Teamwork Makes the Prophecy Work (The Blood of Olympus – A Book Review)

The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5)

Author: Rick Riordan

Published: 2014

On Goodreads

My Rating:

Rated H for Heroism in the darkest and bleakest moments and unconditional love and friendship.

 

Nico had warned them.

Jason’s ghost is his mother.

Reyna fears the ghosts of her ancestors.

Leo fears that his plan won’t work.

Piper must learn to give herself over to fear.

The seven demigods of the prophecy to stop Gaea from rising come face to face with some of their worst fears and must find ways to confront and get past them in order to help Romans and Greek unite and to be able to defeat the goddess of the earth. Nico Di Angelo helps Reyna and Coach Hedge get to Camp Half-Blood with the statue, but the travel is wearing on him. If he shadow-travels too much he’ll become nothing more than a ghost. Annabeth and Piper face great fear and must lean into it if they hope to do their part in this prophecy. Battle is on the horizon and sacrifices will be made to save the world.

 

The Heroes of Olympus series is one of the series on my New Year’s resolution and this is book 5 of 5.

 

Goodreads

Goodreads

Goodreads

The Lost Hero review

The Son of Neptune review

The Mark of Athena review

The House of Hades review

First off, I’m sorry my lovely bookworms. It has been a little bit since I’ve put up a review. The holiday season is making work super crazy. I’m ridiculously glad Black Friday is over. Working that was exhausting. I’m still trying to catch up on sleep, but I have a review for you! WOO!

So, I totally got incredibly weepy throughout this book! Such a great ending and openings left at the end. Gah, the end! Beautiful and tragic, yet not! So many emotions! For those who have read this series, you get it! You traveled on all of these adventures with these demigods, watched them grow and develop and your heart drops just a bit at the end, knowing the journey is over. From a couple of cyclops to angry Romans to Hercules to Hecate and so much more. This was such an incredible book and a great ending, though not an ending, too.

I do have a bit of a bone to pick and it is spoiler-y. Piper captured a horn from the god of the Tiber and I found it to be sad because the other one had been stolen already. She manipulated him and his feeling to get it and it was pretty sucky. I do wish she would’ve returned it to him in some way. She was forced to trick him and I think it would’ve done so much good to return it to him. The parts surrounding Piper and the horn just broke my heart a tad.

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There was so much acceptance, realizations, and teamwork. In the end, while the seven demigods worked together to defeat Gaea, everyone united to fight an epic battle. I loved that it wasn’t ever just about one single person but about everybody because it affected everybody and each person had a part to play. Even the gods came swinging in and it’s always pretty cool when they can get past their high horses to help out the kids they don’t ever see.

 

Overall

A fantastic conclusion to the epic Percy Jackson universe, yet also opening to more stories to come. I definitely need to reread the Apollo trials now. LOL. They’re going to be so much more different than before.

 

Quotables:

“Fear can’t be reasoned with. Neither can hate. They’re like love. They’re almost identical emotions…” (Piper, p. 206)

“A Roman does not wait for death. She seeks it out, and meets it on her own terms.” (Reyna, p. 373)

 

More to come soon…                                                                                                

  -K.

 

P.S. Song today? The Afterman by Coheed and Cambria.

 

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Thoughts? Let’s chat in the comments below!

Way Down We Go (The House of Hades – A Book Review)

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4)

Author: Rick Riordan

Published: 2013

On Goodreads

My Rating:

Rated H for heart-wrenching moments of near-death, unexpected truths, and going to hell and back, literally.

 

Hazel stands at a crossroads.

Annabeth and Percy are overwhelmed.

After losing Percy and Annabeth, the remaining crew of the Argo II could go home to stop the war that’s brewing between Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter or go to the Doors of Death where the two demigods will be waiting on the other side to close the doors between the mortal world and the underworld. Whichever they choose, time isn’t a virtue. Gaea, mother earth and of giants, is close to awakening and destroying the world.

Meanwhile, Annabeth and Percy, in Tartarus, discover old enemies and a brand-new meaning of pain as they journey to the Doors of Death to close them. Some enemies turn into friends and there are some enemies they never expected to cross paths with.

 

The Heroes of Olympus series is one of the series on my New Year’s resolution and this is book 4 of 5.

Catch up on previous reviews of the series:

Goodreads

Goodreads

Goodreads

The Lost Hero review

The Son of Neptune review

The Mark of Athena review

 

This book was non-stop action and anxiousness and I loved it! Compelling adventure and so many heartfelt moments that made the story even more loveable. Dark times and temptations come for each character, leaving them faced with decisions that truly change everything. I was shocked that’s for sure.

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The character development is unbelievable and astounding! The return of familiar characters, like Nico De Angelo and Calypso, was also welcoming. Seeing them again also brought to the surface that a few things have come to bite Percy Jackson in the butt. I felt for these characters, but also praise Riordan for showing that even the most heroic and caring people can fall on the wayside and be subject to misgivings, even if it’s unintentional, and that’s really important. Nobody is perfect, but that doesn’t take away from the kind of person you are.

The subject of love is quite a biggie as well, during this book. There’s even a harrowing encounter with Cupid, and as with every god they’ve encountered it was dangerous and life-altering. (I’m actually loving all the different gods they encounter. It gives a lot of kudos to gods people don’t typically think about.) While Percy, Annabeth, and a few others find themselves locked in it, others struggle, like Leo and Nico. While one suffers from being the odd man out the other struggles with feeling betrayed by someone they thought they cared deeply about. The touching moments met the heartbreaking ones, really showing that navigating emotions isn’t easy no matter what age you are.

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The setting of the book splits in two, though the journeys lead to the same place. Percy and Annabeth brave Tartarus while Hazel, Frank, Piper, Jason, and Leo are topside, working to get to them. There’s such a stark difference with each POV of the book and each of the places the characters travel to and it’s so important. All of this keeps the book from feeling dry and drawn out. Utterly breathtaking waters and monsters, and completely enamoring places that’ll shake you up and leave your heart overwhelmed.

 

Overall

True love and loyalty is always a theme in the Percy Jackson series, but this book reminded me of how harrowing a hero can be and sometimes how unrewarding and rewarding it can feel. That promises aren’t easy to keep. That even when it’s hard, you must be strong in the face of adversity. I repeat myself by saying Riordan is phenomenal and that you should read his books, but if it hasn’t sunken in yet, maybe it will this time. LOL.

 

Quotables:

“The past is close to the surface in this place. In ancient times, two great Roman roads met here, News was exchanged. Markets were held. Friends met, and enemies fought. Entire armies had to choose a direction. Crossroads are always places of decisions.” (Hecate to Hazel, p. 22)

“Monsters are the zits on the skin of Tartarus…” (Annabeth, p. 161)

“The dead see what they believe they will see. So do the living. That is the secret.” (Pluto, p. 190)

“Love is on every side. And no one’s side. Don’t ask what Love can do for you.” (Cupid, p. 286)

 

More to come soon…                                                                                                

  -K.

 

P.S. Song today? Way Down We Go by Kaleo.

 

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Thoughts? Let’s chat in the comments below!

It’s In the Stars, He Said, It’s in You (Stargazing at Noon – A Book Review)

Stargazing at Noon

Author: Amanda Torroni

Published: 2019

On Goodreads

Amazon

My Rating:

Rated D for being positively divine and devastatingly spellbinding, reaching through my heart, body, and soul.

 

Things I learned from the moon:

at times you feel like a sliver of yourself.

There is beauty in this too.

An expansion of Torroni’s original book of the same name, more poems have been added, covering all kinds of material, far and wide. Filled with gorgeous metaphor, weaving incredible images in your mind ranging from philosophers delving into the planets to navigating intimacy like one maps the stars.

 

Absolutely breathless. Soft giggles of wonderment. Deep sighs of daydreams and longing. This is my absolute favorite book of poetry. I’m pretty sure it’s going to rest by my head for the rest of time and the pages will get worn and bent from being turned and read so much.

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I’m so very in love with the moon. There’s never a moment I don’t admire her. To come across a book of poetry that utilizes the moon with heartache, love, loss, and nostalgia has swept me away completely. I’m pretty sure I left my body. I couldn’t put this book down and by the time I did it was nearly 5:30am. So. Worth it.

It’s a work of art. I don’t say that just because words and poetry are art, but because the cover with its rippling water that reminds me of the way summer sun reflects on the ocean or glimmers on a lake as the sun begins to set. Even inside the book, there are bursts of unbelievably beautiful, curving and wild font that brought so much more to the poem. Each section was marked by a phase of the moon, from its beginning to end.

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Overall

This was a moving book for me. There wasn’t a moment that I wasn’t enamored and mystified and completely lost in its words. Recommended? Hell yes.

 

Quotables:

I don’t feel like this is a quotable book, but here are a few poems that turned me into a puddle of sighs.

 

Pop Rocks & Soda Pop (p. 10)




We were electric that night
the power lines collapsed

& you laughed because
our cell phones died

& I, for the life of me,
could not find a flashlight.

There were plenty of candles,
not a single match, 
& 
only the palest moonlight

catching your skin
through open windows

as we listened to the winds howl
                        
                  the thunder clap
                        
                  the sky break
                        
                  the branches snap

& we explored the storms

that have long existed,

braved the blizzards within,

traded breaths & tangled limbs,

all of this until the winds calmed
                        
                  the thunder died
                        
                  the sky healed
                        
                  the branches sighed

& we collapsed like power lines

because we were electric that night.






Stargazing (p. 12)


I wasn’t admiring

the freckles on your skin;

I was stargazing.

& when I said I wanted

to make love to you,

I meant all of you.

& when you felt my fingers

tracing poetry

over parts of you that

were supposedly broken,

know that all I saw
were prisms, refracted light,

& everything I wanted

to make mine.






The Brightest Thing (p. 16)


I need you to know something—

that when you’re feeling defeated

beat up & down
on your luck

when you feel like you haven’t done

anything of enough

that the most important things in life

cannot be built with your hands.


& even on days you feel burnt out
                        
                   dim in the darkness
                        
                   lacking sheen


I need you to know—

you’re still the

brightest damn thing

I’ve ever seen.






Two Truths, One Lie (p. 82)



The kitchen table appears and an arm’s reach

between us. We play two truths and one lie.

   

   1. Some nights you stay awake counting stars. One for
      
      every regret. Two for every time you wished you were
      
      someone else.

   

   2. You don’t love me.

  
 
   3. A black wolf visits you while you dream.



You never dream.

More to come soon…                                                                                                

  -K.

 

P.S. Song today? Navigator by MOONZz & Restless Modern.

 

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A Dark New World (Wicked Saints – A Book Review)

Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1)

Author: Emily A. Duncan

Published: 2019

On Goodreads

Goodreads

My Rating:

Rated X because you won’t trust a single one of these people with your life unless you want to doom the world or yourself.

 

A girl named Nadya, who hears the whispers of the gods inside her head.

A prince surrounded by desperate suitors and deadly assassins.

A monster hidden behind pale, tortured eyes—and a smile that cuts like a knife.

Nadya has grown up in the monastery for most of her life, revering the gods, and she is the only known cleric that is able to communicate with all of them and not just the one she is bound to. After the monastery is attacked, she runs into a band of unexpected allies that seek to end the brutal war between Kalyazin and Tranavia, a god-fearing land and a godless one. With the high prince on their trail, it may seem tricky. But, the high prince is also trying to escape the suitors and assassins around him. A prophecy of dark magic and heresy that has been long known is put in motion and two countries may be in worse danger than this war never-ending.

 

I guess the perfect place to start with any review is stating right off the bat if you enjoyed or disliked a book, or at least that typically how I like to get started. To be honest, I’m not sure which direction I lean. Complex. That’s it. There was a lot of hype (mostly my own) about this book and it was even on the NYT bestsellers list for a while. This is one I’m going to want to reread later on. While the cover is completely mystifying and is really what attracted me—following the mini-blurb on the jacket inside the book—I really find that this story, this journey really stands next to those like LOTR (J. R. R. Tolkien), Mortal Engines (Phillip Reeve), and The Magicians (Lev Grossman). There is so much attention to not only detail but emotions.

War, religion, faith, and love are the strongest themes I came across while reading. The characters were always questioning everything as well as themselves, except for Rashid and Parijahan of course. Those two knew to the very point of their hearts what they wanted without a single drop of doubt. I truly loved those characters. Great for relief in intense moments and were proof that—in this book anyhow—there are people you can trust at face value because they’re upfront with everything with nothing to hide. Can’t guarantee anybody else in this book. LOL. Not even the main characters: Nadya, Serefin, and Malachiasz.

This story was pretty dark. It had me questioning every page. I certainly didn’t trust any of the characters. Serefin is obviously an alcoholic which really bothered the heck out of me. Nearly every time his POV came up he was waking up with a nasty hangover. Each of these characters really struggled, and I get that they live in war-torn countries, but damn, they are messed the eff up. It was making me go crazy.

The cult-y touch with the blood magic versus what the gods of this world provide was epic though. That had me impressed. That, and the histories offered at the beginning of each chapter. So much depth!

Giphy

 

Overall

I truly wish I had more excitement. There’s so much to talk about, but I don’t have any enthusiasm in me about it, which is a bummer. I think it’s just because so much was loaded into it that I was having a bit of trouble keeping up and catching on. Duncan really delved into her creation of a world whole-heartedly and it’s amazing. This isn’t a dislike review. Those are much more different. This is definitely a recommend for those who love fantasy and magic. Certainly, worth a shot.

 

Quotables:

“The was magic, it was power, it was mankind stepping out of the shadows and finding out the world had been kept in the dark by these gods.” (p. 50)

“Blood was not to be spilled for the sake of power. Magic was a divine appointment from the gods.” (p. 113)

“A boy made king of monsters for a kingdom of the damned.” (p. 346)

 

More to come soon…                                                                                                

  -K.

 

P.S. Song today? When the Darkness Comes by Grace Fulmer.

 

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A Busy Demigod is a Stressed Demigod (The Mark of Athena – A Book Review)

The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3)

Author: Rick Riordan

Published: 2012

On Goodreads

Goodreads

My Rating:

Rated S for stressful situations that teens should ultimately be reserved for college finals not battles against giants that may kill them.

 

Annabeth is terrified.

In the midst of a great battle to become and the life of a dear friend on the line, Annabeth is given a mission that all Athena children are given by the goddess of wisdom: find the mark of Athena. Meanwhile, the meeting with Camp Jupiter was a failure and after not seeing Percy for months—thanks to Hera—she hoped it would go better. But now, The Romans march on Camp Half-Blood after an attack on their camp was made. With so much pressure on top of the prophecy of seven, she also worries that Percy might have changed and grown attached to the Roman ways. Does he even need her anymore? Of course, that’s crazy, but with so much riding on their shoulders, will they even make it to their destination on the flying ship, the Argo II and complete their quest? Each demigod is feeling the pressure and they won’t make it without teamwork and faith in each other.

 

The Heroes of Olympus series is one of the series on my New Year’s resolution and this is book 3 of 5.

Catch up on previous reviews of the series:

Goodreads

Goodreads

The Lost Hero review

The Son of Neptune review

 

This addition to Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series was jam-packed. So much was going on and emotions were high. Filled with both hope and doubt and so many overlapping emotions, this adventure was over the top and I loved it! From saving a dear friend to trying to stop the outbreak of war to keep an earth goddess from rising and taking over the world, these demigods have their hands full. But, I can definitely say that it isn’t a bad thing. It’s not overwhelming nor all over the place. Each chapter is something new in this quest and always exciting.

The seven of the prophecy that states the rise and fall of Gaea are finally together. I’ve been excited about this since book 1. Coming from different places with different points of view, of course, this new alliance is going to be shaky at first, but I could tell all of them were going to find their footing. Getting every high and low of that journey was beautiful and real. Just magnificent development all the way around. I couldn’t stop rooting for these heroes.

I’m still in love with how Riordan brings Greek and Roman mythology and the real world, from its landscape to pop culture, together. I’m continually impressed and in an utter state of awe. What a way to get people interested in mythos and storytelling. The roman coliseum comes to life like nothing else in this book! So lush and adventurous and fun.

 

A Habit…

I get this habit sometimes, and I know I’m not the only one. When reading a series that I can’t put down, get sucked into, emotionally invested in, all of those gooey bits that really grab me and don’t let go, I’m always hoping for a TV show. And it’s happened again. With so many great books that people love to turn into moving pictures, why not this one? Why are we stuck in the land of reboots right now when amazing authors bring forth such prospective pieces of work that would be utterly gorgeous on TV?

Giphy

Actually, something I’ve been thinking about a lot as I’m getting sucked into the PJ universe more and more is, though the movies weren’t successful, (even though the graphics and representation of the mythos to real-world were epic,) why hasn’t a TV show been thought about? There is so much material that I can already envision at least 5-6 seasons. The PJ universe has three separate storylines and who knows if there’ll be more. So much happens and the development and growth are incredibly phenomenal. This would be an amazing show for The CW or Netflix.

 

Overall

This book, while it faces the same pacing as previous installments, feels like it moves faster. I felt like a sponge, absorbing everything and also being the one immersed, almost as if implanted into the story itself. I have to be dissuaded from this series. It’s truly ageless and I definitely recommend it.

 

Quotables:

“Many of the best traps are simple.” (Annabeth to Frank, p. 224)

 

More to come soon…                                                                                                

  -K.

 

P.S. Song today? Idle Worship by Paramore.

 

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Thoughts? Let’s chat in the comments below!

 

 

Forgive Me, Father, For I Have a Battle to Prepare For… (Wolves of Calla – A Book Review)

Wolves of Calla (The Dark Tower #5)

Author: Stephen King

Published: 2003

On Goodreads

Barnes and Noble

My Rating: 

Rated D for the overwhelming darkness that finds a way to swallow a Gunslinger whole AKA a demonic baby.

 

Ka had come to Calla Bryn Sturgis. Ka like a wind.

Roland of Gilead and his ka-tet come to the town of Calla Bryn Sturgis while on their journey to the tower. Not only do they meet a man who’s crossed over into Roland’s world years ago, but also discover the Thunderclap; a darkness that is killing the town. The wolves of Thunderclap come and take the town’s children only to return them later on as only shadows of themselves, their innocence and childhood stripped away. While it wasn’t their plan, Roland and his friends stay to help the town prepare to protect and fight as the wolves get ready to come again. However, they discover there is more than just the wolves that they have to worry about. A dark evil is growing within one of their own, Susannah Dean, and they must figure out how to help her before it’s too late.

 

The Dark Tower series is one of the series on my New Year’s resolution and this is book 5 of 7 (technically 8, but I’m not including The Wind Through the Keyhole, though I will be reading it.)

 

Loaded with every nail-biting detail of a great fight, King truly delivers in each book of this series. I was blown away. I’ve yet to be disappointed. Roland comes to another stop in his journey toward the Tower. In a small, dusty town, children are taken every couple of decades. Honestly, it reminds me of a familiar horrifying clown. *shudder* I do NOT do clowns, guys. But, it seems the situation is close, except that when the kids are returned they are mere shells. While Roland would’ve kept going on his way a pull draws him in and he and his crew: Jake, Oy the billy-bumbler, Eddie and Susannah do what they can to help this town in despair.

Throughout the entire book, with vivid imagery, energy, and powerful emotion, was a journey that you got to experience the beginning, middle, and end. There were no shortcuts to be had. A complete journey within a journey. An inception if there ever was one. Of course, there have been a few of those during this series. LOL.

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One of the most interesting parts of the whole series is the way Roland contemplates if this part of his journey brings him closer to the Tower or pushes him farther away from it. His mental state is dark and depressed. In each book so far, he’s been sure that he’s only getting farther away. Yet, as he and his ka-tet journey it’s unclear where they are in regards to it. It seems like they could follow the beam that leads them to it and never reach the place. It’s just the way this universe is built. It’s endless and many different worlds could be traveled and the Tower would never be reached. Then again, getting to the Tower can be achieved much like solving a puzzle. Find the right pieces. Put them in the right places in the right order, and poof, you’re there. So complex and fantastically brain-blasting.

Giphy

As always, his world-building is stunning and dusty. I keep envisioning a dystopian wild west where the world had come and long gone. LOL. Like an apocalypse has swept through and been long over, leaving just this in its wake. And the characters of this small town gave way to that very enclosed, no outsiders allowed feel. They couldn’t help but reach out to Roland, giving Gunslingers and even stronger meaning of legendary. The addition of Father Callahan was very interesting. I must be honest, I haven’t read Salem’s Lot but it’s definitely been pushed up my list. I get super excited when crossovers happen and this was no different. Such a great addition and created a balance among the group.

 

Overall

The intensity around this battle and the darkness growing within Susannah really created a sense of anxiety. The kind you get when something dreadful grows closer and closer. Yet, the bonds created between Roland and crew between the townspeople and the emotions derived from the relationships really dug into me deep in this addition to the Dark Tower series. This brought back to the tragedy and loss of Wizard and Glass, but rather in a past sense, this was the present for the crew. The emotions felt heavier as the circumstances felt higher. So much left me hanging at the end and I can’t imagine what’s coming next. Then again, it’s been like that since book one. King is a master at storytelling, being of great complex thought that can spin you in a circle, and leaving you hanging in a dark chasm of wonder and curiosity about what may come next. And per usual, I’m left wanting to talk theories, possibilities, and the magic of this world.

 

Quotables:

“There’s a saying in Gilead: Let evil wait for the day on which it must fall.” (Roland to Eddie, p. 210)

“If we can help, we’ll help. But we won’t do it alone, folks. Hear me, I beg. Hear rem very well. You better be ready to stand up for what you want. You better be ready to fight for the things you’d keep.” (Eddie, p. 283)

“Wandering’s the most addictive drug there is, I think, and every hidden road leads on to a dozen more.” (Roland, p. 402)

“May your first day in hell last ten thousand years.” (Roland, p. 425)

“My quest—the quest of my ka-tet—is the Dark Tower, Pere. It’s not saving this world we’re about, or even the universe but all universes. All of existence.” (Roland to Callahan, p. 625)

 

More to come soon…                                                                                                

  -K.

 

P.S. Song today? Sky is Falling by Lifehouse.

 

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Midnight Tease

Hey there, book nerds!

It’s the witching hour and if you’re up, like me, then you’re a night owl too! Since you’re up, I give you the Midnight Tease. Every month I like to showcase what I’ll be reading and reviewing during its duration. There’s a little bit of everything, but my main focus this month is to get some heavy-duty work done on my New Year’s Resolution. I know with working so much and other personal projects on top of major changes that I won’t be able to complete it, but I want to get as close as possible. I mostly take up a New Year’s Resolution to challenge myself and get into some new reads. Soon enough it’ll be time for the 2020 New Year’s Resolution.

Back on the point! Let’s see what’s going on in the land of books this month, eh? (Don’t worry, I promise to make it quick. LOL.) Maybe you’ve read a couple of these or they’re on your TBR too.

 

Coming Soon…

 

Stargazing at Noon

Author: Amanda Torroni

Amazon

 

Zom-B: Baby & Zom-B: Gladiator

Author: Darren Shan

Goodreads

Goodreads

The Blood of Olympus

Author: Rick Riordan

 

The Song of Susannah

Author: Stephen King

Goodreads

 

Currently…

 

Wicked Saints

Author: Emily A. Duncan

Goodreads

 

The House of Hades

Author: Rick Riordan

 

Abandon

Author: Meg Cabot

Amazon

 

Up For Review…

 

The Wolves of Calla

Author: Stephen King

 

The Mark of Athena

Author: Rick Riordan

Goodreads

 

Lots to read, just the way I like it. A little bit of supernatural, some poetry, and all of them I’ve excited to get to. What books are you tackling this month? I love recommendations!

More to come soon…

  -K.

 

Find Me:

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Thoughts? Let’s chat in the comments below!