I've recently started utilizing Goodreads as another platform for my reviews. I'll whip up a short paragraph if I don't feel like writing up a full-blown one on here. So I decided to compile a short list of some recent books that I loved dearly, but didn't feel like writing a formal review for. Without further ado, let's get into them!

After The Fall by Kate Hart (ARC review)
Publication: January 24th, 2017
Rating: 5 stars
This was... wow. This was poignant. Raw. Shocking. Incredible. Profound. The characters were wonderfully flawed, making me angry and confused, but also bursting at the seams with happiness and sorrow. Raychel and Matt have to deal with a heart-shattering loss (which I never in a MILLION years saw coming and basically blacked out from because it was so painful), and what struck me the most about this story was how realistic the aftermath was. It was slow and painful, with our main characters both trying to come to terms with their new life and the path that was forcibly chosen for them. They have to weave through heartbreak and betrayal, forgiveness and acceptance. It was absolutely beautiful, and I'll be recommending this to EVERYONE. 

Infinity by Jus Accardo

Rating: 5 stars

Quite simply the easiest five stars I've ever given a book. WOW. 
This was incredible. A huge thanks to Entangled Teen for sending me an eARC of this, which I devoured in less than 5 hours. Accardo created an enthralling approach to parallel dimensions, weaving a plot that was incredibly easy to understand, yet exciting enough that I was never bored. I can get easily lost with talk of parallel dimensions (and also get a little scared because that shit is crazy), but Infinity managed to capture all the awe inter-dimensional travel can inspire without making it too techy and confusing. 
The characters were vivacious and genuine, jumping off the pages and capturing my heart and mind. Kori was a fucking RIOT. There's nothing I love more than a character who's unafraid to stand up for herself and fight back, and I loved how vicious she could be. She didn't beat around the bush; she was honest, sometimes to a fault, but she had good intentions. Cade and Noah, especially the latter, were a bunch of swoon-worthy boys that had me sucking in sharp breaths and trying to control my shrieks. I LOVED THEM. I especially loved their backstories and their complicated relationship with Kori. It was intense and heartbreaking and so, so incredibly tender. I wanted to cry.
Accardo's writing was the strong backbone to this story, intertwining all the pieces together to create an unbelievably strong and passionate tale of love, loss, and the lengths someone will go to avenge a loved one. This was fantastic and I highly recommend this to everyone

Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse (ARC review)
Publication: March 7th, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
This was ridiculously adorable. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but overall, this was vivid and smart and heartfelt. This takes place in Tokyo, which I've never been to before, but now I wish I could hop on a plane and visit it because it seems incredible. I don't know how authentic everything was, but to me, it was vivacious and beautiful, a living, breathing city that never sleeps. 
The characters were awkward and spunky, so alive and present that it felt like they were right next to you, their banter flowing smoothly. Overall, this was a fast, wonderful read that I recommend to any contemporary lovers!

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Rating: 4 stars

This was so incredibly funny and sweet and engaging and RELATABLE. Seriously, Lucy is one of the most relatable MC's I've ever read from. She also happens to be 5'0, which, holla at me, because I'm the same height. SHORTIES UNITE! Also, can we die over the banter between these two please, oh my GAWD. Seriously, any rom-com fans needs to get their hands on this.

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Frostblood by Elly Blake (ARC review)

Frostblood by Elly Blake
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Publication Date: January 10th, 2017
Pages: 384
Song I Played While Reading: True Disaster by Tove Lo
Rating: 4 stars

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a fireblood who must hide her powers of heat and flame from the cruel frost blood ruling class that wants to destroy all that are left of her kind. So when rebel frost bloods demand her help to kill their rampaging king, she agrees. But Ruby's powers are unpredictable, and she's not sure she's willing to let the rebels and an infuriating (yet irresistible) young man called Arcus use her as their weapon. Before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to fight for her life in tournaments that pit fireblood prisoners against frostblood champions. Now she has only one change to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her and from the icy young man she has come to love. 

It took me a little while to get into this story. Blake had her work cut out for her, because she had a lot she had to cram into this first book, so the beginning seemed to get the least amount of work and page time. Not to say it wasn't good or anything, but it felt a little as if Ruby was telling us that these things were happening, not that she was feeling them. But that quickly changed, and by the 70 page mark, when things start rolling into motion, I was easing comfortably into the story.
The first thing that pleasantly surprised me was Ruby. She was a god damn sass-master. And there's literally nothing I love more than witty banter, which is where Arcus slyly came in, and basically,  I was a ball of mush whenever these two were together. But not only was Ruby funny, she was incredibly easy to relate to. Even though her issues were on a much larger scale than I can (obviously) fully understand, her struggles with morality, death, and revenge were written eloquently enough that I felt like I knew her, so I could understand, on a certain level, what she was going through. I love it when I hit that level with a character, because that's when the whole story really clicks for me. I'm an extremely character-driven reader, so understanding the person I'm reading from is vital.
The plot was rich with intrigue and history, pulling in elements that I never saw coming, heightening my entire experience. Arcus, Brother Thistle, the king, Marella, and the other secondary characters were tenacious, holding their own in this fast-paced story. However, they weren't an incredibly diverse bunch. There was one instance where I noted Ruby mentioning that a character had "skin darker than her own," which could mean he was dark-skinned, but it's vague enough where I still don't really know.
Overall, this was an incredible debut! With its articulate writing, vivid story, and refreshing characters, Frostblood is sure to become an instant favorite for any fantasy lover.

Quotes
"King Rasmus still honors the god of the north wind," Brother Thistle replied. "He wouldn't risk angering Fors by harming his devotees."
I shifted in my seat so I faced Arcus. "And how do you supposed I'll manage to kill the most powerful king in our history?"
"He is not the most powerful king in our history." Arcus retorted. "Ruthlessness is not power. Tyranny is not strength."

"Promise you won't leave again," said Brother Thistle softly. "And then we can discuss what you want to know."
I shrugged. "Tell me everything you're planning and then I'll decide."
Ice cracked over the floor from Arcus's chair.
"Is that his version of a tantrum?" I asked Brother Thistle."

"Once again, all doubt, all sense of right and wrong, faded. There was only the target, his darkly beating heart, and my fire. There was no fear, no anger, no shame, no regret. Just power, surging thorough me, filling me. It felt as if my breath sucked the very air from the heavens, and my rage burned the sun to ash.  I was everything and nothing, and no one could stop me. I was darkness wreathed in flesh.

"You speak as if I'm as heavy as an ox," I said. "Last week I was a bundle of sticks."
"You're still too thin."
"Perhaps if I gain more weight, you won't call me a stick anymore."
"You may hope to one day be a branch."

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Monthly wrap-up: November 2016!

What I read this month

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - 5 stars // Goodreads

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo - 5 stars // Goodreads

Touch by Jus Accardo - 3 stars // Goodreads

Sigh. Three books?? YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS, MARIAH. I'm hoping December is a better reading month, because my TBR grows every week and I'm reading less and less of it every month. I seriously can't even remember the last time I read this little.

On the blog
I kicked off November with the I Heart Bookstagram tag, then was a part of the blog tour for Iniquity by Melody Winter. There was a release day blitz for Horace and Agnes: A Love Story by Asia Kepkta and Lynn Dowling, which seriously is adorable and a must read for everyone, and a cover reveal for The Animal Under the Fur by E.J. Mellow. (Link to the Goodreads here! Tell me that doesn't sound AMAZING.) Then I wrote about how I'm in the early stages of writing a book (!!!!) and some tips that have really helped me along the way. And finally, I ended this month with my review of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I'm not sure if you can even call it a review, since I just blab about how I can't properly express my feelings and really just want to scream for a couple days to let all my emotions out.

Music I've been loving
The Weeknd's new album, Starboy // Don't Hurt Me by DJ Mustard // Some Kind of Drug (Earwulf remix) by G-Eazy // First Breath by Tim Gunter // Ice by Pablo Nouvelle // My Kick by Pretty Pink // On Hold by The xx // Bury Me by The Skins // True Disaster by Tove Lo

TV shows I've been watching
I finished the first season of Containment, which follows an epidemic that breaks out in Atlanta, leaving a section of the city cordoned off. It documents key figures in the epidemic, both inside and out of the cordon, and their search for a cure. I really, really liked it, especially Officer Jake Riley (*heart eyes*). I hope Netflix picks up the show and makes a second season, because it kind of ended on a cliffhanger! Then I watched the first season of Daredevil, which was SOOO freaking good. Marvel and Netflix make a damn beautiful team when it comes to TV shows; Jessica Jones and Luke Cage were equally as dark and riveting. I plan on starting the second season ASAP. And finally, Vikings premiered last night. Bloody and brilliant as ever. (I'm also trying my hardest to steer clear of Gilmore Girls spoilers because I'm still on season 4. WILL I EVER FINISH THIS DAMN TV SHOW????)

Books I've acquired

Horace and Agnes: A Love Story by Asia Kapka and Lynn Dowling

On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins

In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen

Life shenanigans
Really, nothing is that different from last month, except that I'm working a lot more! Which is both a blessing and a curse, as we all know.

Did you read or watch anything good this month? I'd love to hear about it :) I hope you guys had a fantastic month!

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Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt
Publication Date: September 27th, 2016
Pages: 536
Song I Played While Reading: Ghosts N' Stuff by Deadmau5
Rating: 5 stars

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda pare, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets -- a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to write a full review for Crooked Kingdom because it's hard to surmise feelings for a sequel that's as wildly loved as CK is. Like, do I really need to take this book apart and review every aspect of it if I loved it with my entire soul? If my heart was shattered into a million pieces and tears streamed down my face as I read the last page? Using technical terms is nearly impossible when all you want to do is let your fangirl fly free and scream; scream and scream over how unfair it is that this was only a duology, that there won't be any more Kaz and Inez, Wylan and Jesper, Nina and Matthias. (At least for the next couple of years. I'm still holding out hope that Bardugo has a spin-off Nikolai series up her sleeve, and that our crew will pop up in it.)
I was comatose for a solid hour after finishing this. Alex from The Book's Buzz was generous enough to lend me her internet shoulder to cry on, and I wailed and bemoaned the book and certain events that took place on pg. 495. (Not that I memorized that entire chapter and its contents or anything?????) Leigh Bardugo hasn't just proved that she would be a Barrel boss in Ketterdam, oh no, she's proved that she would be the Crow Queen. The Crime Queen. Ketterdam's Queen. The Cunning Queen. Whatever you want to call her, she would be Kaz's equal in every way. I'm unable to fathom how she's created not only the heist in the first book, but all the politics and cunning and double-crossing in CK. My brain is unable to comprehend the scope of it, so I'll gladly bow down to her. Bardugo is truly a wordsmith, a master of thugs and thieves, and she's carved herself a spot in my heart for, let's be honest, the rest of my life. (Ruin & Rising also left me destroyed and scarred.)
I'm going to finish this off with two (ish) sentences that ruined me in this book.

"Mama!" she called out. "Papa!"

"I have been made to protect you. Even in death, I will find a way."

I'm getting that last one tattooed on my body. Don't you dare doubt my love for Helnik.

Quotes
"But she's one of us."
Jesper's brows rose again. "One of us? Does that mean she knows the secret handshake? Does that mean you're ready to get a tattoo?" He ran a finger up Wylan's forearm, and Wylan flushed a vibrant pink. Matthias couldn't help but sympathize with the boy. He knew what it was to be out of your depth, and he sometimes suspected they could forgo all of Kaz's planning and simply let Jesper and Nina flirt the entirety of Ketterdam into submission."

"I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together - knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting."

"Matthias knew what it was to face the mentors you had idolized, to feel yourself become a nervous pupil again, yearning to please. He turned to Nina and said in Fjerdan, "Do not let them cow you.You are not the girl you were. You are not just a soldier to command."
"So why do I feel like finding a corner to sob in?"
"This is a round room. There are no corners."

"She smiled then, her eyes red, cheeks scattered with some kind of dust. It was a smile he thought he might die to earn again.

"Suffering is like anything else. Live with it long enough, you learn to like the taste."

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Holy crap I'm writing a book

I can't tell you how many times people have told me that, since I read so many books, I'm bound to be an author.

"Wow, you read so much! Are you gonna write a book one day?"

"Well, all that reading is going to make you a kick-ass author one day."

"From what I'm seeing, you've probably already written like, 50,000 books by now."

That last one was from a guy who had been staring at my bookshelves as if they were the Great Wall of China, mouth hanging open in awe. 

I never, ever thought I would try my hand at writing. I always smiled and shook my head, saying "Nah, I'm not that good of a writer. It's a lot of work." I thought of J.K. Rowling, Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, all of these fantastic fantasy writers who created worlds, and didn't think it was possible. It's not that I didn't want to be an author, or had something against the profession; it's just that I never thought it would be mentally possible for me. It was daunting. It required research and time and patience, a lot of thinking and using your imagination, and I lacked those. (Or at least I thought I did.) Reading doesn't equate to being an author.

But, it definitely helps in putting one foot in the author door. By default, you understand the basics of how a novel flows: there's a beginning, middle, climax, and end. You know there's side characters, an antagonist, family dynamics, romance, and a journey. (Those are just things I personally like in a novel, not something that I believe needs to be in one.) You understand what it's like to be immersed in a story, to watch it play out in your head because it's that vivid and imaginative. So, in theory, you have all the tools to create this masterpiece, even if it does sounds impossible. 

There're words in you. It just takes the right story to bring them out. 

Which brings me to the point of this post: I'm writing a story. 

I've had plots and characters come to me at random moments in the last couple of years, popping up in my head, making me perk up a little and think, "Huh, that would be interesting..." I would think about it for a couple days, my mind tied up with the characters and what they would be trying to accomplish. And then I would promptly lose interest. Nothing ever stuck. I would find a fault, think of how exhausting it would be to try and work it out, and then let it flutter away. In high school, scenes would come at me randomly in class, and, depending on the subject, would start writing it out on a loose leaf piece of paper. (I'm looking at you, geometry. Rot in hell.) I have a folder and a journal stuffed with random scenes and plots. It looks like it belongs on the bedside table of a patient at a mental hospital: colorful and messy, written out in spurts with blue, red, black, orange, green, and blue ink. A plot would be half written out, and then directly after it, a conversation between two characters from a few pages before would be continuing, followed quickly by a random scene from a separate story. No one would understand any of it except for me. It's messy and wild, ink smudged all over the pages and random doodles in the margins. Almost loosing the journal had made me realize just how much I loved that thing, and now I keep it tucked safely on my bookshelf. 

It wasn't until I watched The Man From U.N.C.L.E. that inspiration really struck. The movie features everything I love: two hot dudes who dislike each other forced to work together on a mission, a short, spunky female lead that isn't afraid to throw down with either of them, hilarious quips, and a plot stuffed with action, humor, and drama. (WATCH IT.) I was grinning like an idiot when it ended, and, as per usual when I fall for an action movie, I was putting myself in the film. Don't even try and tell me you haven't done this at least once in your life! Seriously, my imagination runs fucking wild after watching an action film. I'm in an intense storyline coma for at least an hour afterwards, dreaming of what it would be like to scale buildings, shoot bad guys, and throw down verbally with a hot guy. (That last one I at least have some experience in. I once argued with a dude for almost an hour about why Captain America: The Winter Soldier was so much better than the first movie. Thinking back on it, he was 100% doing it just to get me worked up. I vividly remember rambling about the flawless fight choreography. #nerdyandproud) Aaaaanyways, back to my point: I was deep in my storyline coma, but for the first time, a full scene came to me. I hauled ass to my computer and typed it all out. It was nothing huge, maybe 1,000 words, the beginning of the novel. But still, I was proud of it. Weeks passed, and the story stuck with me. I jotted down possible plot points, ideas, characters. I shifted the timeline, working on dates and how they would fit in with the story. 

The full scope of what I wanted to accomplish hit me a few days later like a bag of bricks, and I wanted to smash my head into a wall: pulling from a few other inspirations, along with my all-encompassing and irritating love for history, and I was writing a story about a girl who was destined to kill Adolf Hitler. 

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. deals with Nazi-sympathizers in the 60's; Gaby's father allegedly was a Nazi scientist, and her uncle works for a shipping company who's owners are Nazi-sympathizers. Gaby was my inspiration for Klara, my main character, and I wanted her tied intimately to this 'cause'. That was the only way I could see her getting involved. But I shifted the focus, because I've always been grossly fascinated with Hitler and the Holocaust, and found my story. I remember thinking to myself, years and years ago, that if I were to ever write a book, it wouldn't be a historical fiction because that involved way to much research. I was grumbling to myself about the irony of that statement as I checked out 10 books about Hitler and the Holocaust at the library. Life is cruel. 

So that's book one! Now, being me, I couldn't just be suddenly hit with inspiration for one book. It had to be two. One book wasn't stressful and time-consuming enough. Another character had to show up, hollering about how her story needed to be told. Plus, they had to be vastly different, and both require tons and tons of research. 

Book two revolves around a girl named Katie, and the bare bones of it is this: she finds out she's the heir to a fae kingdom, and is sent off to take her rightful place alongside her parents, struggling with her emerging fire ability, her snarky tongue, and the idea that, one day, she'll be queen. 

There's tons and TONS more than that, but that's the gist of it. There's also an evil queen who takes a liking to Katie and schemes to pair her off with her nephew, who's destined to be This Great Evil Dude, but is actually a very large cinnamon roll.

I'm focusing more on Katie's story at the moment, and have been doing a lot of research, note-taking, and world-building. I only write a scene if it comes to me in vivid detail, and will usually scribble it down in a folder for random scenes and forget about it. I want to get this world figured out first, since a solid chunk of the first book is her learning about the fae history and the kingdom she'll be ruling over one day. I need to know my shit. 

Now that we've finally gotten to the point of this post (I swear I didn't mean to ramble so much!), I wanted to leave some links to some useful tips and posts I've found. The first ones are to two world-building questionnaires: this first one is the one I'm currently using, and this second one is essentially the same thing, but a little more clean cut. I would've used the second one if I had found it first, but I had already printed out the first one and started working on it. These are seriously so helpful, and ask you questions that you probably wouldn't have even thought about: anything from social customs to agriculture, to language and politics. 

This next link is to a blog post Marissa Meyer wrote, "My Writing Process: 9 Steps from Idea to Finished". She takes you along her entire writing process, from when the idea first hits you to the publishing process. It's so incredibly insightful. They're some mild spoilers in it for her Lunar Chronicles series, but she'll warn you before she talks about them, so you don't need to worry about it! 

This next tip isn't really a link, but instead a website: Pinterest. I'm a visual person, and seeing my board for my books is extremely invigorating. It gets me in the mood to brainstorm and write, plus gives me oodles and oodles of inspiration. Next, I've got character questionnaires on Gotham Writers Workshop's website. There's two of them, and are super easy to download and fill out. Characters are obviously vital to your story, and this just helps in getting to them better, especially your mc. 

Finally, I've got an article from Writer's Digest that, if you're a newbie like I am to the whole writing thing, gives you 7 simple steps to beginning the process of brainstorming your story. Use all the steps, only a few of them, or none! This is your story. There's no right or wrong way to outline or brainstorm your book.

Okay, that's it! I think my goal is to have my outline and first draft done by November of next year, so that I can do my edits and second draft for NaNoWriMo. That would definitely kick my ass into gear.

Are you writing a book? If you are, how's it going? Do you have any tips for a newbie like me?

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The Animal Under The Fur by E.J. Mellow cover reveal!

The Animal Under The Fur by E. J. Mellow
Publication Date: 2017
Link to Goodreads

Orphaned on the streets as a baby, Nashville Brown, aka Kill Operative 3, knows better than to rely on anyone. With heightened senses and superhuman strength to survive, she's been raised as the perfect assassin.

The trick to her success? Keeping everyone, even her best friend, at arm's length.

Losing his entire family in the span of a year, Carter Smith left his ability to move bored deep in their graves. His only concerned are not completing his mission and effortlessly charming the next temptress to warm his bed.

The key to his accomplishments? Working alone mixed with a Casanova smile.

But when a deadly weapon needs to be stopped from falling into the wrong hands, the lone wolves find themselves thrown into an explosive partnership. Can Carter and 3 lower their guns aimed at one another long enough to succeed, or will their unwillingness to compromise end up destroying more than their perfect records? Whatever their differences, both agree on one thing -- in the game of lies and deceit, the line between friend and foe is often blurred by blood splatter.

About the author:

E.J. Mellow is the award winning author being the NA Contemporary Fantasy trilogy The Dreamland Series. With a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, E.J. splits her tim between her two loves -- visual design and writing. Residing in NYC, E.J. is a prime member of Romance Writers of America and their Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal Chapter. She has no animals but loves those who do.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

I'm SO incredibly excited for The Animal Under The Fur! Not only is Mellow an incredible author (I read The Dreamer and thought it was fantastic), but hate-to-love tropes are my absolute FAVE. This sounds amazing. I can already tell this is going to be chock full of sarcastic quips and sexy scenes. I'M SO READY. Are you?!

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Horace and Agnes: A Love Story by Asia Kepka and Lynn Dowling

Horace and Agnes: A Love Story by Asia Kepka and Lynn Dowling
Publisher: Blue Rider Press
Publication Date: November 15th
Pages: 168
Link to Goodreads

Horace is a horse, and Agnes is a squirrel, though there are no boundaries when it comes to true love and genuine companionship. Bursting with color, style, and humor, this is the photographic journal of Horace and Agnes's romance, and their life of simple pleasures: walks on the beach, jigsaw puzzles, quick getaways to Las Vegas, visits with relatives, festive parties, and quiet nights at home. In a series of self-portraits creatures by photographer Asia Kepka, we follow Horace and Agnes through their highs and their lows with spectacular detail and charm. 

Buy links: Penguin website / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Meet the authors:

Horace and Agnes: A Love Story is a sweet and charming story for all ages! I seriously was smiling the entire time I was reading it, because the pictures are so sweet and goofy. 

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