First & foremost, Happy Birthday (yesterday) to my Kyle ❤︎
According to GoodReads I am right on track for my goal of 50 books this year. That makes me a little nervous since up until now I was ahead by a book or two. Hmm… We’ll have to see how the year progresses.
Anyway, I’m obviously linking up with Steph & Jana today for Show Us Your Books! Here’s what I’ve been reading…
Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart
★★★★/5 
The Kopp sisters were seemingly good at keeping their noses clean but then their buggy is struck by an automobile driven by the ruthless silk factory owner, Henry Kaufman. How much will Constance sacrifice to bring the rapscallion to justice?
I loved Constance. She trusted her gut and her shooting hand and her instinct. She was brave with apprehension, smart with self-doubt. Her humor and fierce loyalty to her sisters made me giggle and tear up. I freaking loved that she wasn’t afraid to push back. For some reason I had reservations about this book. I had some weird expectation and it didn’t align with the story told. I don’t know why… but that’s why it got 4 stars from me. Under different mental circumstance it might’ve been a five.
Should you read it? Absolutely! Especially if you like strong females, mysteries, and/or historical fiction.
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
★★★★★/5 
On the island of Fennbirn triplet queens are born, separated, and raised by foster families in accordance with their strengths. Then, on their 16th birthday, they are called to kill one another in pursuit of the crown.
I loved this story. Be warned- it starts off very slowly. All the action takes place in the final+30% of the book. The author weaves in world building with character development- and there are a lot of characters. I liked how each sister had totally different personalities and unique story lines with different issues going on… but a similar goal of surviving. I thought I’d love one sister more than another, but I felt myself hoping for the best for all three. Dang… this was just a twisty, fully developed first book. I am dying to get my hands on the next one in the series. Lastly, when are my naturalist powers going to kick in? Obviously my familiar would be a fox. Lol.
Should you read it? If you enjoy fantasy mixed with friendship & romance & action, YES.
I regards to Erin’s 8.0 Book Challenge…
|5 points| Freebie: The Murder on the Links (Christie)
|10 points| Starts with the letter L: Last Christmas in Paris (Gaynor)
|10 points| Has a (mostly) red cover: Girl Waits With Gun (Stewart)
|15 points| A character’s name in the title: HP & the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
|20 points| From this list: Three Dark Crowns (Blake)
|20 points| “House” or “home” in the title: The House of New Beginnings (Diamond)
|25 points| Author’s first & last name begins w/ the same letter: Renegades (Meyer, M)
|30 points| Originally published in a different language: The Hangman’s Daughter (Potzsch)
|30 points| Most of the action takes place on a form of transportation: Dead Wake (Larson)
|35 points| A character suffers from a debilitating illness: Finding Audrey (Kinsella)
Up to 95 out of 200 points.
Right now I’m (still) working on Dead Wake and I’ve started The Hangman’s Daughter. All the books left on my challenge list are +450 pages. Nice going, Audrey.
What did you read this month? What are you reading right now??
Life as Louise 
Rapscallion is such a fantastic word!
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I love it! One of the best parts about reading historical fiction is the old language 🙂
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I’m currently 2 books ahead of schedule for my goal of 20! I was going to set a goal of 30 but thought I’d play it safe with just 20. Haha, one day I’ll be able to read 50 in a year!
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I read 32 books last year. 50 is a veryyy bold goal for me. Lol
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I really want to read Three Dark Crowns but I feel like I need to wait till the third book is out and just read them all at once.
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I usually spread my series out over months and other books so I’m not too bothered by the lack of completion with this series. I know that’s a total no-no for some people, though!
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Girl Waits With Gun has been on my list for like, 3 years haha. three dark crowns is on my list, but i will wait for it to be finished because my memory is awful and if i can avoid waiting, i do.
i like to make my goodreads challenge really low and then up it as i get closer to it haha. that way i am never disappointed in myself over something silly like that.
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I figured the whole series was out for 3DC when I read it because I feel like it’s been on my TBR list forever. Oops. Oh well, I tend to spread my series out over months and other books anyway.
Girl Waits With Gun is part of a series, too, although I know lots of people have only read the first or enjoyed the first best anyway. I probably won’t read on, but it was an entertaining book! Since you love Phryne I bet you’d love Constance! 😉
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I don’t know why I didn’t love Girl Waits with Gun. I wanted to love it. I loved parts of it. I think I was underwhelmed by the events/characters, while out of the box for what was acceptable for women in her day, felt a little slow and undramatic overall. If that makes sense?
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I can agree with that. Something felt missing for me, too. It was a book I should’ve LOVED because it’s historical and about a strong woman and a mystery (kinda), but something was just not there…
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Girl waits with gun has me reading your review in like a flapper girl tone of voice – I’ve watched too many movies from that time period.
My goodreads says I’m 3 ahead of schedule – which is exciting… but I was also like 5 ahead last year & fizzled out in october – so dont give yours any mind 😉 It all plays out differently each month
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Hahaha- I’m kinda of proud you read it like that, though! Ha!
I’m in a serious book lull but I’m in the middle of two and I’m excited to read another one so hopefully I pull myself out!
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Girl Waits With a Gun and The Hangman’s Daughter are both on my TBR but due to length, I’ve pushed them aside to finish Erin’s Challenge first. I set my Goodreads goal low this year because I only read 24 last year and didn’t want to have book guilt if I didn’t reach it. I know I shouldn’t feel guilty if I don’t reach it, but I can’t help it!
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So loooooong, right?? Girl Waits With Gun reads pretty quickly. I’m working on The Hangman’s Daughter right now.
Last year I read 32 books- 8 of them in the last month or so of the year. That’s why I went with 50. I might’ve overreached. LOL
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I’m glad to hear you liked Three Dark Crowns. That’s one that I still really want to read! Happy Belated Birthday to your Kyle too. 🙂
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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LOVED Three Dark Crowns!
Thanks!!
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Yes to 3 Dark Crowns! It was such a good book and I can’t believe it took me this long to get my hands on it! It was hard to know who to root for in the book too because I really liked all the queens. And haha to all of your books being longer that you have left for Erin’s challenge! I made myself read my longest first because I didn’t know if I’d make it through it if I left it until the end! Plus I had to get it from the library.
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Me too! When I first heard about it I was so excited because it checks all my boxes! Why did I wait??
I loved all the queens, too. I would want to be a naturalist but I think all the sisters are great. I’m curious to see how it all plays out!!
I should’ve read Dead Wake first. The others aren’t so daunting, but yeah…. What a dumb situation I put myself in. Lol!
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I really loved Girl Waits with Gun because Constance is awesome. I love her fierceness and how she didn’t back down, even when afraid. The subsequent books are also good, although Girl Waits with Gun is my favorite of the series thus far. 3 Dark Crowns is on my TBR. Good to know that it slow-paced, which I don’t mind if the story is good.
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I LOVED that Constance didn’t back down. She almost got MORE angry and brave as her fear grew.
3DC is pretty slow paced for the first 60% but it was necessary. I really loved the slow build.
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I liked GWWG but never read the next one.
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Yep. I think I’m in that boat, too.
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Girl Waits With Gun sounds like something I would like. I’m behind on my reading goal and need to get in the groove of work, mom life, my reality tv guilty pleasure and all the other stuff haha. happy birthday to Kyle- a few days late 🙂
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I bet I’m behind now, too. Hahaha. Oh well 😉 I’m in a slump and I’m self-medicating with episodes of The Office. #nothelpful
Thank you!
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I love that you loved Girl Waits with Gun!!! That made my day!
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I loved Constance’s fierceness. You don’t get that often in a book set in the 1910s about a female 😀
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Three Dark Crowns sounds super interesting which is surprising for me personally since it is not my usual genre to read! 🙂 Adding it to my list!
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I was a big fan. I can’t wait to dive into the second book soon!!
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I need to read both of these books!
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I highly recommend them! 😉
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You can totally get 50 books this year! I’ll be honest, though, and admit that I get a little nervous when I’m just “on track” (which is where I’m at right now) or, even worse, “behind schedule.” It’s obviously just some arbitrary number I picked at the beginning of the year, but I always really want to hit that goal!
I hope you’re able to finish Erin’s challenge! I tried to pick a mix of slightly longer/slightly shorter books, though I think most of them fell around 300-350 pages. I still have one to go, though, and I think it’s over 400.
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Totally an arbitrary number, lol 🙂 I need to just pick up books and make myself get lost in them. I keep using the “I’m so drained at the end of the day” excuse. Bleh.
Thank you!! My goal is to finish her challenge! I’m excited to read Renegades! I need to get my hands on The House of New Beginnings because my library doesn’t have it. Boooo.
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I need to read Girl Waits With Gun! It sounds super good.
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I think it’d be an entertaining movie, too 😀 Haha!
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I’ve never even heard of those books!! Also did I know your goal was 50 books a year? For a slow/non-reader like me, that is an INSANELY impressive goal!!!
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I have very low confidence as far as reaching that goal goes…… ha!!
One is a solid 1910s mystery and one is very much fantasy. If either of those genres strike your fancy you should read ’em!!
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Yayyy! Always on the search for good books!
-Kate // http://www.classyandkate.com/dc-diaries-bullfrog-bagels/
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I hope you love these!!
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I’ve heard so many great things about Girl Waits With Gun. It’s not my typical type of book, but I may just have to give it a shot. Dead Wake is sooooo looooong. It really picks up in the last third though.
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I’m enjoy Dead Wake, it just takes me a while to get through nonfiction. Lol. I’m glad to hear that the end picks up, though!! Girl Waits With Gun is just a fun little 1910s mystery (with a badass female lead).
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Bookmarking 3 Dark Crowns! Usually in posts like these I’m really looking for what people rate highest!
Great job on being on track for your goal! I feel like I should have set one….
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I think I’m about to fall of the wagon with my goal. Ha. K is going away this weekend for work so we’ll see if I can finish some books while he’s gone 😉 Lol
LOVED 3DC!
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I’m so glad you liked Three Dark Crowns!!! I loved it. I just re-read it after you and ashley did and then I read the sequel! It’s good, I hope you enjoy it! 🙂 XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
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I loooved it. I’m excited to read the sequel this summer!! (I want to finish/keep working on Erin’s Challenge so it’s getting postponed. Lol)
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