#Shaun McManus

[browsethestacks]

Batman Family: Rogues

Art by Shawn McManus

[driveintheaterofthemind]

The Spirit

Art by Shawn McManus

[qwuilty]

HAPPY EARLY HALLOWEEN

PUMPKIN BLAST 🎃💥

Bonus after-picture sketch:

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Read in November 2023

so Known Author November turned out pretty successful in the end! after a slow start to the month and quite a few DNFs, I managed to get through 10 books, 9 of which were by authors I was already familiar with

when I started this little challenge, I aimed to get my "Authors I've Read Before" list down to 79 from 87. I'm ending the challenge with ... 79 on that list lol it would've been 78 but I bought a book from an author I've read before this morning 🤭 but I'm still happy with this outcome, and I've got a few more books in this category on my December TBR so things are gonna keep coming down before the end of the year!

Series read:

Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber:

The Ballad of Never After - 3/5

A Curse for True Love - DNF

Familiar authors:

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan - 4/5 (audio)

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst - 4/5

You’d Be Home By Now by Kathleen Glasgow - 3/5

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson - 3/5 (audio)

Ryan and Avery by David Levithan - 5/5

Nothing More To Tell by Karen M McManus - 3/5 (audio)

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton - 4/5 (audio)

Violet Ghosts by Leah Thomas - 5/5

Other reads:

One Life by Megan Rapinoe & Emma Brockes - 5/5 (audio)

[peraltasass]

books i read in 2022

✩✩✩✩✩ - ★★★★★

Fiction:

Myth Retold: Iphigenia by Winter J. Kiakas: ★★★★✩ (cute!)

Heroes by Stehen Fry: ★★★✩✩ (too much whitewashing)

Loveless by Alice Oseman: ★★★★✩ (was frustrated that at the end, only one type of friendship (deep, intense, emotional) was once again posited as the “right” type of friendship to have)

Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan: ★★★★✩ (read these once when I was like 12?)

Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan: ★★★★✩

The Wave by Morton Rhue aka Tedd Strasser: ★★✩✩✩ (ik it’s like a big thing but. the writing didn’t catch me at all - maybe it was the translation or maybe it is just not as well written as claimed)

Percy Jackson: The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan: ★★★★✩ (ah yes, we all know that girls saying no to love = saying no to men)

Percy Jackson: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan: ★★★★✩ (just stop it with the jealousy between girls jfc)

Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan: ★★★★✩ (didn’t remember the ending at all, was surprised by how okay I was with it)

we are the ants by Shaun David Hutchinson: ★★★✩✩/★★★★✩ (am incredibly indecisive about how I feel about this one. made me feel more feeling that I thought at first but also frustrated me quite a lot)

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes: ★★★★✩ (very powerful, I only have tiny notes)

Ulysses by James Joyce: ★★✩✩✩ (I don’t cARE if it’s the bEsT nOvEl Of ThE 20th cEnTuRy, I did NOT have a good time)

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao: ★★★½✩ (I hate to say it but it was too much like Percy Jackson for most of the main part)

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus: ★★★½✩ (did get me eventually; as someone who wrote their ba thesis on the breakfast club it was nice to see the stereotypes deconstructed but also frustrating at times)

Ausser Sich by Sasha Marianna Salzmann: ★★★½✩ (VERY overwhelming at times, but also intensely powerful)

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender: ★★★★✩ (cute)

Die Götter müssen sterben by Nora Bendzko: ★★★★★ (my new fav book)

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters: ★★★★✩

Cracking India by Bapsi Sidhwa: ★★★✩✩ (for uni)

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: ★★★★★ (re-read)

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater: ★★★★★ (re-read)

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater: ★★★★★ (re-read)

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater:  ★★★★✩ (re-read, still the least good of all of them)

I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman: ★★★★✩ (cute quick and easy read)

Non fiction:

A Year Without a Name by Cyrus Dunham: ★★★★✩ (for uni)

Wir können mehr sein by Aminata Touré: ★★★½✩

Und jetzt Du by Tupoka Ogette: ★★★★★ (@German white people: READ THIS)

Read This to Get Smarter by Blair Imani: ★★★★✩

Queer Gestreift by Kathrin Köller and Irmela Schautz ★★★★✩

My Left Foot by Christy Brown: ★★★★✩ (for uni)

Read This to Get Smarter about Race, Class, Gender, Disability & More by Blair Imani: ★★★★✩

Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon: ★★★★✩

Graphic novels, comics, and webcomics:

Tidesong by Wendy Xu: ★★★★✩

Princess, Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neill: ★★★✩✩ (too short!)

This Place: 150 Years Retold: ★★★★★

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu, and Joanette Gil: ★★★★★

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and  Rosemary Valero-O'Connell: ★★★★✩

Suki, Alone: ★★★✩✩ (liked it, wish it had given me MORE)

Fine. A Comic About Gender by Thea Ewing: ★★★★★ (STRONG recommend!)

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill: ★★★★★ (too short but SO CUTE)

[peternelthorpe]

Band Name Origins: Stories Behind Band Names

New Post has been published on https://wr1tepress.com/band-name-origins-stories-behind-band-names/

Band Name Origins: Stories Behind Band Names

Did you know that the Bee Gees were named after the initials of a DJ called Bill Gates? Did you know that the real story behind the origin of the name of the rock band 10cc is much more trivial and boring than the urban legend that surrounds it? Did you ever wonder why the hell would someone choose to name his band Chumbawamba? Here you can widen your knowledge by learning about the origins or rock bands names and pop artists pseudonyms.

10cc: an urban legend claims that the band who wrote the hit Im Not in Love has chosen her name as a gesture to the average male ejaculation, which is estimated as 9cc of sperm. but, the bands name really originated in a dream the band manager, Jonathan King, had in which he was managing a band by the name of 10cc

Alice in Chains: Lane Stanley and Jerry Cantrell had intended to form a heavy metal band that will perform covers of Slayer while wearing dresses. Although there plan did not come out, the name of the band remained. Alice in Chains is a take off on Alice in Wonderland with an S and M twist. Bee Gees: The Gibb brothers first had in mind the name The Rattlesnakes as a name of their band. Later they have come up with the idea of honoring the initials of both Brothers Gibb and their close friend and one of their first supports, DJ Bill Gates, who has nothing to do with the founder of Microsoft. Chumbawamba: apparently, one of the band members had a strange dream, in which he could not decide which public toilet door he should enter since the Men and Women signs were replaced with Chumba and Wamba signs. The Doors: formerly named Psychedelic Ranger, inspired by a William Blake quote: If the doors of perception were to be cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. Elvis Costello: was born as Declan Patrick McManus. When he had started his musical career, he adopted an alias created by a combination of Elvis Presley and Lou Costello, mainly because he represents the exact opposite of the other Elvis.

The Fall: taken from the title of a novel authored by Albert Camus.

Grateful Dead: originally named The Warlocks. The origin of the cult band final name was inspired by an old English folk tale, which themed around a traveler who is saved by the spirit of a dead person who is grateful for the travelers generosity and his willingness to pay the deads man debts in order for him to be buried.

The Happy Mondays: Shaun Rider was inspired by the happy Mondays he and the other members of the band were having as unemployed who were spending the day that follows the weekend in sleeping while the other people were off to work.

Ice T: the controversial gangsta rapper has chosen to name himself after Iceberg Slim, a famous pimp who later became an author of books that describe gangsta living. Johnny Rotten: the Sex Pistols leader was born as John Lydon. He received a stage name that was found more suitable for an anarchist punk with a set of rotten teeth.

Kraftwerk: the pioneer electronic band adopted the German translation of the term Power Station.

L. LL Cool J: James Todd Smith pseudonym is an Acronym for Ladies Love Cool James.

Marilyn Manson: the bandleader pseudonym mixes two of Americas favorite celebrities: Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson. Other members of the band are using the pseudonyms Ginger Fish, Twiggy Ramirez and Madonna Wayne Gacy.

Nine Inch Nails: inspired by the nails that attached Jesus to the cross

The Orb: in Woody Allens Sleeper, there is a silver ball that causes people who touches it to react in strange ways. This device was called The Orb.

The Pogues: originally named Pogue Mahone, which is Kiss my Ass in Gaelic, the band shortened the name to avoid airplay censorship.

Queen: one word that catches both transvestite and royalty connotation was the perfect band name in the eyes of Freddie Mercury.

The Replacements: according to the myth, the punk rock band adapted the name after replacing a missing band in a gig, an incident that made them introduced themselves as The Replacements.

Sex Pistols: Malcolm Mclaren is responsible for the choice of the name, partly to help promote the clothes shop called Sex owned by Vivien Westwood who used to be his girlfriend at the time.

TLC: the initials of the band members nicknames T Boz, Left Eye and Chilli. It also suggests the acronym for Tender Loving Care.

UB40: the politically oriented band was named after a type of British unemployment form.

Velvet Underground: named after the title of an unknown sex book that one of the band members has found lying on the sidewalk Weezer: the band front man was nicknamed Weezer in high school since he was a geek who suffered from asthma that caused him to make wheezing sounds.

XTC: this punk band was formed in 1976 long before the usage of the drug was popular. The band had changed its original name Star Park after watching a Jimmy Durante clip in which he states: Im in ecstasy!

Yeah Yeah Yeah: according to Karen O, the inspiration to the hip band name came from the New Yorker phrase, which means something like whatever. ZZ Top: there are two versions related to the origin of the band name. According to the first one, the name of the band is a spoof on the name of the blues musician ZZ Hill. According to the second version, the name relates to a combination of two popular brands of cigarette rolling papers: Zig Zag and Tops Rolling papers.

[ulkaralakbarova]

Five twenty-something friends spend a drug-fueled weekend in Cardiff, Wales. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Jip: John Simm Koop: Shaun Parkes Nina: Nicola Reynolds Lulu: Lorraine Pilkington Moff: Danny Dyer Lee: Dean Davies Felix: Andrew Lincoln Moff’s Father: Terence Beesley Reality (voice): Jo Brand Andy: Richard Coyle Karen Benson: Jan Anderson Pablo Hassan: Carl Cox Fleur: Stephanie Brooks Howard Marks: Howard Marks Jip’s Mother: Helen Griffin Tyrone: Danny Midwinter Ziggy Marlon: Justin Kerrigan Hip Hop Junkie: Tyrone Johnson Koop’s Father: Larrington Walker Jip’s Manager: Philip Rosch Lulu’s Uncle Albert: Peter Albert Lulu’s Auntie Violet: Menna Trussler Jeremy Faxman: Mark Seaman Connie: Lynne Seymour Luke: Patrick Taggart Boomshanka: Anna Wilson Casey: Robert Marable Herbie: Nick Kilroy Matt: Peter Bramhill Moff’s Mother: Carol Harrison Moff’s Grandmother: Anne Bowen Martin: Giles Thomas Jip’s Ex #2: Sarah Blackburn Doctor: Eilian Wyn Asylum Doorman: Neil Bowens Jip’s Ex #3: Nicola Davey Inca: Roger Evans Tyler: Bradley Freegard Trixi: Emma Hall Jip’s Ex #1: Elizabeth Harper Jip’s Secretary: Jennifer Hill TV Interviewer: Nicola Heywood-Thomas Casey: Robert Marrable Cardiff Bad Boy: Louis Marriot Millsy From Roath: Millsy in Nottingham Karen Benson’s Boyfriend: Robbie Newby Tom Tom’s MC: Ninjah Jip’s Mother’s Client: Cadfan Roberts Koop’s Workmate: Mad Doctor X Bad Boy: Jason Samuels Breakdancer / Bodypopper: Tim Hamilton Bodypopper: Alicia Ferraboschi Bodypopper: Sherena Flash Bodypopper: Marat Khairoullin Bodypopper: Adam Pudney Bodypopper: Mark Seymore Bodypopper: Algernon Williams Bodypopper: Colin Williams Bodypopper: Frank Wilson Film Crew: Supervising Sound Editor: Glenn Freemantle Sound Editor: Tom Sayers Dialogue Editor: Gillian Dodders Casting Director: Sue Jones Additional Editing: Stuart Gazzard Associate Producer: Rupert Preston Producer: Allan Niblo Director: Justin Kerrigan Producer: Emer McCourt Co-Executive Producer: Michael Wearing Steadicam Operator: Paul Edwards Second Assistant Director: Marcus Collier Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Craig Irving Editor: Patrick Moore Director of Photography: Dave Bennett Costume Designer: Claire Anderson Original Music Composer: Matthew Herbert Set Dresser: Ed Talfan Sound Recordist: Martyn Stevens Production Coordinator: Andrea Cornwell Post Production Supervisor: Jackie Vance Post Production Coordinator: Claire Mason ADR Recordist: Sandy Buchanan Gaffer: Andrew Taylor Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Nicolas Le Messurier Script Supervisor: Laura Gwynne Assistant Sound Editor: Susan French Music Supervisor: Pete Tong Makeup & Hair: Kerry September First Assistant Director: Charlie Watson Post Production Supervisor: Maria Walker Second Assistant Director: Matthew Penry-Davey Assistant Editor: Amy Adams Foley Editor: Miriam Ludbrook Original Music Composer: Roberto Leite Storyboard Artist: Nick Kilroy Dialogue Editor: Keith Marriner Makeup Designer: Tony Lilley First Assistant Director: Emma Pounds Music Consultant: Arthur Baker Co-Executive Producer: Kevin Menton Electrician: Mark Hutchings Boom Operator: Jeff Welch Costume Assistant: Karen Mason Casting Director: Gary Howe Production Design: David Buckingham Co-Executive Producer: Nigel Warren-Green Executive Producer: Renata S. Aly Art Direction: Sue Ayton First Assistant Director: Hywel Watkins Third Assistant Director: Tivian Zvekan Location Manager: Peter Vidler Location Manager: Frank Coles Assistant Location Manager: Roland Mercer Focus Puller: Mike Chitty Clapper Loader: Ewan O’Brien Key Grip: David Hopkins Construction Manager: Martin Dawes Property Master: John C. Reilly Set Dresser: Riana Griffiths Art Department Assistant: Jacqui Puscher Storyboard Artist: Deena Mathews Costume Supervisor: Anne McManus Makeup & Hair: Hanna Coles Still Photographer: Hector Bermejo Unit Publicist: Jessica Kirsh Movie Reviews: zag: One of my favorite films of all time, its a period movie describing the young party goers of the UK in the 1990’s. It hits the nail on the head, the lov...

[mirandamckenni1]

Liked on YouTube: Meeting this Syrian toymaker was nothing like I expected it to be || We Were Here || https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoWbPi1EEDI || I'm so excited for you to meet my new friend Mohammad. Thanks to everyone who helped make this happen, here's more information on the project: In support of World Refugee Day, We Were Here is an original documentary series from YouTube and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, that seeks to challenge stereotypes and perceptions about refugees by focussing on what unites us rather than sets us apart - our shared passions. You can see the other episodes in the series here: The Permaculturist - on the Gaz Oakley YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF-ACPYNN0oXD4ihS5mbbmw The Musicians - on the Jax Jones YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj95pmTj8-hClQPPc972VOw All episodes of the series are also featured on the YouTube playlist - http://yt.be/wewerehere Learn more at https://ift.tt/v4SsQHd #worldrefugeeday Directed by: Mahmoud Al Massad @massada Contributors: Mohammad Waheed Hussein Asaf, Simone Giertz Production Company: Uncommon Creative Studio @uncommon_london In Association With: Lief @we.are.lief Producers: Shananne Lane, Margo Mars, Rosie Woods @shanannelane @margomars @rosie_esme_woods Executive Producers: Alma Har’el, Nils Leonard, Charlie Gatsky Sinclair @alma.harel @nilsleonard Series Director: Laura Checkoway @laurachecks Casting Director: Six Minutes @sixminutes_casting Production Managers: Luke Tilbury, Laura Jenkins @thetilla Director of Photography: Ahmad Jalboush @ahmad_jalboush Editor: Simon El Habre @simonelhabre Additional Editing: Lewis Noll @lewisnoll Colourist: Yoomin Lee @yoominleecolourist Sound Designers: Patch Rowland & Nigel Mannington @patchland Music Supervisor: Bridget Samuels @bridgetsamuels Jordan Unit Producer: Faris Halaseh @faris_halaseh Service Production Company: Where To Film 1st AD & Translator: Leen Hamarneh @leenwithit 1st AC: Hussein Qadan @hussein_qadan Camera Operator / AC: Amr Khaled @_amr_khaled Location Manager: Ahmad Shehdeh @ahmad_jello Art Director: Ayoub Nahhas @ayoub.g.n Sound Recordist: Hussam Sabanekh @hussam.sabanekh DIT: Saif Abu Rabear @saif.aburabeea Sound Assistant: Bashar Khawaja Production Assistant: Hamzeh Hamidah @hamza.o.hamida Driver: Rashed Zghool @rahidzgh Assistant Editor: Patil Aynedjian Audio Post-Production: Machine Sound @machinesound.co Audio Executive Producer: Rebecca Boswell @rebeccajboswell Audio Producer: Amber Clayton @amberimogen1 Machine Music Supervisor: Brice Cagan @@bricecagan Audio Assistant: Chas Langston @chaslangston Colour: Company3 @company_3 Colour Producer: Kerri Aungle @kerrilondon Post-Production Company: Jam VFX @jamvfxuk Online Post Producer: Angus Berryman @angusberryman Title Design: Uncommon Creative Studio @uncommon_ldn Translations / Subtitles: Wael Joudeh @donotgooutside Production Assistant: Gaaron Clarke @gaaron_clarke Director Assistant: Tally Francis @tallyfrancish Director Assistant: Sasha Nicolas @sashanicolas Junior Researcher: Ethan Elliott @ethyweathy Photographer: Emily Garthwaite @emilygarthwaite Uncommon Creative Studio Creative Director: Shaun Savage @shaunsavage_ Uncommon Creative Studio Creative: Luke Carlisle Uncommon Creative Studio Business Director: Johnny McManus @johnny_mcmx Uncommon Creative Studio Legal: Murray Taylor Uncommon Creative Studio Head of Production: Goldie Robbens @goldie_robbens Special Thanks To: Meshal Elfayez Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate Annemarie Jacir Roland Schoenbauer Peter Sripol Extra Special Thanks To: Osama Sabbah MUSIC CREDITS Emsallam, The Archiducer - Licensed c/o Keife Records Arabic Trap - Harry T Croxford, Theo Golding, Primetime Productions Ltd, licensed ℅ Universal Production Music Plant Hope - Cavendish Music, licensed ℅ PRS Major With Oohs & Ahhs - Taz Conley, Music Bed, licensed ℅ PRS Drifting With The Current 2 - licensed ℅ Machine Sound

[arrhakis]

Mimo Juggler - The Red Apple | Mimo Juggler - The Red Apple … | Flickr

Mimo Juggler – The Red Apple by Daniel Arrhakis (2023) With the music : “My Last Memory” – Shaun Taylor McManus   youtu.be/ag6YnwYFMCU   A new series for 2023 “Atellan Stories . Mystic Mime Worlds ” based in the pantomine of the mime artists in a World full of fantasy, color and mystery.

[inthemoodforportnawak]

Julian Kingma

[richincolor]

Collections to Note

I am amazed at how much authors can pack into a short story. It takes a lot of talent to have well developed characters and interesting storylines in just a chapter length piece. I am drawn to anthologies more and more. Here are two I've enjoyed recently and a few more I would like to get to soon. Please share titles in the comments if you know of others we should read. 

Battle of the Bands edited by Lauren Gibaldi and Eric Smith (Review copy - Final copy via publisher)

Publisher Summary: A daughter of rock ’n’ roll royalty has a secret crush. A lonely ticket taker worries about his sister. An almost-famous songwriter nurses old wounds. A stage manager tires of being behind the scenes. A singer-songwriter struggles to untangle her feelings for her best friend and his girlfriend. In this live-out-loud anthology, the disparate protagonists of sixteen stories are thrown together for one unforgettable event: their high school’s battle of the bands. Told in a harmonic blend of first- and third-person narrative voices, roughly chronological short stories offer a kaleidoscopic view of the same transformative night. Featuring an entry from Justin Courtney Pierre, lead vocalist of Motion City Soundtrack, Battle of the Bands is a celebration of youth, music, and meeting the challenges of life head-on.

My thoughts: I was excited to see another anthology with so many authors that I enjoy and for it to be about music was also a plus. Short story collections can be all over the place, but this one has stories that blend together well and the authors did a great job weaving in characters from the other stories. Most of the stories seem designed to cause warm fuzzies in the reader or at the very least bring a smile. It's one I'd definitely hand to someone who wants or needs a bright spot in their day.

Contributer list: Brittany Cavallaro, Preeti Chhibber, Jay Coles, Katie Cotugno, Shaun David Hutchinson, Ashley Poston, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Sarah Nicole Smetana, Jenn Marie Thorne, Sarvenaz Taghavian, Jasmine Warga, Ashley Woodfolk, Jeff Zentner, and Justin Courtney Pierre

Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise edited by Laura Silverman (Review copy: Digital ARC via publisher)

Publisher Summary: When everyone else goes to bed, the ones who stay up feel like they’re the only people in the world. As the hours tick by deeper into the night, the familiar drops away and the unfamiliar beckons. Adults are asleep, and a hush falls over the hum of daily life. Anything is possible. It’s a time for romance and adventure. For prom night and ghost hunts. It’s a time for breaking up, for falling in love—for finding yourself. Stay up all night with these thirteen short stories from bestselling and award-winning YA authors like Karen McManus, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nina LaCour, and Brandy Colbert, as they take readers deep into these rarely seen, magical hours.

My Thoughts: This was a fun concept and I was pleased by the variety of stories. There were a few on the scary or chilling side, but there were also some lighter stories featuring friends or romance. Because the storylines and characters aren't connected to each other, this is a great one to pick up if you know you'll be reading off and on and can't commit to an entire novel.

Full contributor list: Brandy Colbert, Kathleen Glasgow, Maurene Goo, Tiffany D. Jackson, Amanda Joy, Nina LaCour, Karen M. McManus, Anna Meriano, Marieke Nijkamp, Laura Silverman, Kayla Whaley, Julian Winters, and Francesca Zappia

On My TBR:

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon

Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space edited by Zoraida Córdova with contributors Vita Ayala, David Bowles, J.C. Cervantes, Sara Faring, Romin Garber, Isabel Ibañez, and Anna-Marie McLemore

All Signs Point to Yes edited by Cam Montgomery, Adrianne White and g. haron davis with contributors Tehlor Kay Mejia, Mark Oshiro, Eric Smith, Emery Lee and Byron Graves (Coming May 31, 2022)

[browsethestacks]

The Legion Of Monsters

Art by Shawn McManus

[audikatia]

Another year, another reading challenge completed! I set my goal at 50 and beat it to 100, which is still the least amount I have read in the last several years. This year was a lot more fictional than usual and I reread a lot of favs as an attempt to bring comfort to myself. This year I got back in deep with TRC series and honestly, it’s been probably the best thing to happen to me this year. It’s brought me some amazing friendships and I’m back to seriously writing for the first time in ages. I am so grateful for everything books have given to me this year and I’m looking forward to another year of reading!

(Is there any way to write these that doesn’t make me sound like a PTA mom? lol)

The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Killing November by Adriana Mather ⭐️⭐️

The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dissecting Death by Frederick Zugibe and David L. Carroll ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Goldblum Variations: Adventures of Jeff Goldblum Across the Known (and Unknown) Universe by Helen McClory ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup ⭐️⭐️

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith/J. K. Rowling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James ⭐️⭐️

Useless Magic by Florence Welch ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Trust Exercise by Susan Choi ⭐️⭐️

To the Bridge by Nancy Rommelmann ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ghost: A Cultural History by Susan Owens ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Still Waters by Alex Gabriel  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bunny by Mona Awad ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Diviners by Libba Bray ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The King of Crows by Libba Bray ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Toil and Trouble by Augusten Burroughs ⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda ⭐️⭐️

The Girl in Red by Christina Henry ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Rape of Tutankhamun by John Romer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

D-Day Girls: the Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win WWII by Sarah Rose ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little ⭐️⭐️

Miracle Creek by Angie Kimi ⭐️⭐️

The Prized Girl by Amy K. Green ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dead Queens Club by Hannah Capin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whistling Vivaldi: and Other Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us by Claude Steele ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Five: the Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Other People by C. J. Tudor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dark Corners of the Night by Meg Gardiner ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Tenant by Katrine Engberg ⭐️⭐️

House of Trelawney by Hannah Rothschild ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Final Girls by Riley Sager ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dry by Jane Harper ⭐️⭐️

The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Stranger by Albert Camus ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jack of Hearts by L. C. Rosen ⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russel ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley ⭐️⭐️

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Plague by Albert Camus ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Watching You by Lisa Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Return by Rachel Harrison ⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia ⭐️⭐️

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Opal by Maggie Stiefvater ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Library of Legends by Janie Chang ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Guest List by Lisa Foley ⭐️⭐️

Beach Read by Emily Henry ⭐️⭐️

The Shadows by Alex North ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

People Like Us by Dana Mele ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People Who Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Granted by Mary Szybist ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Incarnadine by Mary Szybist ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Afterland by Lauren Beukes ⭐️⭐️

The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost by Peter Manseau ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lakewood by Megan Giddings ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan ⭐️⭐️

Point Pleasant by Jen Archer Wood ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Violet Bent Backwards Over Grass by Lana Del Rey ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[bookaddict24-7]

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASES OF 2020!

January:

One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus (January 7th)

February:

Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland (February 4th)

March:

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren (March 24th)

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane (March 24th)

May:

Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (May 5th)

Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett (May 5th)

By the Book by Amanda Sellet (May 12th)

June:

The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty (June 30th)

July:

The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson (July 21st)

September:

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff & Nan Fe (September 3rd. Official cover has not been revealed.)

___

What are some of your most anticipated releases of 2020?

Happy reading!

[thekindworthreading]

Most anticipated 2020 releases

The Gravity of Us, Phil Stamper

Yes No Maybe So, Becky Albertalli & Aisha Saeed

All Your Twisted Secrets, Diana Urban

We Are Totally Normal, Rahul Kanakia

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins

One of Us is Next, Karen M. McManus

Infinity Son, Adam Silvera

The Circus Rose, Betsy Cornwell

Rogue Princess, B.R. Myers

Tweet Cute, Emma Lord

Ashlords, Scott Reintgen

Blood Countess, Lana Popovic

Belle Revolte, Linsey Miller

Cracked Up to Be, Courtney Summers

The Queen's Assassin, Melissa de la Cruz

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson

The Shadow Between Us, Tricia Levenseller

The State of Us, Shaun David Hutchinson

Cinderella is Dead, Kalynn Bayron

Witches of Ash and Ruin, E. Latimer

Only Mostly Devestated, Sophie Gonzales

Clap When You Land, Elizabeth Acevedo

Girl, Serpent, Thorn, Melissa Bashardoust

The Fascinators, Andrew Eliopulos

Date Me, Bryson Keller!, Kevin van Whye

The Dark Tide, Alicia Jasinska

If We Were Us, K.L. Walther

The Court of Miracles, Kester Grant

Where Dreams Descend, Janella Angeles

You Should See Me In A Crown, Leah Johnson

Burn, Patrick Ness

Six Angry Girls, Adrienne Kisner

Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas

Rebel Spy, Veronica Rossi

This Is My America by K. C. Johnson 

Which are some of your most anticipated 2020 releases?

[ba-mi-soro-orisha]

What books are on your nightstand?

“All the Stars and Teeth,” by Adalyn Grace; “Ninth House,” by Leigh Bardugo; “The Last Arrow,” by Erwin Raphael McManus. I always have an itch for great fantasy, which Grace and Bardugo provide. And I’m always interested in self-development and books that feed my soul like “The Last Arrow.”

What’s the last great book you read?

“Daring Greatly,” by Brené Brown! I was really moved by her Netflix special, and listening to her audiobook came at the perfect time in my life. She has a way of perfectly describing some of the most intimate human emotions and experiences, and she provides concrete, actionable solutions. She gave me a new level of self-awareness that’s helped me navigate my life in a meaningful way, so I’m a big fan.

Are there any classic novels that you only recently read for the first time?

Recently, no. The vast majority of American classics were ruined for me because schools made me read them too young. If I remember correctly, I think I had to read “Self-Reliance,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in seventh grade. I remember reading “Death of a Salesman” in high school and hating it, but when I read it in college I loved it. I was blown away by what Arthur Miller had created. Because of that, I’m saving my reread of the classics for a time when life isn’t too crazy and I can focus. I want to make sure if I don’t like what society has deemed a classic story, it’s because I don’t like the actual story, and not because I didn’t understand it when I was 12.

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, where, what, how).

My ideal reading experience is on the beach, under an umbrella, with my Kindle, and with a tasty drink and snack by my side.

What’s your favorite book no one else has heard of?

I don’t think I have one? I’m a pretty basic person. I’m not even cool enough to like niche anime. Everything I gravitate to is pretty well known because they are such amazing stories.

If I had to pick one, I’d say most of my younger readers probably aren’t familiar with “The Souls of Black Folk,” by W. E. B. DuBois, and most of my older readers probably aren’t familiar with “Six of Crows,” by Leigh Bardugo.

What book should everybody read before the age of 21?

“The Poet X,” by Elizabeth Acevedo. It’s a stunning story told in verse about a young Dominican poet learning to use her voice and take up space. I think as we grow up and start to discover who we are, we also have to discover what we want to say. Then we have to get comfortable saying it. I think this is the kind of story that makes you feel strong when you’re reading it, and then you can lean on that strength when you need to use your voice and take up space in your real life.

Which writers — novelists, playwrights, critics, journalists, poets — working today do you admire most?

For novelists, I’m a forever-fan of Sabaa Tahir. Her debut fantasy — “An Ember in the Ashes” — was the epic tale that inspired me to write “Children of Blood and Bone.” It moved me in ways a story hadn’t moved me before and gave me a chance to imagine a fantasy world with characters I’d never gotten to see before.

For journalists, Shaun King. The work Shaun does for the black community is incredible. I respect his strength, tenacity and passion, and I admire him deeply for the commitment to getting our stories out.

For critics, I think YouTubers like Cosmonaut Variety Hour and Alex Meyers? I get a lot of entertainment from their television and movie reviews, and also get refreshers on good storytelling.

What writers are especially good on adolescent life?

Angie Thomas, Nic Stone and Jason Reynolds!

How do you distinguish Y.A. books from adult fiction?

Honestly, the main difference to me is how quickly I’m captured and transported into the story. I find the best young adult novels have all the best parts of adult fiction — the extensive world-building, the complex characters, the beautiful prose — layered over a fast-paced, exciting plot. Most of the adult fiction I read takes its time building to the climax.

Which young adult books would you recommend to people who don’t usually read Y.A.?

I always recommend “An Ember in the Ashes” and “Six of Crows” after one of my readers has finished “Children of Blood and Bone.” I find those three fantasies crossover really well and help hook people into reading other young adult books.

What’s the most interesting thing you learned from a book recently?

That you’re not supposed to fight your anxiety, you’re supposed to fight the things that are causing your anxiety by setting better boundaries for yourself and for others. That’s one of the golden nuggets in “Daring Greatly.”

Which genres do you especially enjoy reading? And which do you avoid?

I love a good romance! I’m always game for young adult fantasy and sci-fi. I want to read more adult books, contemporary books and poetry. And sadly, I avoid nonfiction. When I read, I like to go somewhere else in my mind with stories that touch our real world without taking place in it.

What makes for a good fantasy novel?

I think the most magical fantasies will always be the ones with a world you want to live in forever. For example, I think we loved Harry Potter, but we were in love with Hogwarts. We all wanted to go to class with him. We all wanted our own wands. I think great worlds are important because they allow readers to play in that world with their imagination long after the book is done, but a great world isn’t complete without a great protagonist.

What moves you most in a work of literature?

Acts of love. Be it familial, friendly or romantic. A beautifully described, tender act of love destroys me.

How do you organize your books?

ORIGINAL STORIES: I have a lot of the stories I wrote when I was young on my Kindle — they are hilarious and incredible and always funny to read.

BOOKS ON WRITING: I always want to be a better writer/storyteller than I am now. I love books and YouTube videos that break down the art of story.

FICTION: Most of my library is Y.A., so this is where my “I’m an adult” fiction goes.

SCI-FI: Though I’m a child of fantasy, my interest in the stars and spaceships is growing.

FANTASY: Includes all the great franchises of the past and all the exciting, diverse stories that are being published today.

Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine? Your favorite antihero or villain?

Antiheroes: Zuko, from “Avatar: The Last Airbender”; Logan, from “X-Men”; Kaz Brekker, from “Six of Crows.” Villains: Light Yagami, from “Death Note,” and Magneto, from “X-Men.” I guess my Slytherin is showing, because I love my antiheroes and my villains more than my heroes.

What kind of reader were you as a child? Which childhood books and authors stick with you most?

I was a voracious reader when I was young. I lived for the summer reading challenges where I could read 50 books and get like three Airheads at the end of August. The authors and books that worked themselves into my heart were Mary Pope Osborne and her Magic Tree House series, J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter, Masashi Kishimoto and “Naruto.” I consider myself a creative child of fantasy and anime.

How have your reading tastes changed over time?

My Kindle is loaded up with several of the stories I wrote as a girl and as a teenager. It’s wild reading them now because I vaguely remember the nights and weekends I stayed up writing these tales, and I see the plots and character types that I’ve loved reading about and imagining since I was young.

I’ve always loved sweeping romances and magical fantasies. I’ve loved headstrong, determined female protagonists and epic battles. I still like to read the same things. I think the difference now is that I get to read all the things I like with characters who look like me. My childhood stories didn’t give me that. Even in the stories I wrote myself, I was only writing white characters and biracial characters. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that erasure was painful and damaging to my sense of self. So getting to create and read stories that fight that erasure and build on my sense of self is the only significant change in my reading tastes.

You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?

Oprah Winfrey, Octavia E. Butler and Toni Morrison. I would be extremely uncomfortable in the midst of all that greatness, and I probably wouldn’t speak. But while stuffing my face with little lobster rolls, I would get to learn from and be inspired by those three incredible women.

Whom would you want to write your life story?

Honestly, me, because I’m a perfectionist. But I don’t think I’m the best person to write my story because while I have a unique take on my story, I also lack a lot of necessary perspectives that would be needed to write an accurate life story. I’m going to cheat this one and say I would like Shonda Rhimes to do a highly dramatized mini-series of my life story.

What do you plan to read next?

“Blood Heir,” by Amélie Wen Zhao. I’ve heard really great things. I’m excited to check it out!