Ninth House

Shut the front door! This book was all around amazing. I literally cannot wait for the next book in the series. I have previously only read one book by Leigh Bardugo, but you can bet your sweet ass I'm going back and reading more after this masterpiece! Ninth House is brilliant and complex and wonderfully dark. It was SO inventive. The first few chapters were a little bit overwhelming as the reader has to absorb a lot of information quickly and try not to get disoriented or lost, but soon everything clicks into place and it becomes a thrill to read. Nineteen year old, Alex Stern has a pretty sordid past so when she gets the opportunity to leave California and attend Yale FOR FREE, she takes it. Yale wants her not for her book smarts, but for her ability to see ghosts. Her whole life she shrunk away from her ability and used any type of drug to let her lose sight of the dead, but now Alex can use her ability for her gain. Yale has secret societies of varying magical abilities, the Ancient Eight, and a group needs to keep them in check. Enter the Lethe House. Members of Lethe show up at all sanctioned rituals and help make sure that the magic never bleeds out into the college or into the town and keep everyone safe. Or at least they're supposed to. When a young townie is killed on a ritual night, Alex is convinced that it isn't an ordinary murder. She'll have to follow her gut and get into a world of trouble and hurt to get to the bottom of it. Badass. My description doesn't do it justice. Alex is an amazing character and the magic described in this book is unique and fascinating. 100% recommend!

Theo of Golden

I really really enjoyed this book and I did not anticipate liking it as much as I did. It was heartwarming and inspirational. I cannot believe that this was a debut novel, it was very well written. When Theo came to Golden, Georgia he was just a stranger. But over the course of a year, the townsfolk got to know him very well. The 86 year old man with a Portuguese accent was one of the kindest and most interesting people you could hope to run into. Over a year he befriends the bookshop owner, the college cellist, the homeless woman, the artist, and so many more people. He formulates a plan to help out a local artist and to help people see the best in themselves. His legacy turns out to be so much more than just that though. The only reason that this book didn't get a five star review was because Theo was a little "too perfect," it was almost hard to believe someone could be so selfless and kind. This book made me get teary eyed on more than one occasion and made me want to appreciate the little things in life a little bit more. A truly inspiring and feel good novel!

Books, Iced Coffee & a Side of Dragons

This was a cute and cozy sapphic romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially loved the charming illustrations. It wasn't very heavy on plot or storyline - this graphic novel was more of a vibe. A bookshop owner and a coffee shop owner in New Jersey have a friends to lovers romance one summer and help each other through ups and downs, slow business days, and rowdy dragons. Did I forget to mention dragons? While this graphic novel is set on the East Coast, there are inexplicably dragons. They are just part of the story and they are adorable. This is a very quick read and it's light, enjoyable, and very very sweet. 

Ice Planet Barbarians

You know what?! Hell yeah. I actually really enjoyed this. I thought the premise was unique, the worldbuilding was good, and the storyline was cheesy, but it didn't matter because I was sucked right in. Nearly a dozen unmarried women in their twenties have been abducted by aliens while they were sleeping. When they wake up they are in a bay of a spaceship being held captive. They don't know what the aliens want with them, but they know it's not good based off how they are treated when they displease the aliens. The aliens encounter some sort disturbance and decide to offload the their cargo on a planet and come back for them later. The women find themselves on a frigid winter planet with hardly any food, no water, and only the pajamas on their bodies. Will they ever survive?! Georgie leaves the spacecraft to try and find help or supplies and finds a sexy blue alien. They may not understand each other, but the attraction they feel to each other is palpable. Steamy, smutty, and oh so enjoyable. I need to read the rest! 

I Miss You When I Blink

I'm glad I finally got around to reading this humorous collection of essays! I feel like I read it at a very crucial moment in my life and I related so hard to it. Her funny thoughts on growing, finding a career, being type A, and juggling motherhood really struck a chord with me. Mary Laura Philpot's frankness, keen sense of humor, honesty, and utter relatability make this a perfect read for millenial women, mothers, and honestly women of any age. As an added bonus, the author narrates the audiobook version herself which I believe adds even more authenticity to the collection! 

Fawn

First off this cover! This would be terrifying for an adult novel and this is a kid's chapter book! Talk about creepy! The cover visual really helped set the tone for the entire book. Freya and her parent's move out into the country to idyllic little house by the woods. Freya is so excited to explore the woods and have a big yard to play in. It's the summer before sixth grade and she can't wait for all the new adventures she is about to have. That is until she goes into the woods and meets Fawn, a terrifying massive lemur-esque creature with huge teeth. At first it just wants to be her friend, but soon it seems like he never wants her to leave. Freya manages to escape and return home but she can still see his eyes in the forest and she knows he is lurking just beyond the tree line. To make matters worse she soon starts suffering from nightmares and she thinks there are dead children in the forest. What is going on?! Even though this is a middle grade horror novel, the creepy factor is quite high. I definitely enjoyed it! 

The Names

This was such an emotional read and the concept of it, STILL has me thinking about it nearly 3 days after finishing. The Names follows three potential storylines, each the same UNTIL it comes time for Cora to name her young son. Cora is trapped in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship with her husband. She has a seven year old daughter named Maya and now she has a newborn son. In one storyline she bows to her husband's wishes and names him Gordon, after his father and grandfather. In the next storyline she names him Julian, and tries placating her husband by telling him that the name still honors him because it means "sky father." In the final storyline, Maya suggests the name Bear, and it is a perfect fit. Well it seemed that way until their father came home and explodes into a fit of rage. Each storyline shows the impact a name can have on the course of ones life. The storylines change not just for Gordon/Julian/Bear but for his mother and sister too. Heartbreaking, wonderful, and unique - this story spans decades and really makes you appreciate the importance of choosing the right name. Eye opening.