WWW Wednesday (September 23, 2020)

Posted September 23, 2020 by Sammie in #amreading, chat with me, www wednesday / 29 Comments

It’s time again to ask ourselves the three W’s:
What would you do if a stranger left you a fortune?
Would you accept the inheritance?
Would you try to solve the mystery of why?

Wait, no, that’s not right. We ask these three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

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The Sisters of Straygarden Place     Loretta Little Looks Back     The Birht of Agent Big Butt


The Sisters of Straygarden Place by Hayley Chewins
★★★☆ || Goodreads
This was a really cute character-driven story. The writing was absolutely gorgeous, invoking a more middle-grade Gothic feel (Gothic Lite, if you will) with an almost Grimm’s fairy tale vibe. What really carries this book is the characters learning who they are. There’s a small mystery going on, which was interesting, but there wasn’t a huge pull plot-wise. If you’re looking for a plot that’s going to pull you along, this probably isn’t it. Instead, the real power is in the atmosphere Chewins builds and the secrets the characters themselves are keeping, including the house itself.

Loretta Little Looks Back by Andrea Davis Pinkney (review will be posted 9/24)
★★★★☆ || Goodreads
My review for this will be posted tomorrow, since it’s my blog tour date. This book wasn’t quite what I expected, but it was powerful and emotional and easy to read logistically (emotionally may be another matter). While the family itself is fictional, the events they talk about are based on real events. It follows Loretta, her brother Roly, and Roly’s daughter Aggie, who all have different struggles as it pertains to being Black under Jim Crow.

The Birth of Agent Big Butt by Amy Winfield
★★★☆ /★★★ || Goodreads
I gave this book three stars, which is about what I expected. This has nothing really to do with the book. It’s just got a lot of butt/fart humor that isn’t my thing, and I knew that going in. That’s just not my style of book. Minion, on the other hand, gave it four stars! I will also say, though, that I think this is the longest book she’s ever read, and the fact that she actually picked it up and continued through to the end impressed me, because I’ve never seen her do that with a book this big? There were a lot of really cute morals in this and lessons to be learned, mixed with a vaguely Captain Underpants type humor, though toned down a little. There’s a really great family/friends vibe going on and a lot of emotional depth mixed in. Minion and I are working on a special review (mostly from her, since she’s, you know, the target audience), and I can’t wait to share it with you when it’s done!

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I’m not even gonna pretend I read any part of Mistborn this week. Let’s just … let’s move on.

The Gilded Wolves

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Status: 53%

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.

This is a buddy read with Keri @ Are You My Book, and I’ve really enjoyed the conversations we’ve had about it so far, even though it’s a reread for her.

I’m just so in love with this book. There’s no other way to say it. Severin is my boo. This whole cast, though, I’ve just fallen in love with. The way they interact. Their desires. This crazy heist quest they’re on. It’s all so yes. Keri and I have just decided we’re going to move into Severin’s hotel with them and live happily ever after, okay? DON’T RUIN MY FANTASIES.


The Inheritance Games

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Status: 33%

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why–or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s touch–and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.

Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he’s determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather’s last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

This book is comped to Knives Out, and I can definitely see the resemblance so far. It’s actually so strong that it’s hard to ignore. I just keep picturing it in my mind. There are some differences, like the fact that this is YA and obviously for teens. There’s also an incorporation of riddles, which I like. So there’s not a gruesome murder to solve (which makes it more approachable for younger audiences, I think), but there’s still plenty of mystery so far.

The boys are cute, too, and I’m excited to learn more about them. I’m curious about this family in general. There are definitely some Hawthorns I like more than others, which makes me suspicious. Obviously, you’re shady if I like you, so I’m watching you all.

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    Tristan Strong Destroys the World     The Secret Life of Sam     The Last Halloween, Book 1     No Place For Monsters


OMG IT’S TIME, GUYS! IT’S TIIIIME. I’ve only talked about Tristan Destroys the World every couple of weeks for how long now? As excited as I am about reading it, I didn’t want to read it too far ahead of time, because … well, I still have to wait for book three, right? Plus, there’d be no one to shout about it with, and I’m probably going to need to do some shouting.

I want to try to squeeze in The Secret Life of Sam, which sounds like something our patrons will love, so I want to make sure to check it out in case I need to make the recommendation. What I really want right now is fall reads, but I’m going to earn those fall reads by breaking my heart with this, okay? That’s how it works, right?

Speaking of fall reads … I’ve got two coming up that I want to get to, because they seem like they’ll be kind of similar in vibe! The Last Halloween, Book 1: Children looks like it’ll be fantastic. I absolutely love the art style on the cover, and I think I’m going to really like it! I’m getting definite Tim Burton vibes from it, which makes me super excited.

Which brings us to the second of the fall reads … No Place For Monsters! I actually read the first chapter of this, and I wish I had a physical copy rather than an eARC, because it’s filled with images and all these more visual storytelling elements that I feel will come across much better physically. It’s part book, part graphic novel, and I love the feel of actually holding those and being able to easily see both. I read the first chapter and liked it so far, though!

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Stay Fierce, Sammie

29 responses to “WWW Wednesday (September 23, 2020)

    • My thoughts: YOU NEED TO READ THIS MESS, LEELYNN.

      I’m 25% of the way in. My emotions already aren’t ready for this, okay? I haven’t even run into Gum Baby yet. I was so not prepared.

    • Whoa. Whoa. Hey now. Are we going to have an issue?!

      Actually. You know. I’m okay with just being friends with Severin. So if you have him, I call dibs on Enrique. As long as we get to have the pleasure of occasionally going out for double dates. 😉 And obviously I want to live in the hotel. DUH.

  1. Ohhhhhh, these are some GREAT books, I really really really really (how many reallys can I squeeze in here?) really liked The Gilded Wolves, it gave me total National Treasure vibes with historical fiction twist and great characters, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and I hope I get to read book 2 soon lol! I can’t wait for your thoughts on all the other books too, they sound really good, and I’m really excited for fall reads too!
    Ellie recently posted…Book Review – The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky (4 stars)My Profile

    • Aaaall the reallys! Because it deserves it. I can say that for sure now that I’ve finished it haha. Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to start the sequel now.

  2. Denise @ Life With No Plot

    The Gilded Wolves has been on my TBR for a while. I’ve heard so many good things about it, and it sounds like you are enjoying it as well.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog!

  3. Hi, Sammie. Thank you and Minion for your review! I’m so glad you both found something you enjoyed about the story. Because the book is so long, it’s my hope young readers would enjoy the story to the end; kudos to Minion for blazing that trail.

    I’m so excited – I can’t wait to see what you guys got planned for the special review of The Birth of Agent Big Butt. Once again, thank you both for your review.

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