Pages of Perfiction

Dear world, My name is Asha. A year and a half ago, I decided to start a blog to practice writing book reviews. I was convinced that by signing up to a bunch of SEO mailing lists, my book blog would go viral and everything would be perfect. But 15 months later, my average engagement time is 9 seconds, so you can infer how that turned out. I forgot about my blog for three whole months. Ever since school started, I didn't even log into my email for this blog! I opened it up just now, and sorted through my 417 unread emails. Four of them were book blitzes I signed up, forgot about, and missed the deadline for. The thing is, I've had no time for this blog since the school year started. I'm doing so many activities, already, such as: diving practice for 4 hours theater (rehearsals almost every day) leading speech & debate club my own speech & debate classes trying to finish my own novel WEB (where everyone belongs) Expect Respect (a program at my school) Leadership, spec

Introduction Hi everyone! Do y'all still remember me? I seriously doubt it. It's been so long since my last post, but I'm BACK for an arc review of this amazing book! Do you ever stumble upon a book so electrifying that you forget the world around you? That's exactly what happened to me with Jane Buckingham's A Lie for a Lie . This novel is not just a page-turner; it’s a white-knuckle ride through the turbulent waters of high school drama and social media warfare. Grab your favorite reading nook and prepare yourself for a thrilling adventure that’ll keep you guessing until the very last page. Unraveling the Web of Lies The Premise Imagine this: your boyfriend is cheating, a bully is making your life miserable, or a classmate steals your hard-earned work. What do you do? At Milford High, the answer is simple—message @Revenge. This anonymous avenger dishes out justice with a heaping side of public humiliation. But what happens when a prank spirals out of control, leav

Storm and Flame Mallory Wanless (Enchanted, #1) Publication date: September 22nd 2022 Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo Elena has always been a disappointment. Her magic is practically non-existent and now, on her sixteenth birthday, she is expelled from magic school by the strict headmistress–also known as her mother. Cast out into the world of the magically inept with only her familiar for company, Elena feels lost and alone until she meets a strange boy in the woods. Quinn is a thief, a hunter, and a hothead. His unexpected friendship with Elena awakens a fiery side in him–quite literally– and uncovers new and surprising magical abilities. Except men aren’t supposed to be capable of magic. With Quinn’s help, Elena carves a safe new life as a barmaid, but when she is attacked, her powers awaken with shocking ferocity. Elena’s explosion of magic creates a power surge that attracts the atten

 Hiii guys!! It's been a while, right? Maybe a month? I've been so busy, I can't remember the last time I actually wrote a post instead of just uploading a book blitz. But anyways, today I'm really excited, because this is our very first library haul post! I'm currently at the library because my brother is doing some robotics thing in the other room, and I was going to work on my novel, but then I saw the beautiful books and knew I had to check some out. Reading > writing  Sorry, I just have my priorities straight. Anyways, let's go!! I'm just going to browse the shelves and pick up every book I like, and in like half an hour, I'll come back here to write about it. ✨  choosing the books ✨ My process of deciding on a book is as follows: Run my fingers along the spines of a row of books Stop on one that looks pretty/interesting Pull it out and examine the cover If the cover checks out (pun intended) look at the back If the book is hardcover, look at the

The Maker of Worlds David Litwack Publication date: May 22nd 2024 Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Young Adult If you had the chance to remake the world, what kind of world would you choose? When tragedy strikes Lucas Mack’s young life, he desperately yearns to escape its sorrow, and takes an improbable leap through the mythical maelstrom. Rather than splashing down on the far side like his neighbors, he’s transported to a magical realm where he has the power to redefine not only who he is, but the world in which he resides. As he stumbles about trying to find his way, he meets Mia, an equally troubled fellow pilgrim. With the help of a mystical guide and an aging wizard, they navigate the enchanted land while learning to control their newfound powers. Yet this realm is more complex than they expected, with seasoned sorcerers who’ve been corrupted by the sinister side of magic. Goodreads / Amazon — Excerpt: In the light of pre-dawn, and in my half-awake state, no differ

Every Scar Tells a Story by  Rayna York Publication date: June 15th 2024 Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult They say time heals all wounds, but they never mention the scars left behind. Serena McNeal, outgoing and ambitious, is ready to escape her small town as soon as she graduates high school. Knox prefers to live in the shadows, finding comfort in his anonymity. As their worlds collide and the ghosts of Knox’s troubled past resurface, more than their newly-created bond will be tested. Because now, every decision made could be the difference between sharing a future together or facing a reality where neither one survives. Goodreads / Amazon Excerpt: Summer… I can’t help but smile. This one will be like no other. High school will be over, and I’ll be heading off to college in the fall. I’m so ready to leave this small town behind. It’s not a bad place to live, but I’m psyched to move to an actual city where the downtown is larger

Note: Because this is a combined wrap-up, I introduced a new term: mapril, used to describe May & April in one word. Let's just pretend the fact that I didn't post a wrap-up for April was intentional, although in reality, I ran out of time (oops). Honestly, I haven't had much time for blogging in general these past two months. I published 7 posts in total during Mapril, but only three of them were really my own work. The other four were book blitzes & cover reveals. table of contents posts I published during mapril fav posts from other blogs fun updates i'm running for president ttpd album reaction conclusion posts i published during mapril The Winchester Codex Book Blitz (featuring excerpt + giveaway!) Books can be dangerous. Fitz, a dragon, believes he is guardian of one of the most dangerous of all – The Winchester Codex was responsible for wiping out the entire draconic race, of which he is one of the last vestiges. Yet in the 21st century, what relevance do

Hey everyone!  I'm currently in a speech round, and I have some extra free time, so... here I am. I've done these reflections once before , and I decided to do it again! Note: I like to wrap up debate tournaments by writing a reflection, and I decided to publish it on this blog because why not. So there might be some debate jargon or confusing bits that only make sense in my head. I'd like to apologize in advance for that.  So like I said, I'm in a speech round right now, but I already gave my speech. I was speaker 1, and because this is an online tournament, I'm able to write this while other people are talking. Let's jump right in! round one reflections I competed against one of the girls in my round the last tournament I was in , too! What a cool coincidence. I need to start off by saying that all of the people in my room were so good . Out of the 5 other people in my room, I genuinely cannot think of a way to improve 4 of them. They were perfect. The judge

The Winchester Codex Frances Spurrier Publication date: January 2nd 2024 Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Books can be dangerous. Fitz, a dragon, believes he is guardian of one of the most dangerous of all – The Winchester Codex was responsible for wiping out the entire draconic race, of which he is one of the last vestiges. Yet in the 21st century, what relevance does this ancient manuscript have? He hides the codex in his attic and tries to forget about it. A surprise visit from a friend leads to one last quest, forcing them both to confront their past. In Swansea, Fitz and his friend Perceval happen upon a temporarily homeless teenager who joins them on a walk around the coast of Wales to raise funds for charity and records everything on social media. But not all their followers are benign. Someone wants the codex that has lain neglected in Fitz’s attic for centuries and wants it badly.  Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBook

The Summer I Met You Blair Hayse Publication date: June 20th 2024 Genres: New Adult, Romance Small town southern girl Brianna Davis’s world is spinning faster than she can keep up with. She’s burying herself working as a hotel manager, having her personal life scrutinized as a socialite, and has one of the town’s most eligible bachelors on the hook in the form of Branson. However, it isn’t long before Brianna finds that relationship collapsing, as she falls intensely for Branson’s fiercest enemy in town: popular DJ and bar owner Levi Arrington. Sure, Levi caught her heart from the moment she met him, but there are too many complications for them to become a couple right now, aren’t there? He needs to grow up and she needs to open herself to love. Add to that the town, which sees the rising flames of passion all too well and is doing everything it can to stamp them out. Will Brianna find the love of her life in Levi, or will the small town rumors, drama, and th

Refuge from the World Kim McMahill (The Beartooth Chronicles, #1) Publication date: March 19th 2024 Genres: Dystopian, New Adult, Young Adult Ashley McPhee arrived in Beartooth with her mom, Sara, when she was three years old. Ever since Ash can remember, life has been simple and peaceful. She enjoyed a carefree childhood, tending honey bees with her mom and spending time with her best friend, Caleb Solomon. But, life in their idyllic mountaintop community is changing. After learning of the government’s plan to use a geoengineering process to cool the planet, Ash and Caleb realize they need to step up and take an active role in the community. Along with fear for how the process might impact their food supply, Ash learns her mom’s health is failing. Sara doesn’t want Ash to face an uncertain future alone and nudges her and Caleb into marriage. Even though they have known each other most of their lives, Ash and Caleb’s relationship has changed drastically in a short period of tim

Darkness Falls  (Nature’s Fury, #1) By A.E. Faulkner Publication date: March 31st 2019 Genre: YA Dystopian Our family trip to the beach ended before it even began. Mother Nature made sure of that. Our parents…gone in an instant. It’s just me and my sister. 100 miles from home. No car. No phones. No money. Down to our last crumbs of food. But just when we figure out what to do, she vanishes. Mother Nature reached her breaking point and everyone’s paying the price. I have a feeling she isn’t done just yet. But guess what? Neither am I. Goodreads / Amazon Table of Contents: Excerpt Author Bio Giveaway Excerpt:  “Aidan, man, we should probably get going soon,” Jeff says, pulling me away from the threatening spiral of memories. His interruption is a welcome distraction. “You’re right,” Aidan says, his eyes locked with mine. “But before we go, Quinn, you need to know, you’re not safe here. Do you have somewhere else to go?” “What are you talking about?” My head volleys back and

introduction A Loveless Child. A Loveless Woman. Sweet Romance. Murder. Satire. Desperation. Fate.  That's it. That's the whole back cover description. I suppose the ominous, mysterious ambience was partly what drew me in, but that's what made me lose interest, too. Hey, I'm Paige, and this is a review of "The Art of Being Difficult" by William Chekhov. I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review, but these thoughts are my own. Thank you, Mendelssohn Press! it was confusing to read  I don't know how to describe Chekhov's writing style, except that it's a tough read for those seeking a straightforward narrative. To me, it looked like a bunch of scenes. There was no storyline. I think there might have been a hidden meaning or something, but I couldn't figure it out.  The lack of clear structure makes it challenging to follow the author's train of thought. it got boring soon Aside from the whole 'I do

Hello to the ≈ 3 people who somehow stumbled upon this post (probably while looking for something else, lol). I am currently at a debate competition, and I have some extra free time, so... here I am. Note: This post is mainly for me. I like to wrap up debate tournaments by writing a reflection, and I decided to publish it on this blog because why not. So there might be some debate jargon or confusing bits that only make sense in my head. I'd like to apologize in advance for that.  This post was inspired by this paragraph in my monthly wrap-up for February . table of contents a little bit of context midpoint reflection thoughts right after the finals post-awards ramblings declamation full reflection impromptu full reflection conclusion a little bit of context It's 11:21 am (not pm, lol) as I'm writing this, and I'm between rounds 2 and 3. It's lunch break, but I finished eating early, so here I am.  The events I'm doing are impromptu and declamation , and I'v

I've seen bloggers doing book memes since the minute I started blogging, but I've never taken part in one myself... until now. The one I selected is monthly, and it's called Throwback Thursday. Here are the rules... The Chocolate Lady’s #ThrowbackThursday takes place on the Thursday before the first Saturday of every month You are encouraged to write a post about anything old that strikes your fancy! If you want to tweet or share this post, or someone else’s post, or the reviews being highlighted, please use #ThrowbackThursday! Please link back to her original page on your post. ( here's the link! ) So, without further ado, let's get right into it! this time last year, i was reading... I have an app on my computer named Sora to read books, and one of the cool features is that it shows a full history of all the books you checked out and when. So I scrolled all the way down to April 2023, and as you can see, I was going through a Red Queen phase back then. On April 3,

hello. This month really flew by, didn't it? Well, I'm pretty sure I said the same thing last month, but whatever. This is the third monthly wrap-up I've written:  Here's my monthly wrap up for Jan,  and this is the one for February . table of contents posts I published this month music this month top artists top songs playlist of the month follow my spotify fav posts from other blogs conclusion posts I published this month february monthly wrap-up + finally recovering from the very happy yet emotional roller coaster that was the percy jackson tv series So this is last month's monthly wrap up, and it's... well, let's just call it interesting. It's the longest post I've ever written, and includes quite a few rants. the Wall by Brian Penn // why I DNF'ed this dystopian at 14 percent This book had been sitting on my Netgalley ARC shelf for, like, three months, and I finally reviewed it! 10:59 by N R Baker review: why this is one of the best novels I