Goodreads Suggestions - How Well Does Goodreads Know You?

Hey everyone! I was browsing the book blog universe and found a post from Caitstiel's Book World and decided I wanted to give it a go as well! Feel free to join in, as I'd loved to see what other book recs Goodreads is giving to everyone!

 I really enjoy thrilers, YA, and fantasy. I'd say it reflects here. Based off of my "favorites" shelf, Goodreads came up with 23 recs. For my blog's sake, and yours, I'll show only the first five they came up with and let you all know if Goodreads recommended any I liked!

1. The Archived - Victoria Schwab

When I clicked on the cover to read the synopsis, the first line I read was "Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books."
Okay...color me interested! Seems like a very interesting premise. I enjoy the fact that it isn't a subject matter that I've ever read before. Added to my shelf!

1/5 so far!

2. Wolf by Wolf - Ryan Graudin

I think I'll pass on this one. I tend to not like to read books about Hitler and that time era if I can avoid them. Unless it seems like a super interesting story told with passion and understanding, I probably most likely will not read it.
I can't say that this book doesn't have those things, but it seems like it's lacking in something that hooked me.
I may seek out a chapter or two online to see if I'd enjoy it.
The cover is sort of throwing me off as well. The colors don't sit well with me.
I know we can't judge a book by its cover, though. ;) Sometimes I can't help it!

1/5
3. The Winner's Curse - Marie Rutkoski

I love fantasy books with massive empires! It seems like something I'd enjoy. I see that it's a series of books so I can at least try the first one to see if I wanna read the others.

2/5 added to my TBR!

4. A Natural History of Dragons - Marie Brennan

This was an insta-add! Pffft, dragons? How could I pass up on that? Doesn't help that the illustrations seem cool and the cover is cute.

3/5 added!

5. Dreamer's Pool - Juliet Marillier

Hmmm...hard pass for me. Have any of you read it? If so, try to sway me below! The synopsis just didn't cut it for me at all.

3/5 isn't bad at all! I did look through the rest and only a few more caught my eye out of 23. I do know that I need to take advantage of the option Goodreads has to boost recs. I had no idea that this was even an option!
I am going to keep checking back because I deleted my whole TBR shelf to start new. There was over 500 books on it before I deleted it. Now I have maybe 10 on there.

If you have any book recs, I'd love to see them. I'm super into YA, thrillers, true crime, and mysteries like Sherlock or Nancy Drew.
Talk soon!

I Just Realized...

In a previous post I mentioned that I scrapped my old blog randomly. I just came to the realization that my readers (if I have any) have absolutely no idea of who the woman behind Sab Reads Books really is!

Welp...here I am! Beside my boyfriend Trevor. This was taken at our local Puerto Vallarta on my 23rd birthday!

I started this blog because I had a love for reading ingrained on my soul at a very young age thanks to my dad! I still have the very first book I ever got. It's duct taped and the pages are so fragile I don't open it to avoid further deterioration.
Reading is my comfort. I know a lot of you feel this way as well. I love being involved in a community that shares a love for the written word. I've never felt more accepted in my life than when I realized there's a whole crowed of people out there who take pride in the fact that they're bookworms. Who like to talk books, how they made you feel.

When I'm not reading, I'm most likely working at a local diner, spending time with my boyfriend, family, roommate, or friends, or watching horror shows/movies on Netflix.

I'm a fur momma! I have 3 rats named Clementine, Dyspo, and Tempest. I have two pups named Reggie and Indi. One is a pit/collie and the other is a lab retriever. My roomie has two cats named Tigger and Tripp! We're a houseful of animal lovers and if our house were bigger we'd have a ton more as well. :)

I have a love for chocolate, binge reading, witchy things, and weird Souncloud rappers. I'm that kind of person.

 I look forward to hopefully connecting with other book bloggers, so if you leave a comment I'll check your blog out and maybe we can become friends? 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (2)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme held by Bookdate where you share what you've read or are currently reading over the last week. Don't forget to join in and meet up with some fellow bloggers and leave some love on their posts as well!

What I read last week:

Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green. I really enjoyed it. You can see a review on it here. Solid 4/5 stars!

What I'm currently reading:

The Fever King by Victoria Lee. I got this ARC super early. I'm only on chapter two but it hooked me rather quickly. If this isn't on your radar yet, it needs to be. You can see what it's about on Goodreads.

Hope everyone has a great week! Don't forget to leave a link so I can check out your newest post! 

Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green

Truth or Dare covers two of my favorite things: dark secrets, and someone hell-bent on exposing them.


Title: Truth or Dare
Author: Jaqueline Green

Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 389
Source: Hardback

Tenley Reed used to host massive games of Truth or Dare, that got out of hand more often than not.
When she moves back to town, she decides another round of it is what will make everyone remember that she used to be the Queen of their town, and still is. The game is a chance for Caitlin to prove to everyone there's more to her than being straight-laced and an Angel. Sydney didn't even play, but she's swept up in the aftermath of the game as well.
They all start receiving notes left in their pill bottles, backpacks, on their car windows. And it all seems a little more horrifying than just a silly old game of Truth or Dare. Slowly the dares get meaner and more dangerous. The three girls are forced to play along, or risk their secrets getting out for everyone to know.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. There are so many secrets Tenley, Caitlin, and Sydney are harboring they're drowning in them. To add to that, someone is threatening to expose said secrets if they don't go along with the dares they're being presented with.

Told in alternating viewpoints of the three girls, we get a glimpse into their home lives and some of the events that have happened leading up to this point.

Tenley moved back to Echo Bay after her mother gets married to the richest man in town. She strives to achieve her prior status as the most popular girl in town. But someone knows her secrets about just how far she'd go to make herself seem perfect.
Caitlin is running for class president but is so stressed out she develops a habit to her anti-anxiety medication and doesn't want anyone catching wind of it. Amidst all of that stress, she'd having flashbacks of her kidnapping and has an uneasy feeling things weren't exactly that cut and dry as the detectives thought it was.
Sydney isn't like the other girls. She'd rather be behind the camera than in front of it. She's a pyromaniac and is prone to setting fires when she gets too overwhelmed. Someone knows her secret as well.

I wasn't really invested in the characters as people, but I did enjoy the drama and tension. I have this disconnect with YA books set around high school cliques and status quo because I'm 23 years old and haven't been in school for six years now. I enjoyed the book for the suspense and mystery. The characters weren't anyone I could connect to, but I appreciated each of their personalities.

This one kept me guessing all the way until the end. Any time I thought I could pin who the stalker was, I was quickly shut down by the book and second guessed myself a lot. It's a slow-paced book, so not for people who want to get right down to it quickly, but I enjoyed the tension and the slow-buildup to the climax.

Creep factor is 10/10 because it's seriously scary knowing that someone could be watching you at all times. Know your dirty little secrets, then try to expose them if you don't do what they ask.

A lot of issues are introduced in this book. Bullying, mental health, homophobia, adultery. So this one is not for people who enjoy their novels light.

I will definitely be buying the next two books in the series!

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

Keralie Corrington appears to be harmless at first glance, but little does everyone know she's actually one of the best thieves in all of Quadara.

One evening while Keralie is thieving, she steals a package from Varin and in turn, putting his life in danger. When he shows up to get the package back, they end up in a massive conspiracy that leaves all four queens of Quadara dead.

On the run from Keralie's former boss, Keralie and Varin team up to uncover who exactly is behind the murders while simultaneously trying to save their own lives as well.

Naturally, being in danger brings them close together and they develop and relationship. In order to proceed, they have to overcome secrets they've hidden for some time. 

Title: Four Dead Queens
Author: Astrid Scholte
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Genres: YA, fantasy
Pages: 408
Release Date: February 26, 2019
Rating: 5/5
Source: Paperback ARC via Bookishfirst

This book is truly a gem. I had no idea what I was going into when I started reading, but before I knew it I was drawn in and then all of the sudden it was 8:30am and well past my bedtime.

The story is told between alternating viewpoints of the queens and Keralie. Sometimes that can be confusing for readers but I promise you, everything flows together flawlessly.

I really enjoyed Scholte's characters. Keralie was brash and defiant so she takes some getting used to, but if you keep turning the pages you'll see you'll be rooting for her in no time. All of the villains are fleshed-out, even giving backstory and making you feel bad for him a time or two. Sort of gave me a complex, so I was super relieved when I found I enjoyed the blossoming relationship between Keralie and Varin.
Now...onto the romance. It has just the perfect amount. I'm not one who loves my books to have a ton of mushy and in your face romance.

I love how suspenseful and well-thought out the plot is. Add in the snarky humor, romance, unique characters with a few plot twists and I think you have my favorite book of the last half of 2018!

I saw on Goodreads where Scholte says FOUR DEAD QUEENS is a standalone, but that there may be some potential to revisit the world of Quadara. I wouldn't mind seeing more from the different quadrants!

 I received an advance reading copy via Bookish first for my honest opinion. All opinions herein are of my own and are not swayed by any outside factors.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is truly a magnificent and unique book. This book is a murder mystery I know I'll be raving about for months to come!

Who is trying to kill Evelyn Hardcastle? That's the question Aiden Bishop has been tasked to answer. He has eight days to solve the murder. If the murder isn't solved, Aiden starts back over from day one in a continuous time loop that will replay over and over again until he puts a stop to it.

As if this isn't already doozy of a task, Aiden wakes up in a different body of one of the guests who've been invited to the ball at Blackheath, the estate of the Hardcastle's. Some of his hosts are a little more helpful than others. While in their bodies, Aiden adopts their personalities, memories, skills, and shortcomings. All of these characters and their traits are necessary in order to catch Evelyn's killer.

This book demands nothing but your full attention. You need to remember key details in order to be able to read this book. It can be confusing at it jumps in between characters quite often. I had no issue keeping up, but it does require quite a bit of concentration while reading. I haven't read a book this intricate or brilliant in quite some time.

This one really kept me guessing and had more than its fair share of mystery and intrigue. Along with a healthy dose of danger paired with the whole "who-dunnit" theme, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle made its way up my "favorite books" list in no time.

If you want to read it for yourself, click here and it'll take you to where you can purchase this amazing book. I don't get compensated for any purchases you make via this blog.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Bookishfirst. All opinions herein are of my own and are not swayed by any outside factors. 

A Life Update

Hello, everyone!

I started this blog after randomly deleting my old one a few months ago. I had no reason for doing so other than the fact that I wanted to start anew.
I'm sort of sad, because I didn't give my old followers and chance to switch over, I just woke up one day and decided that blog was done for and this one was my new one.

But...this one has been slow getting started.

Work

I started my job back and they quickly switched me back to night shift because they know things get done when I'm there and they had a bad night shift employee before I came back.
I didn't want night shift, but it sort of works with my fiance's work schedule so I can't complain too much. My only issue is that if I'm not at work then I'm sleeping for work and have extremely little time to do anything else. I miss waking up at normal times instead of staying awake until 8-9 am and sleeping all day. I never have weekends off when Trevor (my fiance) does, so plans aren't ever made.
I may talk to them soon about finding someone else for night shift because I prefer second more.

I pulled a shift from 4am-8pm with one 30 minute break and I was so sore I couldn't walk properly when I got home, and I just broke down in tears. On my birthday!
I made really good money I got to take home right then and there, though. So that's all that matters. Keeping our heads above the water and being adults.
I'm just so not used to it. I'm young, though. I'll get the hang of it.

Health 

I also went to an OBGYN center due to high-grade squamous cells they found on my cervix. I had to go in and have a LEEP procedure and it was super uncomfortable. I never want to have it done again.
There were a few weeks before it where I did nothing but stress out over my health. He told me it didn't look like cancer but it seemed very close. He's sending off what he took from the LEEP to test it. So, we're in limbo again. If he doesn't call in two weeks, I'm to call him back. Fingers crossed, good vibes, prayers...anything and everything would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Home Life

My fiance and my old best friend from my middle/high school days moved into a new rental house two months ago. I love it more than the apartment my fiance and I were staying in, and my roommate is probably one of the best I could ask for! We have a whole slew of animals we absolutely adore, jobs we go to, then we come home and have bonding moments then repeat the next day.
Having a set routine is good for me, I believe. I've not been feeling super happy, but I can say I'm content and I haven't felt that in a long time I don't believe.

Reading 

I'm in the middle of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton and I'm really liking it. I love books that have subjects or plots I've never remotely read about before, and Stuart Turton managed to write one of them!
I recently finished Furyborn by Claire Legrand and I'm already wanting the second one in my hands ASAP and the first one just now came out in May! If you haven't read either one of these, I highly suggest you jump on it!

Both of the covers for these books are absolutely stunning. Darker colored books with red or gold in them always draws my eye. I definitely judge these covers by the books because almost always they're books I don't ever regret reading!

Thank you for reading my update! Feel free to leave some thoughts or questions in the comments below.

Have a great rest of the weekend, everyone!