Top Ten Tuesday: Waiting and Winning!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

Waiting and Winning!

Here I am, going off topic again, but I just wasn't feeling this week's topic. Instead, I decided to take a look back at some of my Can't Wait Wednesday (Waiting on Wednesday) picks. This is a meme I adore. It's me making predictions about which books I believe will be winners for me. I also like to think of it as my wish to the universe, that I get my hands on this book, read it, and love it. As I was going back through my CWW picks, I realized I have read most of them, and you know what? Many have rated between 4.5 and 5 stars. It's a testament to how good I am at picking out books for myself.

Without further ado, here are ten of my past CWW picks, which have all been stupendous reads for me. I have read all these in the past year, and provided links to my reviews (if you're interested).

Top Ten Tuesday: Riot Grrrls!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

Riot Grrrls!

This week we are supposed to feature book titles that would make great band names. Maybe it's because so many of my favorite bands are emo or indie, but when I was looking through my read shelf, almost every name seemed like a great band name. In fact, some of the book titles were actual band names. Then, I was thinking some reminded me of bands, Three Dark Crowns made me think Three Dog Night. Eventually I decided many of the titles would be great names for Riot Grrrl bands. Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, L7, Hole, Le Tigre, 7 Year Bitch, Bratmobile, Care Bears on Fire - loved them all. As always, I have read and enjoyed the books I am featuring, and provide a link to my reviews.

Top Ten Tuesday: Falling for Fall!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

Falling for Fall!

I am always declaring my unending love for fall. The crisp, cool days, the beautiful shade of nature, the sweater weather, and the availability of all things pumpkin spice are just some of the things that endear this season to my heart. For this TTT, I scanned my read-shelf for those books that "felt" fall-ish to me, mostly due to the cover art and colors, but some had strong fall elements in the story, as well.  I have read and enjoyed each book featured on this list.

Blog Tour: All the Bad Apples - Moïra Fowley-Doyle

All the Bad Apples
Moïra Fowley-Doyle
Genre: Young Adult, Magical Realism, Mystery
Publisher: Kathy Dawson
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

The day after the funeral all our mourning clothes hung out on the line like sleeping bats. 'This will be really embarrassing,' I kept saying to my family, 'when she shows up at the door in a week or two.'

When Deena's wild and mysterious sister Mandy disappears - presumed dead - her family are heartbroken. But Mandy has always been troubled. It's just another bad thing to happen to Deena's family. Only Deena refuses to believe it's true.

And then the letters start arriving. Letters from Mandy, claiming that their family's blighted history is not just bad luck or bad decisions - but a curse, handed down through the generations. Mandy has gone in search of the curse's roots, and now Deena must find her. What they find will heal their family's rotten past - or rip it apart forever.

Sundays with Sam - The Sunday Post

Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Sundays with Sam - The Sunday Post

Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Can't Wait Wednesday!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I can't wait for: 

#Top10of2018: New-to-Me Authors

NEW-TO-ME AUTHORS

Top Ten Tuesday: Let's Throwback

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

Let's Throwback!

Something I learned this week: I don't read may "cozy" winter books or books set in winter, for that matter. Executive decision - I am doing a totally different topic. I have been making more of an effort to read my shelves and get through my backlist books, and I must say, many of these books have been spectacular reads for me, and I would love to share some of them with you.

Sundays with Sam - The Sunday Post

Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Sundays with Sam - The Sunday Post

Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Sundays with Sam - The Sunday Post

Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Sundays with Sam - The Sunday Post

Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Review: Spellbook of the Lost and Found - Moïra Fowley-Doyle

Spellbook of the Lost and Found
Moïra Fowley-Doyle
Series: N/A
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Magical Realism
Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

One stormy summer night, Olive and her best friend, Rose, begin to lose things. It starts with simple items like hair clips and jewellery, but soon it’s clear that Rose has lost something bigger; something she won’t talk about.

Then Olive meets three wild, mysterious strangers: Ivy, Hazel and Rowan. Like Rose, they’re mourning losses - and holding tight to secrets.

When they discover the ancient spellbook, full of hand-inked charms to conjure back lost things, they realise it might be their chance to set everything right. Unless it’s leading them towards secrets that were never meant to be found . . .

Olive, Rose, Ivy, Rowan, and Hazel are all searching for things they've lost, both tangible and intangible. But as they hunt for what is missing, things are also found.

"If you don't get lost, you'll never be found."

Fowley-Doyle won me as a fan with The Accident Season, and she delivered more of what won my heart in Spellbook of the Lost and Found. I was once again treated to her beautiful prose with its ethereal quality, that kept me mesmerized from page one. Fowley-Doyle has such a talent for creating atmosphere in her stories with descriptions that are so vivid. I really felt like I was in each and every situation with the characters. This book, much like her last book, puts the reader in a little darker place, which fit perfectly with a story about secrets and losses. And BONUS! There were times it was feeling a little reminiscent of The Craft, which is a plus in my book.

"Be careful what you bargain with; Every lost thing requires a sacrifice -- A new loss for every called thing found."

But it's not just the writing that is great, Fowley-Doyle gives us a great story too. I loved navigating my way through this tale, as she slowly fed me breadcrumbs to follow. I was engrossed in the stories presented by each of the three narrators, one from each group of friends, but I did not see a connection. As the story played on, two groups merge, and then I was really scratching my head about that third group. I did not figure out the connection until about two pages before the reveal. So, Fowly-Doyle deserves quite a pat on the back, for once again delivering a twist I really didn't see coming, and later, hitting me with one I REALLY didn't see coming.

"Maybe we need to lose some things to make room for others."

Every character in this book was interesting and jumped off the page. Fowley-Doyle always does such an incredible job fully realizing her complex characters. This was, by no means, a simple feat in this book, as there were quite a few major players in this story.

"I kiss her neck until I forget everything but this feeling and honestly it's a lot less like losing my heart and more like finally being found."

There is a big overarching theme of loss in this book, and I loved all the different angles Fowley-Doyle chose in her exploration of loss. Loss of tangible things, of self, of friendships, of trust. She also posed the idea, that not all loss is bad. Loss of a bad habit, of addiction, of a heart. But, there was also this idea of things found: physical items, a heart, independence, a friend, a sister, one's self. This book just left me thinking about so many things!

"Be careful what you wish for; Not all lost things should be found."

This book has some diversity, mostly in the sexual orientation realm. Two of main characters, Rose and Olive, are bisexual, and another, Hazel, is a lesbian. In addition to being bisexual, Rose is also half Indian, and it becomes a minor point of discussion with respect to ethnic beauty, which I found interesting. There is also a bit of feminist centered discussions, and a bunch of other important talk, which I will not reveal, because I don't want to spoil anything here.

"I've lost my heart. Not all losses are bad."

Overall: An captivating tale of love, loss, friendship and family filled with an air of mystery and magical realism.

**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. I also would like to thank GoodReads and the publisher, as I won a physical copy through a GoodReads giveaway. Quotes are from an ARC and may change upon publication.

Do you have a favorite book that features magical realism?

Let us know in the comments!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Spellbook of the Lost and Found - Moïra Fowley-Doyle

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Tessa at Wishful Endings that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I can't wait for Spellbook of the Lost and Found.

Spellbook of the Lost and Found
Moira Fowley-Doyle

Series: N/A
Release Date: June 1, 2017

Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books

Waited on by: Sam

Goodreads

One stormy summer night, Olive and her best friend, Rose, begin to lose things. It starts with simple items like hair clips and jewellery, but soon it’s clear that Rose has lost something bigger; something she won’t talk about.

Then Olive meets three wild, mysterious strangers: Ivy, Hazel and Rowan. Like Rose, they’re mourning losses - and holding tight to secrets.

When they discover the ancient spellbook, full of hand-inked charms to conjure back lost things, they realise it might be their chance to set everything right. Unless it’s leading them towards secrets that were never meant to be found . . .

Fowley-Doyle's first book, The Accident Season, sits on my favorites shelf. It had so many fantastic elements: twists and turns, beautiful and atmospheric writing, broken and complex characters. I didn't just read this book, I imbibed it. When I saw that Fowley-Doyle had a new book coming out, I did a little bit of this

And this

And this too

I was definitely excited. From the blurb, I am expecting another suspenseful tale, filled with lots of creepy moments, and I just CANNOT WAIT to read it. 

What are you waiting on?

Let us know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: 2017 Debuts I'm Excited For

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Here at We Live and Breathe Books, two of us choose five books each week. This weeks topic is...

2017 debuts I'm excited for!

Kiersten's Picks

One of Us is Lying
Karen M. McManus
Release Date: May 30, 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Goodreads

This book is billed as The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, and even if it ends up not being entirely accurate, it still sounds really cool. Five completely different kids go into detention together but one ends up dead. This mystery sounds like one that will be really interesting and fun to try and follow along with!

Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index
Julie Israel
Release Date: June 27. 2017
Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books
Goodreads 

Although the concept of this book sounds a bit similar to other blurbs I've read, I've never actually read a book like this one. A mysterious letter found after the death of her sister, and learning to cope while solving the mystery? Sounds like it could be a really great read!

Who's That Girl
Blair Thornburgh
Release Date: July 11, 2017
Publisher: Harper Collin's Childrens
Goodreads

While Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index sounds like one of those really emotional reads, Who's That Girl sounds like a ton of fun! A girl's crush writes a song that may be about her, and she has to figure it out? This sounds so cute, and I'm really excited about it.

The Black Witch 
Laurie Forest
The Black Witch Chronicles, #1
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Goodreads

And here we have one of the two witch debuts I found! Being that I like witches, this was kind of an obvious choice for me, although this one is fantasy rather than paranormal. There are prophecies and magic, and it just sounds like it's going to be a really great series.

Witchtown

Corey Putnam Oakes
Release Date: July 18, 2017
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Goodreads

The second witch book is more similar in genre to the witch books I loved from 2016. This book takes place in a town of witches (obviously) and follows a girl and her mother who originally go to the town to rob it, but they end up uncovering some powerful secrets. I can't wait to read it!

Sam's Picks

Daughter of the Pirate King
Tricia Levenseller
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Goodreads

Of course I was interested in this book, as there is a lady pirate on the cover. Then I read the blurb, and it amused me. This story is about the pirate king’s daughter, Alosa, who organizes her own kidnapping in order to infiltrate an enemy ship and acquire a legendary treasure map. Alosa sounds like a fierce female character, and those are the heroines who always win my heart. Early reviews are positive and cite the book as being bloody and funny - a great combination.

Wicked Like a Wildfire
Lana Popovic
Hibiscus Daughter, #1
Release Date: August 15, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Goodreads

In my attempt to mix it up genre-wise, I selected Wicked Like a Wildfire. I know, I really shouldn’t be starting any new series, but this is about magical sisters and ancient family curses. The brief descriptions of the magic, or gleams, sounds intriguing, and I love this idea of the each sister’s fate tied to the other. I anticipate some suspenseful moments from this one.

This Beats Perfect
Rebecca Denton
Release Date: February 2, 2017
Publisher: Atom Books
Goodreads

This book is about music! Better yet, it’s about English music. As a total anglophile, my tail is wagging. I read a bunch of the reviews, and I am hearing awesome things, but one reviewer really hooked me with with this description:

“Think if David Nicholls and Stephanie Perkins had a musically oriented book baby, and that's basically This Beats Perfect.” - Carlie Sorosiak

That right there pretty much sold me, AND it’s a rom-com. What more could I ask for?

The Hidden Memory of Objects
Danielle Mages Amato
Release Date: March 21, 2017
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Goodreads

The Hidden Memory of Objects is a murder mystery, which sounds like it has a magical element too. The blurb states:

“However, she now realizes that her artistic talent has developed into something more: she can see memories attached to some of Tyler’s belongings—and those memories reveal a brother she never knew.”

That sounds pretty awesome to me, and although I do not read a lot of mysteries, I always find that I enjoy them.

Royal Bastards
Andrew Shvarts
Release Date: June 6, 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Goodreads

A group of bastard children end up witnessing a crime and go on the run to protect one of the royals. Well, that caught my attention. Who am I kidding, the title caught my attention. I love all things royal, and the royalty combined with rebellion and murderous plots has me all in. According to early reviews, this book also has magic, romance, and humor. My trifecta appears to be fulfilled.

What 2017 debuts are you excited for?

Let us know in the comments!

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