#March 2025 Books

[bargainsleuthbooks]

Book Reviews Children's Edition: Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz; Halfway There: A Memoir; The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance; How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up #GraphicNovels #Manga #NetGalley #ChildrensBooks

Time for another round-up of book reviews: this time I tackled some manga, graphic novels, and a children's book about climate science. Read about the history of the Peanuts comic book, a memoir about being mixed-race, and a YA horror story. #ARCReviews

I have been connecting to my kids more with their reading. The two youngest adore manga books and the reason I have a Barnes & Noble membership is because the county library and school library do not carry the series’ they are interested in. I’ve also been picking up some graphic novels and manga, including some ARCs. Here are some reviews of my most recent finds: Most books can be found at the…

[vaunted-and-vilified]

⋆ Let's Take a Walk, Gang! ⋆

[hkthatgffan]

Matt Braly shared some new photos of an almost final printing of The Art of Amphiba!

The book releases on March 25 2025. I really hope it sells well as with Gravity Falls' popularity rn post Book of Bill and Alex Hirsch wanting to do another GF book, there is no better chance we got of the GF artbook happening than rn by showing there is a demand with the Amphibia art book!

[greenwitchcrafts]

March 2025 Witch Guide

New Moon: March 29th

First Quarter: March 6th

Full moon: March 14th

Last Quarter: March 22nd

Sabbats: Ostara- March 20th

March Storm Moon

Also known as:  Crow Moon(Ojibwe), Hard Crust on the Snow Moon(Ojibwe & Chippewa tribes near the Great Lakes), Hrethmonath, Lenten Moon, Little Sand Storm Moon(Zuni), Moon of the Whispering Wind(Hopi), Moon When the Leaves Break Forth(Pueblo), Moon of the Winds, Sore Eyes Moon(Sioux, Lakota & Assiniboine of the Great Plains, northern plains, & Dakotas), Sap Moon(Shawnee of Ohio & Pennsylvania), Spring Moon(Inupiat in Alaska & the Passamaquoddy of the northeastern US), Storm Moon, Sugar-Making Moon(Ojibwe of southern Canada), Wind Moon(Choctaw, Cherokee of the southeastern US & the Catawba of South Carolina), & Worm Moon

Element: Water

Zodiac: Pisces & Aries

Nature spirts: Air spirts, water spirts & mer-people

Deities: Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Cybele, Isis, Luna & Minerva

Animals: Boar, cougar & hedgehog

Birds: Sea crow & sea eagle

Colors: Pale green, red-violet & yellow

Trees:  Alder, dogwood & honeysuckle

Herbs: Apple blossom, high John root, Irish moss, pennyroyal, wood betony & yellow dock

Flowers: Daffodil, jonquil & violet

Scents: Apple blossom & honeysuckle

Stones:  Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, obsidian, onyx, red zircon & topaz

Issues, intentions & powers: Astral, banishing, beginnings, empowerment, fertility & purification

Energy: Balance, beginnings, dream work, energy breaking into the open, exploring, growth, inner development, prospering, spirtual debt & truth seeking

March’s full Moon is often called the Worm Moon. It was thought this name referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring.

However, In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) & other Native American tribes & wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to a different sort of “worm”—beetle larvae—which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees & other winter hideouts at this time.

• Storm moon comes from heavy rains & gray skies abound — the earth is being showered with the life-giving water it needs to have a fertile & healthy growing season. This is also a time of equal parts light & darkness, so a time of balance.

This month's full moon is a blood moon which is a full moon that coincides with a full lunar eclipse. This moon can have an unusually reddish appearance

•There is a partial solar eclipse on March 29th

• There is a total lunar eclipse on March 13-14th depending on where you are

Ostara

Known as: Alban Eilir, Lady Day, Spring Equinox & Vernal Equinox

Season: Spring

Element: Fire

Symbols: 8-Spoked wheel, butterflies, chicks, decorated baskets, eggs, feathers, hares, rabbits, seeds, shamrocks, spring flowers & sunwheels

Colors: Green, light-blue, indigo, pink, red, silver, violet, white & yellow

Oils/Incense: African violet, apple blossom, columbine, crocus, daffodil, daisy, florals, ginger, honey, honeysuckle, jasmine, jonquil, lilac, lotus, magnolia, narcissus, orange blossom, primrose, rain, rose, sage & strawberry

Animals: Bees, boar, butterflies, hare, hedgehogs, horse, rabbit, ram, sheep & snake

Birds: Chicks, cormorant, hawk, robin, sparrow & swallow

Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, red jasper & rose quartz

Mythical: Pooka & phoenix

Food:  Asparagus, dairy foods, dill, eggs, fruit, honey, honey-cakes, lamb, leafy green vegetables, mead, pine nuts, pumpkin, radish, seafoods, spring onions, sprouts & sunflower seeds

Herbs/Plants: Acorn, broom, ginger, gorse, hyssop, high John root, Irish Moss, lemon grass, olive, strawberry, woodruff

Flowers: Apple blossom, columbine, crocus, daffodil, dandelion, daisy, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, jonquil, lilac, lily, linden, orange blossom, narcissus, peony, primrose, rose, snowdrop, tansy, tulip, violet

Trees: Alder, apple, ash, birch, dogwood, hawthorn, maple, yew

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Amalthea, Ariadne, Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Blodewedd, Coatlicue, Cybele, Demeter, Diana, Eos, Epona, Flora, Freya, Gaia, Guinevere, Hera, Idunn, Iris, Ishtar, Isis, Juno, Libera, Maia, Minerva, Ostara, Persephone, Rati, Renpet, Umaj, Venus, Vesta & Vila

Gods: Adonis, Aengus MacOg, Attis, Celi, Cernunnos, Coel, Dalon ap Landu, The Dagda, Dumuzi, Eros, The Green Man, Kama, Mithras, Odin, Osiris, Ovis, Pan & Thor

Tarot cards: The Empress, The Fool, The Magician, The Priestess, Strength, Justice & The Star

Spellwork: Altar rededication, beginnings, fire magick, new employment & new projects

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, balance, beauty, fertility, growth, life, light, love, rebirth & renewal

Activities:

•Go on a hike/walk & look for signs of spring

• Add Ostara symbols to decorate your altar space

• Plant vegetable &/or flower seedlings indoors after blessing the seeds

• Color bight, decorate & hunt eggs

• Set your intentions for the weeks/months ahead

• Start a new class or hobby

• Create eggshell candles

• Make plans & new routines for the future

• Participate in rituals & ceremonies that connect you with energy & the life force of nature

• Have a feast with your friends &/family with sprouts & leafy greens

• Bake hot cross buns

• Clean & de-clutter your home

• Try a re-birthing/ renewing ritual

• Bring fresh flowers or plants into into the home

• Host a spring & floral themed tea party

• Make egg based food dishes & desserts

• Assist houseless individuals as most temporary shelters will soon be closing

Ostara gets it's name from Eostre, however the celebration isn't based on her even though she is said to be interpreted as the goddess of spring, fertility & the dawn. There is very little information on Eostre and none have shown up before the eighth century because of disagreements on she had Celtic or Germanic origins.

People tend to believe Ostara is an ancient holiday at it's core with an ancient goddess, but that may not be the truth. While most gods & goddesses have many myths & stories surrounding them, the same cannot be said about Eostre

It is still up for debate whether or not this goddess ever existed or if she was revered & celebrated the ways she's been in the more recent years.

•Like many other spring celebrations in other cultures, Ostara symbolizes fertility, rebirth & renewal. This time of year marking the beginning of the agricultural cycle when farmers would start planting seeds.

  There is no evidence that the ancient Greeks or Romans celebrated Ostara, although they did celebrate their own spring festivals, such as the Roman festival of Floralia & the Greek festival of Anthesteria. It was a time to honor the returning sun, fertility & rebirth.

Related festivals:

• Nowruz: March 20h-

Nowruz marks the first day of spring & renewal of nature. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox. It is also celebrated as the beginning of the new year by people all around the world for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East & other regions.

It promotes values of peace & solidarity between generations & within families as well as reconciliation & neighbourliness. Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect & the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness. 

Traditional customs of Nowruz include fire & water, ritual dances, gift exchanges, reciting poetry, symbolic objects & more; these customs differ between the diverse peoples & countries that celebrate the festival.

• Holi: March 14th-

Holi is a popular & significant Hindu festival celebrated as the The festival of colors, Love &Spring. It commemorates eternal and divine love of the deities Radha & Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebratess the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. Holi originated & is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, but has also spread to other regions of Asia & parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.

The festival has many purposes; most prominently, it celebrates the beginning of spring. In 17th century literature, it was identified as a festival that celebrated agriculture, commemorated good spring harvests & the fertile land. It's believed to be a time to enjoying spring's abundant colours & say farewell to winter. To many Hindus, Holi festivities mark an occasion to reset & renew ruptured relationships, end conflicts, & rid themselves of accumulated emotional impurities from the past

It also has a religious purpose, symbolically signified by the legend of Holika. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Little Holi. People gather near fires, sing & dance. The next day, Holi, also known as Dhuli in Sanskrit, or Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated.

•Easter: April 20th-

Also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival & cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, & penance.

Easter traditions vary across the Christian world & include sunrise services or late-night vigils, exclamations & exchanges of Paschal greetings, flowering the cross & the decoration and the communal breaking of Easter eggs (a symbol of the empty tomb) among many others. The Easter lily is a symbol of the resurrection in Western Christianity traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day & for the rest of Eastertide. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter & are observed by both Christians & some non-Christians include Easter parades, communal dancing, the Easter Bunny & egg hunting.

Other celebrations:

• Festival of Luna: March 31st-

Is a feast day honoring the Goddess Luna who is seen as the divine embodiment of the Moon.

The Temple of Luna was a temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome, dedicated to Luna, the moon goddess. Its dedication was celebrated on March 31st, thus the celebration.

According to Tacitus, it was built by king Servius Tullius. However, the first confirmed reference to a temple to Luna dates to 182 BC & refers to one of its doors being knocked off its posts by a miraculous blast of air & shot into the back of the Temple of Ceres. That account probably places the temple at the north end of the hill, just above porta Trigemina. The temple was struck by lightning around the time of the death of Cinna, as was the temple of Ceres. After the destruction of Corinth, Lucius Mummius Achaicus dedicated some of his spoils from the city to this temple. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD & not rebuilt.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

Encyclopedia Britannica

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2025 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

https://www.learnreligions.com

Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials: Ostara

[myriaeden]

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[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

BFCD Masterlist: Black Female Book Characters

Followers of BFCD may know that I don't read very many books that are not about Black women or Black girls and most of them are written by Black women, and sometimes Black men, others quite infrequently. In Black books, there are generally multiple Black characters, as we aren't generally tokens in our own communities and stories.

But, the list also includes some characters of nonblack books, whether or not I have read them, and those are usually tokenized characters. For the ones that are not, I have decided to place the main character as the alphabetized character and other characters that are represented in those books on this blog will be in the same section of the main character's name.

For example, all Legacy of Orisha Characters with BFCD links will be listed under Zélie Adebola's name on this masterlist.

Agatha of Woods Beyond: The School for Good and Evil, Professor Dovey (Not Black in the books, but because of the movie, much of the fanart now is)

Akasha: The Vampire Chronicles (The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned) Merrick Mayfair

Alice Kingston: The Nightmare Verse (A Blade So Black, A Dream So Dark, A Crown So Cursed)

Amari Peters: Supernatural Investigations (Amari and the Night Brothers, Amari and the Great Game, Amari and the Despicable Wonders)

Amarie "Amma" Treadeau: Beautiful Creatures *I did not read this, but Viola Davis was the character in the movie and I have never known anybody but a Black femme/woman to be an Amarie, so she staying on the book list, as well.

Angelina Weasley: (Harry Potter Series) Now... This is a difficult subject. I was one of the Potterhead from my college years into after my brain fully developed. I did see all the movies in theaters and the last thing I enjoyed was The Cursed Child on Broadway. ONLY TIME I have ever seen something on Broadway... i think the last thing I saw was the first of the Fantastic Beasts movies, and shortly after that, I think was when I first found out about the TERF. For the most part, I hardly feature Potterverse things here, as it makes me upset to see the universe continuing. BUT, this page with book characters felt like I should go head and include it for this particular list. Hermione Granger, Rose Granger Weasley, Lavender Brown, Roxanne Weasely, Lally Hicks

Anne Elliot: Jane Austen... Idk Jane Austen books. I think I tried to read one or two and promptly realized they weren't for me, so if this section is messed up, I think you'll pull through. The characters probably weren't even canonically Black, so idk what to tell you. Sometimes I see aesthetics and reblog them.

Ardelia Mapp: Silence of the Lambs

Arrah N'yar: Kingdom of Souls (Kingdom of Souls, Reaper of Souls, Master of Souls) Efiya, Essnai

Autumn Knight: Pinned

Beloved: (Beloved) Sethe, Denver

Binti Ekeopara Zuzu Dambu Kaipka of Namib: Binti Trilogy (Binti, Binti: Home, Binti: The Night Masquerade)

Bree Matthews: The Legendborn Cycle

Briseis Greene: This Poison Heart (This Poison Heart, This Wicked Fate)

The Brown Sisters: (Talia Hibbert..So, I haven't read any of these either, though I do run into aesthetics from time to time. From my perceptions, they seem to be swirler romance fiction of some sort. Not necessarily my genre, but including them because they do wind up on the page at times.) Dani Brown, Eve Brown

Camellia Beauregard: The Belles

Carmel Schneider: Nine Perfect Strangers. Idk if she's in the book because I only watched the series and I didn't care enough for the series to go read the book, but here she is, if she is in there.

Celie: The Color Purple Shug Avery, Sophia, Squeak. The Color Purple has various adaptations and interpretations. Originally a book, it belongs on the book list, however, most Tumblr content for the work come from the movies and the play.

Christina: Divergent Series

Coco Monvoisin: Serpent & Dove

Cresseida: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Daja Kisubo Circle of Magic (Daja's Book)

Eadaz du Zāla uq-Nāra: The Priory of the Orange Tree

Farah Hauville: Wayhaven Chronicles

God: The Shack

Greta Goblin: The Tea Dragon Society

Hazel Levesque: Heroes of Olympus

Jordan Hennessy: The Dreamer Trilogy (Call Down the Hawk, Mister Impossible, Greywaren) Hennessy, Jordan, June, Madox, Farrah, Alba, Brooklyn, Jay, Octavia, Trinity

Jam: Pet

Jane McKeene: (Dread Nation, Deathless Divide) Katherine Deveraux, Big Sue, Lily Keats, Ida, Callie, Auntie Aggie, Jane Mama

Juniper Andromeda: Crescent City

Imabelle:

Karina: (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin) Bahia Alahari

Keisha Taylor: Alice Isn't Dead

Lady Death: The Hanged Man

Lady Fire: Graceling

Lucy Pevensie: The Chronicles of Narnia

Maia Roberts: The Mortal Instruments, The Shadowhunters Chronicles

Meg Murray: A Wrinkle in Time (One day, I absolutely will separate books & movies)

Melanie: The Girl with All the Gifts

Merrick Mayfair: The Vampire Chronicles, The Mayfair Witches, Merrick

Missandei: Game of Thrones (There are multiple books. I am not a reader of them) Nettles, Daenerys Targaryen, Laena Velaryon, Baela Targaryen, Rhaena Targaryen

Nasuada: Eragon

Natasha Kingsley (The Sun is Also a Star)

Nehemia Ytger: Throne of Glass (There are multiple books. I am not a reader of them)

Onyesonwu Ubaid-Ogundimu: Who Fears Death

Rae Sloane: (Star Wars) Korr Sella, Ciena Ree

Red Riding Hood:

Rue: The Hunger Games

Rue Jelani Akintola: Wings of Ebony

Serwa Boateng: Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting

Sierra Santiago: The Shadowshaper Cypher (Shadowshaper, Shadowhouse Fall, Shadowshaper Legacy) Trejean "Tee," Izzy

Simidele: Of Mermaids and Orisa (Skin of the Sea, Soul of the Deep)

Simmaa Aldajah: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats & Piracy

Sophia Grimmins: (Cinderella is Dead) Constance, Cinderella (Until further notice, the all Cinderellas tag will be used for the CID Cinderella tag. Hopefully, I can attach a specific CID Cinderella in the future), Erin, Liv, Amina

Starr Carter: The Hate U Give

Sula Mae Peace: Sula

Sunny Nwazue: The Nsibidi Scripts (Akata Witch, Akata Warrior, Akata Woman) ChiChi

Syenite: The Broken Earth Series (The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, The Stone Sky), Damaya, Essun

Tarisai Idajo: Raybearer, Redemptor

Thea Muldani: All For the Game (There are multiple books. I am not a reader of them) Dan Wilds

Vida Bautista/Conner: The Darkest Minds

Voya Thomas: (Blood Like Magic, Blood Like Fate) Keis, Alex, Keisha, Aqua

Wendy Darling: Peter Pan, Darling

Winter Hayle Blackburn: The Lunar Chronicles (There are multiple books. I am not a reader of them) Iko

Zélie Adebola: Legacy of Orisha (Children of Blood and Bone, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, Children of Anguish and Anarchy) Amari Olúborí

Children's Books Tag

Fairy Tales

[monsieuroverlord]

March 2025 Solicits are up!!!!!

source here

Hellverine #4

written by Pen Percy, art by Raffaele Ienco, Cover by Kendrick “Kunkka” Lim

This variant by Jonas Scharf, plus we're expecting an "Invisible!" Variant cover by Andrei Bressan and another variant by Skan

"THE UNFATHOMABLE DEPTHS OF HELL!

• MEPHISTO’s plan drives HELLVERINE to the site of great personal tragedy – where, as DAKEN, he was drowned by WOLVERINE! This time, something far worse lurks just below the surface…!

• HELLVERINE lives, but if the demonic forces get their way, so will a Hell-born army!"

Laura Kinney: Wolverine #4

written by Erica Schultz, art by Giada Belviso, main cover by Elena Casagrande

Kimoko Variant Cover by Peach Momoko, variant by Nabetse Zitro. Expecting another by Jeehyung Lee (regular variant plus a virgin variant)

"WHO’S READY FOR A REVOLUTION?

• Metal arm – check. Metal claws – check. We’re packed, so buckle up with BUCKY BARNES, A.K.A. THE REVOLUTION, as he and LAURA make a cross-country trek that takes them into the heart of a HYDRA plot decades in the making!

• Bucky needs to track down a renegade scientist – and who tracks better than WOLVERINE?!"

Spirits of Violence #1

written by Sabir Pirzada, art by Paul Davidson, main cover by Kenderick "kunkka" Lim

with a Kimoko Variant Cover by Peach Momoko, plus another variant to be determined

(OH MY GOD, are we getting an Akihiro in a Kimono Variant!?!?!)

"WHO OR WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF VIOLENCE?!

For weeks, Johnny Blaze has been on the trail of a mysterious and dangerous new entity: THE SPIRIT OF VIOLENCE! Born of an ancient curse from forgotten magiks, the Spirit of Violence feeds on fear, blood and death – and it’s got a bone to pick with GHOST RIDER!"

[rosegardendeprofundis]

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Review

Dates Read: February 12 — March 3, 2025

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Genre: Fantasy

2025 Reading Goal: 23/100

I read this book for my book club, and honestly, it is not a book I would have picked up on my own because I generally do not read fantasy (let alone high fantasy). This book is objectively good, and I can definitely see why it has withstood the test of time. However, I had a hard time feeling invested in the narrative just because of the type of reader I am.

For context, I primarily read literary fiction. When I read, I generally don’t care as much about the moving plot and action in a book as I care about understanding who the characters are, their motivations, and how they change based on their circumstances. Since I read for these specific things, I find it difficult to feel a personal connection to the characters in epic narratives where the focus is primarily on external factors like the scenery and the quest at hand rather than the characters’ subconscious. These focal points are, of course, necessary for the genre; they are just not my cup of tea per se.

I do plan to finish the rest of the trilogy, and I am going to try watching the first LOTR film before moving on to The Two Towers to see if that will help me feel more connected to the narrative.

[livinglifewithmandymarie]

March 2025 Goals

Slightly lowering calories. Focusing on fat loss the next few months. Should be good!

Still lifting, just increasing the reps and sets. Adding cardio.

Still struggling with steps, but I'm just being lazy.

Going to finish book 1 tomorrow, 3 to go.

1 scarf down, 2 to go.

[bellasbookclub]

who's ready for Mythology March? 🏛🏺

Grab your friends and wear your chitons, because this month BBC is reading Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis! There may not be talking Jesus fursonas, but there's plenty of other stuff to dig into in this Greek myth retelling for adults (no, not THAT kind of Greek myth retelling for adults. Booktok would hate this for its lack of smut.) Come talk Cupid and Psyche with us on our Discord on March 24th! 🗡️🧿

Discord discussion: Monday 3/24 8 PM EST | Tuesday 24/3 11 AM AEST

Join the Storygraph readalong here!

Bella’s Book Club is an interactive virtual book club created by the Three Books One Plot podcast. Our monthly Discord discussions are open to all! More info here.

[whocanbelieve]

FIFTH HUNGER GAMES BOOK

FIFTH HUNGER GAMES BOOK

FIFTH HUNGER GAMES BOOK

FIFTH HUNGER GAMES BOOK

FIFTH HUNGER GAMES BOOK

[eliosvniverse]

Reading log #2

February 2025

No Spoilers.

Books are in order of when I completed them.

⭐-Favorite Reads of the Month. I read so many amazing books this month I just couldn't choose one!!

#1 James by Percival Everett

4/5. The B&N 2024 book of the year was a thrilling and emotional start to Black History Month. This was a beautiful and disturbing novel that kept me engaged from start to finish. I read this for the 2025 Goodreads Community Favorites Challenge, but still enjoyed it a lot.

#2 Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu

3/5. A nice vampire story that predates Dracula. I enjoyed this a lot and would read again, though it isn't really anything special.

#3 Bride by Ali Hazelwood

2/5. This was an enjoyable novel but I just don't see anything special in it. I'm sure this novel resonates more with others but it just didn't do it for me. I read this for the 2025 Goodreads Community Favorites Challenge.

#4 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

4/5. A cozy classic! This was the February choice for my book club and I'm grateful I finally got to reading it.

#5 A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor

2/5. I'd recommend others to read this but it just wasn't my thing. In parts it almost seemed like some sort of Christian propaganda and just left a bad taste in my mouth.

#6 Graveyard Shift by M. L. Rio

3/5. All I can say without spoilers is that this is an over thinker's worst nightmare. I still don't know how to feel.

#7 The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

4/5. I really enjoyed reading this but there were aspects that I just can't get past.

#8 They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

3/5. I loved the story but some of the dialogue was just a turn off for me. It's a very nice book though and I would definitely recommend others to read it.

#9 What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould⭐

4/5. I love this book so so much. The only thing that wasn't really for me was the ending.

#10 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

5/5. An emotional and powerful book with interesting aspects that make it special. I cried.

#11 Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

2/5. It wasn't bad, just nothing special for me.

#12 The Red Convertible by Louise Erdrich

5/5. I cried like a baby. I will hold this short story so so close to me forever.

#13 If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio ⭐

5/5. I cried (again). I loved the story and the characters and their dynamics and just everything. I want to teleport into this book and live inside it forever.

#14 Vicious by V. E. Schwab ⭐

5/5. Genuinely had such a satisfying ending. I enjoyed this a lot, though some parts bored me a little it just ended so well that it leaves you loving the book.

#15 Warm Up by V. E. Schwab

3/5. After reading Vicious, I just needed more. This short story was good for what it was and pushes you to fall even more in love with the characters. I'm excited to read more.

#16 The Haunting of Hajji Hotak by Jamil Jan Kochai

4/5. The perspective was so unique I absolutely loved this story though it was very unsettling, almost as if I'm looking in on a real family.

#17 ExtraOrdinary by V. E. Schwab

3/5. I loved this, it's so nice to see more of this world. I love the characters, especially the found family aspects.

#18 Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse

4/5. This short story filled me with such rage. I felt so much for the main character and I really appreciate this work as a whole.

#19 Vengeful by V. E. Schwab

4/5. I probably wouldn't have rated this book more than three stars, but there were parts that were just so intensely comforting to me I felt it deserved 4 stars.

#20 Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

2/5. This was decent, just not for me.

#21 Galatea by Madeline Miller

3/5. I'm struggling to form an opinion on this. I didn't enjoy reading it but I can appreciate the book after finishing it.

#22 Emma by Jane Austen

4/5. A nice lighthearted read. Definitely took a while for me to get through but I believe it was worth it.

These are just my opinions and how much I enjoyed each piece as I finish them, it does not mean one work is better than another and my opinions will change over time. So remember, this is JUST a reading log!!

[hungergameshyperfixation]

I’m already a disorganized MESS with all my thoughts about SotR (or SOTR—yes we get a fantastic acronym) but the current one that is rattling in my brain is that we TECHNICALLY didn’t get a confirmation about who the protagonist is. Correct me if I’m wrong but all the announcement posts simply confirm it takes place on the morning of the 50th games.

We could be following Katniss’s Mom for all we know—she was alive to witness it, lost her best friend to it.

This Hunger Games novel could do something completely different to what we’ve seen: follow a character who doesn’t survive past the games themselves. Maybe we could be getting a first person novel about the district 2 career, or Maysilee herself.

Maybe it’s third person, or first person by someone other than Haymitch.

Maybe we get a rotating perspective (doubt it but still!!)

Maybe it’s Haymitch’s mother, brother, a girlfriend. So many possibilities

Do I hope it’s Haymitch centered? …yes absolutely lmao he’s literally my favorite character in the series. (Which I’m ngl, I hope the novel doesn’t shatter that 💀 I know Haymitch isn’t exactly likeable and I fear maybe my “rose colored glasses” have a chance to be shattered lol)

But just to raise the idea that Haymitch isn’t the only person Sunrise on the Reaping could focus on

[nashmusicguide]

TPAC announces 45th Anniversary Broadway season featuring six Nashville premieres and two-week engagements of HAMILTON and Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

A storybook season awaits as the nonprofit Tennessee Performing Arts Center® announces its 2025-26 HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC season, presented in partnership with Nissan and Farm Bureau Health Plans, as part of its 45th Anniversary. The upcoming season features six Nashville premieres, plus the return of a classic fairy tale and the revolutionary re-telling of American…

[brightbeautifulthings]

Winter Soldier: The Bitter March by Rick Remender

"'Oh, to see what they did to you. It would break your Captain's heart.'"

Year Read: 2025

Rating: 2/5

Thoughts: This obviously should have been read before The Iron Nail (and possibly Loose Nuke as well), but comic book chronology is inscrutable from the outside. It provides some backstory on Ran Shen and his path from SHIELD agent to villain. Unfortunately, I don't find him that interesting, which is a problem for the main character. I know Remender was going for a very vintage James Bond vibe, and we definitely get that with the train and the espionage, but some qualities of that genre haven't aged so well. I think Shen is supposed to be witty and debonair, but mostly he comes off as arrogant and over-confident. He brings most of his problems on himself by failing to listen to anyone else.

On the plus side, this has some wonderful Winter Soldier moments. It's very fun to see Bucky pop up again and again and rain on everyone's parade. I don't think he should overshadow the main character, but he does, and it's yet another iron nail in Shen's coffin. The other villains are… weird. Remender does okay when he's writing the main Marvel cast, but some of his originals don't quite hit the mark. There's a strange woman made of worms (cue some uncomfortable and unnecessary penetration comments--this isn't a Venom comic, my dude) and then there's Lord Drain, a pale Dracula-looking guy with entirely too much time for villain monologues. I'm also not convinced it's that simple to break through Bucky's programming; Brubaker's Steve literally has to use the cosmic cube to bring his memories back, but here a little electricity is enough? I like the point Remender's making about SHIELD, but the whole thing comes over a bit clunky/preachy.

On a side note, shocking how some of the best Stucky lines come from the most lackluster comics. I can't believe a character called Lord Drain came up with that one.

[beetlebongos]

alternatively I Did finish a book in a Couple days not one last week but it was such a dogshit book so bad never read night film lifetime movie ass book when and why did I purchase that