline took shape, but after that, I was tearing through the pages like anything, desperate to know what was going to happen next. Like with the first volume, it felt like the decisions Clementine made mirrored that of the videogame Clementine, which was nice to see. What I particularly loved about this volume was the balance between the face paced moments, when they're all fighting for their lives, compared with the peaceful moments, and moments of self discovery between characters. I loved this novel and I'm anxiously waiting for October, and the release of the final volume. 

2. The Deal of A Lifetime, by Fredrik Backman 

An extremely quick read- under an hour, from start to finish. This book hit a nerve- I was close to tears within minutes. I won't tell you all what it's about- you should find out for yourself. All I'm saying is, this book is 65 pages. Even if you don't read a whole lot, you can find the time for this book. 

And you should. Because it's amazing. It feels effortless, the way this story is told. It's like you're handed the story, piece by piece. And then, you're looking at the full picture, without even knowing it. 

Just, go out and buy a copy. You won't regret it. 

3. The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1), by R.F. Kuang 

4. The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2), by R.F. Kuang 

I started The Poppy War a few days ago and although I'm apalled at how long it's taken me to get to this series, I'm so glad to finally be reading it. I'm about halfway through, and I have no idea what direction this series will take from this moment on (and I kind of love it). 

By the way, I don't know if my fellow readers knew that poppies give out opium, but I sure didn't (so that was a surprise). 

But if you didn't know what The Poppy War is in a nutshell, now you do. 

Of course, there is more to it than that, like it discusses misuse of drugs, addiction, war, loyalty, and japanese history/ lore, but the bare bones of this book is literally in the title. 

We may well have a favourite book of the year on our hands, and it's only January! 

Excited to see what happens next. 

5. Icebreaker (Maple Hills #1), by Hannah Grace

I rarely see any kind of sport in a romance, so when I heard about this, I bought it without a second thought. If I don't manage to get to this in January, I definitely will in February- it is a romance, after all. 

Icebreaker tells the story of Stassie, skater from five years old, focused on Team USA at the Olympics; and Nathan, captain of the college hockey team, with the responsibility of keeping his team on the ice. After a misunderstanding results in the two of them sharing a rink, the pair find themselves butting heads more often then they'd like, with their unmistakable tension. But it's okay, because Stassie doesn't like hockey players, right? 

Just like with As If On Cue, I can never resist a book with two characters, from two opposite sides of the same rails, butting heads and trying (and failing) to fall in love. I'm sure I'm going to love this, no doubt about it. 

6. I Invited Her In, by Adele Parks 

*Sigh* 

I'm reading this after Poppy War- end of. 

I Invited Her In, is about Mel, who receives a message from her old friend Abi, asking for a place to stay. As old friends help each other, she agrees. What could go wrong? 

And, that's all I know. I've heard its a psychological thriller, and I am ready for it. (Apparently it's good). Anybody know if it is? 

Okay! Those are all the books I want for read for the remainder of the month (three weeks- who thinks I can do it? Comment below haha). 

I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon with my Seven Sisters pt. 2 review. (There- I've said it, so now it's out there- I have to post it next.) 

See you soon guys. 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

2023 Wrap Up

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with what should be my last post of the year (not sure when I'll get my Anticipated Releases post out, cos I completely forgot about it until now, so bear with me on that). 

This is the post where I look over the past year, what series I've finished and caught up on, and what I've achieved, as well as my usual wrap up, so I hope you enjoy it. 

~Books Read in December~

Not an amazing month of reading, I'll admit, but I'll definitely be finishing my CR this month- which is why I'll be including it today.(And hopefully one other? If there's no way it'll happen I'll switch to graphic novels in the last couple of days so I end on a high note). 

1. The Missing Sister (The Seven Sisters #7), by Lucinda Riley 

After loving the first six books in the series, I was expecting to love this one just as much. I was aware that it was going to be a little different than it's predecessors, because the first six were about each sister finding out about their heritage and themselves, and in this, they were all banding together to find someone based on a name and a necklace, but I didn't expect it to be as different as it was. The sisters were led on a wild goose chase that had me quickly losing interest in certain sections. I found myself longing for Merry's chapters above characters I'd known and loved reading about. 

I was always going to finish The Missing Sister, I've come too far with this series to bow out now, but I just wish the turn of events had happened differently. 

2. Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt (The Seven Sisters #8), by Lucinda Riley & Harry Whittaker 

I'm just over 3/4 of the way through this, and I know, without question, that I will be finishing this before the year is out! 

Atlas is the eighth and final book of The Seven Sisters series that I have been reading over the past few months, and as I have known from the start, it holds all the answers as for how Maya, Ally, Star, CeCe, Tiggy and Electra all came to be adopted by Pa Salt, as well as to how he grew up. 

I'm extremely nervous about how it all wraps up, because I desperately want to find out, but also want it all to last just that little bit longer. 

I've loved reading all of their individual stories (that have just gotten bigger and bigger with each book, to my delight) and I'm so glad I'm get to find out how it all ties together. 

Those are all the books I have read so far this month, which is fine (I keep telling myself this) but with the time remaining of the year, I will either be reading: 

1. I Invited Her In, by Adele Parks- psychological thriller that has been on my TBR for LITERAL MONTHS. 

2. Heartstopper Vol.1-Vol.5- due to book buying ban I have yet to read the most recent volume so will be prioritising it soon. 

3. Clementime Vol. 2- the same as the Heartstopper. 

~Series Completed in 2023~ 

1. The "Life is Strange" Graphic Novel series, by Emma Vieceli & Claudia Leonardi 

I got this for Christmas last year from my boyfriend, and I jumped straight into it in January, souring through 6 volumes in about 5 days. The first novel takes place a year after the events of the game, when Chloe and Max make their first return back to Arcadia Bay for the official memorial, and follows a series of events that lead to Max being lost in alternate dimensions, trying to find her way back. Gripping and thought-provoking, thoroughly enjoyed. 

2. "The Circle Trilogy" Trilogy, by Teri Terry 

Every time I start a new Teri Terry book, I have no expectations as for what's going to happen in them, and this was no different. The Circle trilogy is basically a Sci-fi, environmentallist war between two sides, that might just end up destroying the world is Tabby and her friends don't stop a company called 'The Circle'. 

Extremely tense and exciting conclusion, which I have been anticipating since the first book came out, approximately three years prior. Glad it finally reached it's end, really enjoyed the way it all wrapped up. 

3. "The Brown Sisters" Trilogy, by Talia Hibbert 

I have been wanting to get to this trilogy since I first heard about it in, I think 2019. As expected, because I put Get A Life, Chloe Brown on my Favourite Books of 2023, I really enjoyed these. Chloe Brown was definitely my favourite POV to read from, but I saw myself in a lot of Dani and Eve too. 

Going into these, I was expecting fun, well-written books that discussed issues with a light-hearted tone. That was what I wanted from these, and that's exactly what I got. 

It was a pleasure to read about these characters and I very much hope I come across them in more Talia Hibbert books (like Morgan Matson does sometimes). 

4. "The Seven Sisters" series, by Lucinda Riley 

*Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt also written by Harry Whittaker 

I really don't think I need to talk about how much I love these books, when you can find out my thoughts about them in these posts:

1. August Wrap Up (2023)

2. September Wrap Up & October TBR (2023)

3. October Wrap Up (2023)

4. November Wrap Up (2023)

5. Seven Sister Review Pt. 1

Not as many series' as I was hoping, but that's only because of a certain series of books below. *cough cough*. 

Now, on to the series I've started and caught up on. 

~Series I Started and Caught Up On~

1."Clementine" Graphic Novel Series, by Tillie Walden 

On 28/12/23- Finished Vol. 1

I found out about this graphic novel series upon completing the Life is Strange one in January, and after that, there was no way I wasn't going to be picking this up as soon as it was released. I mean, come on! Another game turned graphic novel series, much less from a choice based game I had previously loved. 

Honestly, it was better than average, your standard four star, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. 

Will probably re-read this before picking up Vol. 2, cos I've forgotten half of it- but Vol. 2 is in my possession and I might even get to it before the end of the year. 

2. "Supernatural Investigations" trilogy, by B.B. Alston 

Finished Amari and the Great Game. 

Okay, I'm glad I managed to keep up with ONE series this year, and I actually remember most of it! 

Of course, I can't disclose that sort of information here because *spoilers* but I will tell you, the Amari series by B.B. Alston has a very Harry Potter-ish feel to it, so if you're looking for something that reminds you of HP, but something that holds it's own, and isn't as dark, then I'd recommend picking it up. They're also fast paced, don't feel rushed, with very likeable characters. 

And honestly, if that hasn't sold you, I don't know what will. 

~What I Achieved in 2023~

1. Raised enough solicitor fees, though didn't actually move out (literally will be in the next month though). 

2. Walked 13.1 miles for Alzheimer's Society with my partner- and raised enough to get a t-shirt too! 

3. Read at least one huge ass series this series- even if it wasn't fantasy. 

4. Actually read a poetry book! 

~What I'm Looking Forward to in 2024~

1. Actually moving out! 

2. Running more- eying up another marathon. 

3. Talking to you all! 

Okay! That is my wrap-up on the year! 

I'm happy with everything I accomplished this year and I hope you are too! 

Let me know in the comments what you're proud of- even if that's just getting through the day. 

I hope you all have a wonderful end to the year, and I'll see you on the flip side! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx