Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald -> Starting October 14th, 2020

[Alaina]

A dark, queer YA fantasy that's perfect for fans of the Three Dark Crowns series and Wicked Saints. After Emanuela Ragno kills the one person in Occhia who can create water, she must find a way to save her city from dying of thirst.

Emanuela Ragno always gets what she wants. With her daring mind and socialite schemes, she refuses to be the demure young lady everyone wants her to be. In her most ambitious move yet, she's about to marry Alessandro Morandi, her childhood best friend and the heir to the wealthiest house in Occhia. Emanuela doesn't care that she and her groom are both gay, because she doesn't want a love match. She wants power, and through Ale, she'll have it all.

But Emanuela has a secret that could shatter her plans. In the city of Occhia, the only source of water is the watercrea, a mysterious being who uses magic to make water from blood. When their first bruise-like omen appears on their skin, all Occhians must surrender themselves to the watercrea to be drained of life. Everyone throughout history has given themselves up for the greater good. Everyone except Emanuela. She's kept the tiny omen on her hip out of sight for years.

When the watercrea exposes Emanuela during her wedding ceremony and takes her to be sacrificed, Emanuela fights back...and kills her. Now Occhia has no one to make their water and no idea how to get more. In a race against time, Emanuela and Ale must travel through the mysterious, blood-red veil that surrounds their city to uncover the secrets of the watercrea's magic and find a way to save their people-no matter what it takes.

[Alaina]

Starting this now!

[Alaina]

Ch 6: (view spoiler)[woah okay that statues covered in water is kind of cool. I wonder what’s going to happen next.. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 10: (view spoiler)[Eh, I'm a little bored right now but I'm still intrigued on what's going to happen to these two.. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 15: (view spoiler)[I'm glad they finally talked about her omen! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Finished: (view spoiler)[I'm not sure what to think about that ending.. I mean the book was okay but ehh. I just think I have a lot of questions right now. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Starting now!

[Kelly]

(I lied) I'm going to try to read it tomorrow. I'm so behind, sorry!

[Alaina]

Kelly wrote: "(I lied) I'm going to try to read it tomorrow. I'm so behind, sorry!"

LOL I have been behind on BRs since like January.

[Kelly]

Alaina wrote: "Kelly wrote: "(I lied) I'm going to try to read it tomorrow. I'm so behind, sorry!"

LOL I have been behind on BRs since like January."

ahah maybe November will be different

[Alaina]

Kelly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Kelly wrote: "(I lied) I'm going to try to read it tomorrow. I'm so behind, sorry!"

LOL I have been behind on BRs since like January."

ahah maybe November will be different"

Hahah yes, maybe we can do better.

[Kelly]

Ch 2 - (view spoiler)[ oh okay, the watercrea wants her dead but why? Does the mark or "omen" means she can become a watercrea too and since she wants to be the only one, she kills her competition? It's so weird that only her can "make water". They're all brain-washed. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 3 - (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Finishing this book today or never

[Alaina]

Kelly wrote: "Ch 2 - [spoilers removed]

Ch 3 -

"

I know I shouldn't laugh but your comment at Ch 3 had me dying.

[Alaina]

Kelly wrote: "Finishing this book today or never"

LOL you can do it!

[Kelly]

Ch 9 - (view spoiler)[The dialogues makes me think it might be better suited for younger readers. Also, why does the most important girl of a city wouldn't have any protection. No guards whatsoever, only her brother and a maid. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 11 - (view spoiler)[ wow okay, the FMC is so unlikable. The way she treats her "best friend" is starting to piss me off. Yes he messed up but you don't call him a "piece of garbage" (hide spoiler)]
Ch 13 - (view spoiler)[I'm so bored by their arguments. Can we hurry this up please?? (hide spoiler)]
Ch 14 - (view spoiler)[Good job Emanuela, you just murdered an old innocent woman who was only trying to protect them from you. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 16 - (view spoiler)[This book is weird. It looks like it's written for young teens and yet you put a gory scene where someone stabs Ale in the eye and take out the eye? wtf (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Finished - (view spoiler)[Omg this was so bad. When I started reading it the first time I was having fun and enjoying it but when I picked it up again... that was another experience. The writing wasn't good and I hated Emanuela so much! (the other girl was annoying too) Anyway, this book was all over the place. I'm so disappointed since this was a queer story and I wanted to love it but didn't. I liked the ideas of the watercreas etc but the execution was very lacking. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Alaina wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Ch 2 - [spoilers removed]
"

I know I shouldn't laugh but your comment at Ch 3 had me dying."

ahahah at least I'm glad something good came out of me reading this book lol