Happy Wednesday, friends, and welcome to this month’s WWW Wednesday! I enjoyed doing this challenge from Taking on a World of Words a handful of times last year, and thought it might be fun to partake once a month in 2024. And January is starting off strong! I finished off a series I loved as a kid, found a couple of good mysteries at the public library, and enjoyed a twisted fairy tale from one of my auto-read authors. Hope you enjoy!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly challenge or tag for bookish bloggers. It’s used to share:

• What you’ve just finished reading
• What you’re currently reading
• What you plan to read next

Just finished reading

Revealed & Redeemed – Margaret Peterson Haddix

I loved this series as a kid, but lost track of it before it was finished. After finding it in the library I work at, I’ve been really enjoying re-reading and finally finishing the series. It was worth the hype! As amazing as I remember, and the ending was highly satisfying.

From Wikipedia:

The Missing is a series of fictional young-adult novels written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It tells the story of famous children from history stolen by futuristic time travelers from their place in time and accidentally sent to the 21st century as babies. They are then adopted by families in the 21st century. Because Jonah is one of the stolen children, he, along with his non-adopted sister Katherine, must help return the missing kids to their rightful places in history and fix time before it is destroyed…

The Cerulean & The Alcatraz – Amy Ewing

I don’t remember where I found this little duology, but I’m pretty sure it was another public library find. The series is definitely out of my usual wheelhouse, as it features an all-female society with much different cultural values than I would usually look for, but I still enjoyed the story. It’s a very interesting premise for sure! And there were a couple of quotes that really stuck with me.

From Goodreads:
The Cerulean

Sera has always felt as if she didn’t belong among her people, the Cerulean. She is curious about everything and can’t stop questioning her three mothers, her best friend, Leela, and even the High Priestess. Sera has longed for the day when the tether that connects her City Above the Sky to the earthly world below finally severs and sends the Cerulean to a new planet.

But when Sera is chosen as the sacrifice to break the tether, she doesn’t know what to feel. To save her City, Sera must throw herself from its edge and end her own life. But something goes wrong and she survives the fall, landing in a place called Kaolin. She has heard tales about the humans there, and soon learns that the dangers her mothers warned her of are real. If Sera has any hope to return to her City, she’ll have to find the magic within herself to survive

Snot Stew – Bill Wallace

Okay, this is one of my all-time favorite reads from elementary school! I’ve been recommending it to as many kids as I can since starting my job at the library, and a few of them have actually taken me up on it 😹 I decided to pick it up and re-read it myself this month, and it was absolutely ADORABLE and as hilarious as I remember. Finished it in one sitting on my lunch break one day. I love my job : )

From Goodreads:

It’s not easy being a kitten. Don’t get me wrong. I love being scratched behind the ears, chasing Butch the dog, and eating Mother’s stew. My brother Toby and I learned about “people things” when we were adopted by Sarah and Ben. The only problem with kid-people is the games they like to play, like “Dress the Cat” — and “Snot Stew”. It’s not stew! But what is it? It’s making a bully out of Toby and a wreck out of me!

Last Word to the Wise – Ann Claire

I found this book at the library and it was the perfect little cozy mystery to read. I ended up listening to the audiobook (while the physical copy sat neglected on my shelf lol), and loved the reader’s voice too. Accidentally read the second book first, which did spoil the first a little, but the second one does stand alone.

From Goodreads (book 1):

When a mysterious bookshop visitor dies under murderous circumstances, the Christie sisters and their cat Agatha call on all they’ve learned about solving mysteries from their favorite novelist in this new series debut.

Ellie Christie is thrilled to begin a new chapter. She’s recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family’s historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their friendly bookshop cat, Agatha. Perched in a Swiss-style hamlet accessible by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road, the Book Chalet is a famed bibliophile destination known for its maze of shelves and relaxing reading lounge with cozy fireside seats and panoramic views. At least, until trouble blows in with a wintery whiteout. A man is found dead on the gondola, and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown—no one in, no one out.

He was a mysterious stranger who visited the bookshop. At the time, his only blunders were disrupting a book club and leaving behind a first-edition Agatha Christie novel, written under a pseudonym. However, once revealed, the man’s identity shocks the town. Many residents knew of him. Quite a few had reason to want him dead. Others hide secrets. The police gather suspects, but when they narrow in on the sisters’ close friends, the Christies have to act.

Although the only Agatha in their family tree is their cat, Ellie and Meg know a lot about mysteries, and they’re not about to let the situation snowball out of control. The Christie sisters must summon their inner Miss Marples and trek through a blizzard of clues before the killer turns the page to their final chapter.

Princess Academy – Shannon Hale

This is another of my absolute favorite series of all-time. Like, I re-read this book at least once a year as a kid, so when I found out there are not one but TWO more books, I just had to go back and experience it again! And like the other books I re-read this month, Princess Academy is as brilliant as I remember. Maybe even more so, as I can now appreciates some of the deeper themes that might’ve gone over my head as a kid.

From Goodreads:

Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king’s priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year’s time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king’s ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.

Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits seek out the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must rally the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates.

Blade of Ash – C.F.E. Black

I follow this author on Instagram and have been meaning to read her books for months now! I’m glad I finally did, as the series is intriguing so far. I love how the magic system is built on Truth and the undertones of Christian worldview that run through it without being overbearing or cheesy. Reading the second book now, I’m super invested in these characters and looking forward to seeing what this author does next!

From Goodreads:

The only way to beat death is to chase it.
⠀
Newly crowned, Red blames one person for his father’s murder: the secret sorceress sworn to protect the king.
⠀
Alyana Barron, Royal Sorcerer to the throne of Tandera, fears her magic is weakening.
⠀
When Red is cursed, his life entwines with Aly’s in ways neither of them expected. Together, they chase after a cure that will heal the king and restore her magic, but the closer they get to a cure, the nearer they step toward death, for the path to the cure is as dangerous as the curse itself.
⠀
Blade of Ash is the first in a new, epic YA fantasy series perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers romance packed full of royal intrigue, legends, and plenty of ballgowns. If you like female bodyguards and forced proximity with life-and-death stakes… this story is for you!

Cursed – Marissa Meyer

After reading the first book in this duology last fall, I knew I just had to finish it as soon as I could. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I was gasping, I was giggling, I would’ve been audibly wailing if I hadn’t been listening to the audiobook at work 😆😭 Needless to say, this series is a highly imaginative adaptation of a classic fairytale that doesn’t seem to get that much attention, and I highly recommend it.

From Goodreads (book 1):

Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller’s daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue.

Or so everyone believes.

When one of Serilda’s outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price.

Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.

Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times-bestselling author, returns to the fairytale world with this haunting retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.

Currently reading

Crown of Dust – C.F.E. Black

I’m about halfway through this book, and still really enjoying the series! There are a couple of plot developments that don’t 100% make sense to me, but overall it’s moving along pretty well. I’m loving the character dynamics, and the author is still doing a really good job of continuing to develop the magic system and the worldbuilding. I also really enjoy seeing the MMC think about the kind of king that he wants to be… and the observations that both main characters make about each other that shows me they like each other without being too much.

Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

Found this audiobook for free on Spotify (in the original French!) after seeing the musical live for the first time and I’m loving it so far!

Okay, but the musical though… I loved Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne in the movie version, but it was absolutely INCREDIBLE live and in person! Like real explosions, seven-part harmony, and the overtones that choir kids LIVE for amazingness throughout. So good! I’m still humming the soundtrack more than a week later XD

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss – Amy Noelle Parks

After the rather intense fairytale retelling I just finished, and with my first in-a-relationship Valentine’s Day coming up, I felt the need for a lighter read. This one is giving me exactly that: nerdy teenagers who don’t know they like each other, friends-to-lovers, will-they-or-won’t-they drama, and all in a (so far) clean and wholesome way. And there are some deeper themes of anxiety and coming-of-age type things to it as well. Overall, a good read for this time of year 💝

Will read next

All This Twisted Glory – Tahereh Mafi

This book is the third in a series that I fell in love with last summer and I can’t wait for it to come out! Seriously considering pre-ordering a Signed First Edition from Barnes and Noble, and that’s saying a lot since I don’t buy hard-copy books that often (especially not fiction books that I haven’t read before). But yeah, I’m gonna have to read the other two books again to get familiar with the story, and then I fully intend to immerse myself in this one. I read what I believe was the first series this author did, and was not impressed, so don’t let that stop you! She has grown a LOT since then XD.

From Goodreads (book 1):

Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.

Princess Academy: The Stone Palace – Shannon Hale

Took this one and the one after it home before a snow day (two weeks ago now) and still looking forward to reading it! So many hobbies, so little time… lol

From Goodreads:

In this second book in New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy series , Miri embarks on a brand new life in the city.

Coming down from the mountain to a new city life is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have come to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding. There, Miri also has a chance to attend school–at the prestigious Queen’s Castle.

But as Miri befriends sophisticated and exciting students, she also learns that they have some frightening plans for a revolution. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends’ ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place.

Legendborn & Bloodmarked – Tracy Deonn

The next book in this series doesn’t come out until (approximately) 2025, but I have been wanting to re-read it anyway! The Legendborn series is my favorite genre, urban fantasy, done in a way that absolutely blows me away with the magnificent writing style and plot twists. After discovering it in 2021, I absolutely loved the audiobook version; the narration is stunning! I have invested my monies and purchased a special painted-edge copy of the second book, Bloodmarked, so that I can read the hard copy and underline and bookmark to my heart’s content. There’s an artist I know on Instagram who I might have paint the first book for me when I get it!

From Goodreads (book 1):

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Scepter of Fire – C.F.E. Black

I have no doubt that Crown of Dust will leave me eager to continue the series, so Scepter of Fire will most definitely be on my TBR for this month!

From Goodreads:

A world in darkness. A love that cannot be.

Shocked by the revelation that followed the official coronation, Aly and Red march toward dangers they never saw coming and away from the things they both want most. Each must face their deepest fears and darkest secrets, finding strength when all hope is lost.

Death follows them. Evil hunts them. As the world grows darker and a shadow rises, there remains only one path forward, and it will bring them toward their most difficult decision yet. To succeed is to lose something dear, but to fail is to watch the world fade into an eternal night.

Will the Beacon and Beholder fulfill their destiny—and will it be what they all hoped?

Bookish and the Beast – Ashley Poston

Wrapping up this list is a book from a series of standalone novels by Ashley Poston. I’m not sure how, but I discovered the Once Upon A Con series via ebook last year, and I can’t wait to read more of it this year. It’s the perfect example of Fangirls Unite that I love to see in fiction! Or anywhere tbh 💖🥰

From Goodreads:

In the third book in Ashley Poston’s Once Upon a Con series, Beauty and the Beast is retold in the beloved Starfield universe.

Rosie Thorne is feeling stuck—on her college application essays, in her small town, and on that mysterious General Sond cosplayer she met at ExcelsiCon. Most of all, she’s stuck in her grief over her mother’s death. Her only solace was her late mother’s library of rare Starfield novels, but even that disappeared when they sold it to pay off hospital bills.

On the other hand, Vance Reigns has been Hollywood royalty for as long as he can remember—with all the privilege and scrutiny that entails. When a tabloid scandal catches up to him, he’s forced to hide out somewhere the paparazzi would never expect to find him: Small Town USA. At least there’s a library in the house. Too bad he doesn’t read.

When Rosie and Vance’s paths collide and a rare book is accidentally destroyed, Rosie finds herself working to repay the debt. And while most Starfield superfans would jump at the chance to work in close proximity to the Vance Reigns, Rosie has discovered something about Vance: he’s a jerk, and she can’t stand him. The feeling is mutual.

But as Vance and Rosie begrudgingly get to know each other, their careful masks come off—and they may just find that there’s more risk in shutting each other out than in opening their hearts.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed this first of (hopefully) twelve WWW Wednesday posts for 2024. My takeaway from this month’s reads: 10yo Kayslee had really good taste in books 😸

Have you read any of the books on this list? What did you think of them? Have any recommendations for me?

Happy reading!