#also christina do you have goodreads?

[harrowclare]

harrowclare's 2024 reading lists

currently reading/listening to

The Exorcist - William Blatty Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

up next

a lot of books, honestly.

finished books

here is the long, long list of my 2024 reads with ratings & dates. because of tumblr's limit on links, i cannot direct to individual reviews. if you would like to view my reviews on their respective sites, you can find them on thestorygraph & goodreads.

dates are listed as month, day. manga volumes that are binged will be grouped so that this list isn't a million miles long, with the range of ratings for the volumes in the stack. a few of these titles were started in 2023, lol whoops! those are the only dates with a year stamp.

wanna read along or chat with me about books? i'm super active on fable.

reading challenges: horror bingo reaading challenge (2024-2025)

current reading goal progress: 113/100

* * *

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 10.09—10.10 - fiction

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 10.03—10.09 - fiction

Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 08.25—10.09 - fiction originally i listened to the audiobook, stopping at 57% & restarting the hardcover book from the beginning.

Walking Practice by Dolki Min 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 10.04—10.05 - fiction

Stormflower by Keegan Kozinski & Tristen Kozinski (eARC) 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 07.29—10.02 - fiction

Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 09.27—10.01 - fiction

The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 - 09.25—09.29 - fiction

Stolen Tongues by Felix Blackwell 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 - 09.23—09.24 - fiction

Volume Ø: Issue 3 by multiple authors 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 09.21—09/22 - fiction

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 09.12—09. 21 - fiction

The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 - 09.04—09.12 - fiction

The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw & Richard Kadrey 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 09.02—09.12 - fiction

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 09.04—09.05 - fiction

Five-Star Stranger by Kat Tang 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 08.30—08.31 - fiction

The Haar by David Sodergren 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 - 08.25—08.29 - fiction

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑- 08.26—08.27 - fiction

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 08.19—08.25 - fiction i actually gave this a 3.75 on thestorygraph, which may seem obnoxious, but it felt right idk. sometimes rating shit 1-5 feels arbitrary and hard.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 07.30—08.24 - fiction

Killing Stalking Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 by Koogi 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 08.24—08.24 - webtoon

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 03.16.23—08.22 - fiction

Schappi by Anna Haifisch 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 08.20—08.20 - graphic novel

You Will Own Nothing And You Will Be Happy #1 by Simon Hanslemann 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 08.20—08.20 - graphic novel, reread

Werewolf Jones and Sons Deluxe Summer Fun Annual by Simon Hanselmann & Simon Pettinger 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 08.20—08.20 - graphic novel

Something Akin to Revulsion by Judith Sonnet 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑 - 08.19—08.20 - fiction

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 08.16—08.18 - fiction

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 08.09—08.16 - fiction

The Troop by Nick Cutter 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 - 08.12—08.14 - fiction

Nestlings by Nat Cassidy 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 08.01—08.12 - fiction

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 07.27—08.09 - fiction

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 07.30—08.06 - fiction

The Ruins by Scott Smith 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 08.01—08.05 - fiction

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 07.24—07.30 - fiction at the time of reading and reviewing this i was unaware of the controversies surrounding the author (uncredited use of the likeness of a video game and possible Zionism.) i don't want to change my rating & review because the book did have a profound impact on me, but i also do not believe in separating art from the artist, so i will not be purchasing the book or reading more from the author.

Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 07.14—07.29 - fiction

Playground by Aron Beauregard 🌕🌑🌑🌑🌑 - 07.23—07.28 - fiction

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑- 07.17—07.27 - fiction

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑- 07.15—07.24 - fiction

The Spirit Bares its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑- 07.11—07.23 - fiction

The Liminal Zone by Junji Ito 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑- 07.20—07.22 - manga

The Summer Hikaru Died Vol. 1 by Mokumokuren 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 07.19—07.20 - manga

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 07.11—07.16 - fiction

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 07.10—07.13 - fiction

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 07.09—07.10 - fiction

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 07.08—07.09 - fiction

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 07.03—07.08 - fiction

Do a Powerbomb! by Daniel Warren Johnson 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕- 07.05—07.05 - graphic novel

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 06.27—07.03 - fiction

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 06.26—06.26 - fiction

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 06.23—06.25 - fiction

Victim by Andrew Boryga 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 06.14—06.17 - fiction

A Good Happy Girl by Marissa Higgins 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑 - 04.19—06.14 - fiction

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 06.06—06.13 - fiction

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley 🌕🌑🌑🌑🌑 - 06.01—06.06 - fiction

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 - 05.22—05.31 - fiction

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 05.26—05.27 - non-fiction

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 - 05.19—05.21 - fiction

You've Lost a Lot of Blood by Eric LaRocca 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 05.10—05.19 - fiction

Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 05.18—05.19 - fiction

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 05.14—05.18 - fiction

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 05.10—05.13 - fiction

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 05.01—05.03 - fiction review: thestorygraph, goodreads

The Measure by Nikki Erlick 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 04.21—04.23 - fiction

Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1 - Vol. 8 by Sui Ishida 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 04.22—05.08 - manga

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 04.18—04.21 - fiction

Know My Name by Chanel Miller 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 04.05—04.18 - non-fiction

Chainsaw Man Vol. 1 - Vol. 11 by Tatsuki Fujimoto 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 04.16—04.22 - manga

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 5 - Vol. 26 by Gege Akutami 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 12.23.23—04.16 - manga

Tampa by Alissa Nutting 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 - 04.02—04.03 - fiction

Circe by Madeline Miller 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 03.29—04.01 - fiction

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 - 03.25—03.28 - fiction

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 - 03.23—03.25 - fiction

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 - 02.02—03.20 - fiction

Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vyong 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - 03.06—03.06- poetry

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 - 02.01—02.01- fiction

Y/N by Esther Yi | fiction 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 - 01.31—02.01 - fiction

my tiny DNF pile

Falling by T.J Newman stopped at 6% - 10.07 - fiction

The Laws of the Skies by Grégoire Courtois stopped at 32% - 09.07 - fiction

People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry stopped at 24% - 05.03 - non-fiction

new words

(tbh i know many of these verbally, but didn't know when when i read them - or vice versa depending on whether i was reading with my eyes or ears.)

acrimony, alacrity, allay, ameliorate, aplomb, assiduously, avarice, avulsed, conviviality, detritus, eddy, garrulous, germane, gloaming, gunwale, inexorable, itinerant, lassitude, lugubrious, moribund, palliative, palimpsest, pernicious, pugnacious, sententiously, scrim, sepulchral, shale, splume, stalward, surreptitious, rime, verisimilitude

[turnupswritessometimes]

13 questions about books

Tagged by the wonderful @holographiccs - thank you! <3

1. The last book I read:

I finished reading Fright Bite by Jennifer Killick this morning - very good, very fun middlegrade horror. Each book has different mutated animals, and this time round it was rats! We love to see it!

2. A book I recommend

So many, but The Shadow Glass by Josh Winning. What if the puppets from Labyrinth/The Dark Crystal came to life in our world? Fun shenanigans! It's a real love letter to the Jim Henson company.

3. A book I couldn't put down

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Yes, it's only a hundred pages or so, but I read it in one sitting. Those boys!! Those boys and their relationships and coming of age! The ending!

4. A book I’ve read twice (or more)

The Black Magician Trilogy (I know I'm cheating) by Trudi Canavan. I love the world and the characters and the magic system. The Novice is the best one because of Dannyl's arc. (We love finding out you've been using magic to suppress the fact you're gay for literal years! I'm sinking my teeth into that plot line.)

5. a book on my to-be-read

I have nearly 100 on my Goodreads to read list, lol. But I'm very interested in These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. Romeo and Juliet but in 1920s Shanghai? Incredible!

6. a book i’ve put down

I don't often not finish a book, but 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' by Paul Alexander. You cannot make those kind of sweeping, certain claims about James Dean's life without proper referencing or a proper bibliography!

7. a book on my wishlist

'Poison in their Hearts' by Laura Sebastian, the final in the trilogy. Very Game of Thrones fantasy political intrigue, but with strong female characters who are actually well-rounded and well-written! And use their smarts in most situations! Very intrigued to see how it will all finish up.

(But I have the first two in paperback, so I really need to wait for this one to be in paperback too.)

8. a favorite book from childhood

Anything by Jacqueline Wilson, but I do have a soft spot for 'Candyfloss.' Wilson just has a way of capturing what it's like to be a child really authentically. I did also love that each chapter had a page of illustrations that fit together to hint about what was going to happen.

9. a book i would give to a friend

Lost Boy, by Christina Henry. A dark Peter Pan from Lost Boy Jamie(who wears a red pirate coat! Hint hint!)'s perspective that fits perfectly within the original book. It will make you cry!

10. a fiction book i own

Way too many...Descendent of the Crane by Joan He was one I hugely enjoyed. Very twisty Asian Fantasy with a really good romance and a great female lead.

11. a nonfiction book i own

Last Night at the Viper Room by Gavin Edwards. A really good biography of River Phoenix's life that's well researched and really highlights who he was. (And how weird everyone was about him!)

12. what i am currently reading

I'm slowly trudging my way through 'It' by Stephen King and 'Tinker Belles and Evil Queens' by Sean Griffin. Both are very good but Tinker Belles and Evil Queens requires a lot of thinking to get through. (And It has a lot of Kingisms to brace yourself for.)

13. what i plan on reading next

I've just collected 'Rumblefish' and 'That was Then, This is now,' by S.E. Hinton from the library, so I'll be devouring both of those over the next couple of days at work. I love the sense of time and place in them. There's a sparseness to the prose, and yet real depth in the characters.

I'm tagging @lizziebennetss (thank you for the follow btw! <3) and @howtotrainyourmerlin (if you feel like it)

[bewires]

tagged by @disregardandfelicity!

1) The last book I read:

bromantic puckboy by eden finley and saxon james, which was a lot of fun (although seriously the titles of hockey-themed romances can stop being puns any day now they are really reaching)

2) A book I recommend:

anything by natasha pulley, but especially "the brief half-life of valery k."

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

also the brief half-life of valery k.

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

I've been on a romance kick recently and a lot of them have a high rereadability, in part because they're not suuuper memorable, but also just because it's light reading (aka, something like valery k was emotionally devastating and very good; something by brigham vaughn was really enjoyable but also made me feel good all the way through so I find it easier to reread). Reread the "road rules" series by brigham vaugh recently

5) A book on my TBR:

a bunch of stuff by marina vivancos. I signed up to review ARCs of romance novels recently, and I have the third one of a series of hers to review that I have the first two of but haven't read yet, so I look forward to that (this is my goodreads where I occasionally review stuff)

6) A book I’ve put down:

topical: dune

7) A book on my wish list:

The third book in Lindsay Ellis's Noumena series comes out soon, I'm super looking forward to it!

8) A favorite book from childhood:

Oh, so many. One I've thought about recently is the Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman

9) A book you would give to a friend:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern maybe?

10) A book of poetry or lyrics that you own

several, I have some collections of byron, wordworth and shelley. the only ones I've read cover to cover are Eugen Onegin (I read it in german which is why it's spelled like this) and a collection of Emily Dickinson

11) A nonfiction book you own:

again, several (look when the Big Move is done I'll take a picture of wall of books). Recommend: Work Won't Love You Back by Sarah Jaffe

12) What are you currently reading:

Wild at Heart by Riley Hart and Christina Lee. It's an ARC, and so far interesting, esp. in that it's the rare romance novel about blue-collar people in rural areas

13) What are you planning on reading next?

Death in the Spires by K. J. Charles

tagging @polarcell @captainshakespear uh anyone else who wants to do this?

[spaceorphanssecondbreakfastclub]

SO's Bookclub : The Séance

Title: The Séance Author: Joan Lowery Nixon Genre: YA Mystery

Goodreads Summary: Lauren is reluctant to participate in the séance, and she feels the first foreboding of evil shortly after the room is darkened. When the lights come back on, her fear turns to shock: Sara Martin is missing, even though all the doors and windows are locked from the inside...

Review:

So... I guess I'm going down this road now. Because I really want to see how these books hold up. Also, I want to throw out there that these covers are all really intriguing - and I think part of the reason I picked them up as a kid. Each one has a little bit of a spooky element to them.

This one I liked a lot better than Christina Lattimore. I really doubt any of these are the epitome of great literature, hence their fading into obscurity, but I at least didn't want to throw the book across the room in the same way.

The thing about this one - and something I just want to clock as I read through these because I never really noticed as a kid - is the atmosphere of these books. As I'm reading through chronologically, our setting is still set in the late 70s/early 80s (this book being published in 1980). And the atmosphere of this book really feels like an early 80s horror film. And I guess I found that the most interesting element?

I mean - life was just different back then. Before technology really began to run everyone's lives, what did kids do? They went to seances? Okay - maybe not, but there was just a different way kids kept themselves busy. But, also adding to the atmosphere, there's a creepiness the permeates throughout the book - because there's this knowledge that technology is going to save you. So when Lauren is alone with another character - there's a tension there that may not be there in a more modern adaptation.

I'm probably overselling this book, though, it still is a product of its time, and there are still issues due to that.

Lauren (and I'm blanking if she's ever given a last name) is more interesting than Christina Lattimore, and a lot less whiny. But there are still some trappings that I'm finding are staples of Nixon's writing. She lives in a small town in East Texas. Her guardian is a very religious aunt - and the church does play a role in the novel, especially playing against the idea of hosting a séance, and the prejudice spewed against the family of the girl who hosted. And the fact that Lauren is constantly worried about getting into college.

I will say - Lauren is an unreliable narrator - which works better than it should, since the novel hinges on information not given to the reader.

The other thing, though, that really interested me - was the first victim Sara. Because she's a 'bad girl'. In classic 80s horror tropes - the girl having the most sex is the one who dies, while the virgin (Lauren) survives. Sara is a girl who flirts with all the guys -- even guys who are much, much older (a theme that isn't really looked down upon, it was just expected that men of all ages would just pick up a teenage girl, despite being a minor). Does she actually have sex? The book is a bit murky on actually having it spelled out, but it's somewhat implied.

Adding an interesting twist, though is the fact that she was driven out by her mother because she was such hussy -- but the mother was the same way - even explaining that she's a woman who just needs a man in her bed cause she can't do without.

Idk - beyond giving me real Jen Lindley (from Dawson's Creek) vibes, it was interesting that the book doesn't necessarily condemn Sara's actions (beyond killing her off, which I suppose says enough) but tries to explain the reason as to why she is the way she is.

The other thing I want to clock is the usage of the teenage male hero in these books. Because so far, one turned out to be a dude the main character walked away from. Here, there's the slight hint of romantic possibility that is left open ended. I remember these books all having some kind of romantic twist in them, but I'm kind of surprised that it's just not the focus of the novel, and both Christina and Lauren have been so busy with their horror plights that it's not really a focus of either novel. I kind of wonder if Nixon through it in there because there's always a romantic element in these novels.

Anyway, despite me writing a novel of a review, the book doesn't really get that into the character work. Most of the other characters aren't really that developed -- we barely see the second victim, and all of Lauren's friends are just sketchy archetypes. What really does work for this novel is the atmosphere. It is spooky (again in that YA, early 80s way) and the book just does pretty well with keeping the tension going throughout.

So, yeah, for a book that really doesn't have a lot going for it - I definitely had a lot of thoughts about it. I didn't even get into some of the minor things - such as there's a description of a guy who had a hair color the same as his skin, and I could not figure out if this dude was super pale or black. (But figuring there really haven't been any black people yet explicitly stated in either novel - probably not the latter.)

Overall, I think it was a fascinating read -- again, read in only a few hours. Much better than her first book, but I remember, as a kid, not loving this one much either -- and I didn't find this one that bad. So, i'm looking forward to continuing this project.

Rating: 3 Stars

[chaoslynx]

CHRISTMAS ASHIE IS NOW NEW YEAR ASHIE WOOHOO

also hi chaos how are you doing how is your new year going so far (yes i know it's been like one day shhh)

also also do you happen to have book recommendations

hap new

I'm okay! Got a bunch of New Years resolutions I'm gonna try to make this year, but we all know how that tends to go.

Some of my favorite books, in no particular order:

All The Bright Places by Jenniver Niven; Vanilla by Billy Merrell; Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippencott; The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon; Carrie by Stephen King; Looking for Alaska by John Green; Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonnegut; They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera; Autoboyography by Christina Lauren; The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; The Princess Bride by William Goldman; Fight Club by Chuck Palaniuk; Simon Vs. The Homo-Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli; Identical by Ellen Hopkins; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell; Songmaster by Orson Scott Card; Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson; The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky; 1984 by George Orwell; Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; Anthem by Ayn Rand; Timeline by Michael Crichton; Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks; By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters; Against Medical Advice by James Patterson; Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Uhhh at this point just check my Goodreads for more

[creativestalkerrs]

the unhoneymooners by christina lauren // book review

follow my goodreads to get reviews early!

spoiler free

the unhoneymooners (christina lauren) review by creativestalkerrs

rating: 4 out of 5 stars

finished book on: december 30th, 2022

If you know me, you know that enemies-to-lovers is one of my all-time favorite tropes, and The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, a duo containing Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, did a spectacular job. I was spending almost all of Christmas Eve reading this rom-com.

This is such a fun read that you can easily get lost in reading. Each character, even down to the smallest role, was so fun to read and be introduced to. The writing is so charming and my god! Christina and Lauren know how to make a girl laugh! They have nailed the humor of this book that others can simply fail to do if not done right. However, they also know how to sucker-punch you with emotion and make you want to cry. It is clear to me that these two had fun writing this book and I had fun reading it. I adored the relationship between Ethan and Olive, from their bickering and being forced into the situation they get into to them actually liking each other was so sweet... and a bit horny. I also enjoyed the relationship between Olive and her twin sister Ami and was so happy that Christina and Lauren didn't go down the path of the sisters being assholes to each other. That trope I see too much, so it was nice to see them have a great relationship and when it came down to them having their argument, it hurt. My only downside to this book, but doesn't ruin the experience at all, is how quickly the relationship between Ethan and Olive was. I wish after their vacation, we could have seen it develop more. I wouldn't mind 200 more pages if that was the case. However, given their history and what did, I can see why they choose to write it the way they did. Overall such a great book and can't wait to read more from this duo!

[burningdarkfire]

books i read in sept 2024

[casual reviews - feel free to ask for more info or my goodreads!!] 

i slept in my own bed every single night of this month which meant that i was absolutely COOKING again

the brides of high hill - ngho vo ★★★★★ (fantasy)

i love the singing hills novellas FOREVER, i'm so glad we're getting a chance to play in some different genres! a spooky haunted (?) house was perfect!

newcomer - keigo higashino ★★★★☆ (mystery)

very fun set up with a concrete throughline, i'm impressed with how much this explores mundane everyday life outside of the murder

murder in mesopotamia - agatha christie ★★★★☆ (mystery)

solidly constructed mystery with an entertaining POV character!

daughter of mine - megan miranda ★★★★☆ (thriller)

slow and spooky and i had a lot of fun with it, but the ending felt super rushed and wasn't satisfying

we were dreams - simu liu ★★★★☆ (memoir)

the section about his parents was so touching 🥹 nothing astonishing in here but a lot of it was very relatable

night lunch - mike chaulk ★★★★☆ (poetry)

very evocative poems about a side of canada that i have very little experience with (shipping on the east coast!)

the final curtain - keigo higashino ★★★★☆ (mystery)

pretty slow on the mystery side but there was a lot of character intrigue in this one that kept it fun

the year without sunshine - naomi kritzer ★★★★☆ (sci fi short story)

perfectly sweet and hopeful!

making love with the land - joshua whitehead ★★★★☆ (memoir)

this so lyrical that it was kind of hard to follow as an audiobook, so i def plan to give this author's other works a proper read!

cleopatra and frankenstein - coco mellors ★★★★☆ (contemporary)

kind of a "bring your own emotions" situation, either you relate to the mess these characters are in or you don't

malice - keigo higashino ★★★★☆ (mystery)

fun and interesting mystery gimmick but the last third of the book feels unfinished

a mind spread out on the ground - alicia elliott ★★★☆☆ (memoir)

occasionally brilliant but clumsy in the way it tried to bridge personal experience and social commentary

denison avenue - christina wong, daniel innes ★★★☆☆ (historical)

not much plot or character growth but lots of heart in this specific snapshot of toronto!

a death in tokyo - keigo higashino ★★★☆☆ (mystery)

pretty standard police procedural

we solve murders - richard osman ★★★☆☆ (mystery)

it's a little too similar to his other series to grab me right away, but i think once i warm up to the characters i'll get more invested

the pairing - casey mcquiston ★★☆☆☆ (romance)

the romance was a dud. also this was dual POV and the first half/POV was absolutely intolerable but the second half/POV was kind of fun. i do love a slutty man in love with someone horrible for him

ascension - nicholas binge ★★☆☆☆ (sci fi horror)

so disappointing, i was really excited for this one 😭 but the execution was goofy and the characters paper-thin

[DNF] we rule the night - claire eliza bartlett ★★★☆☆ (YA fantasy)

this is a pretty solid YA fantasy, i just have not been able to convince myself to finish it though. it's not the book, it's me!

[booksbydlwhite]

Bookcast Episode 82: Barreling toward an HEA

In episode 82 of The Bookcast by DL White, I'm excited to share the latest updates on my writing journey and I offering some fantastic book and podcast recommendations.  I'm determined to meet my writing deadline, but upcoming work travels might throw a wrench into my writing schedule.  I also shared my recent guest spot on the Book Buzz show. 

Listen to the episode here (Grab a transcript here)

BOOK REPORT

I have read 52 books of my challenge to read 150 books this year. I am a whopping 13 books ahead on my Goodreads challenge and I don’t see slowing down in my future. The books be BOOKING!

READ

One Steamy Night (The Westmoreland Legacy #6) by Brenda Jackson

Hostile Takeover (Blackwood Billions, #1) by Christina C. Jones

American Daughters by Piper Huguley

The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin

One Night of Fun: A Forbidden Office Romance by Renee Lux

Taking Chances (McAllister Friends #2) by Té Russ

Unfinished Business (Strictly Professional #2) by Christina C. Jones

Working with Her Crush: A Friends to Lovers Romance (Dynasties: Willowvale Book 1) by Reese Ryan

March Madness by Nicole Falls

Jackrabbit Skin by Ivy Pochoda

The Other Side of the Road by Andrea Bartz

Watch Where They Hide by Tamron Hall

READING

Out of Office by AH Cunningham

Office Crush (formerly Invasion of Privacy) by Imani Jay

Take It (On the Clock #1) by Shae Sanders

PUT DOWN

0!!!

Recs, Raves, Appearances!

The Wordmakers podcast Making Words, hosted by one of my FAVES, the writing ass writer that is Tasha L. Harrison, who is also the ringleader of the Wordmakers gang. Sub to this podcast at Wordmakers . org/ podcast.

The BOOK BUZZ Show, is a video interview show hosted by Cheryl Brooks and others in the book industry. It was a great conversation about HEY LOVER, a book I don’t get to talk about much. We also talked about my writing journey and reading habits, the ULTIMATE romance for me, the challenges of being a self published author and how I engage in self-care while I’m writing. It’s a pretty new show and very well run. I took the opportunity to watch past interviews with some of my fave writers like Sharon C Cooper, Joan Vassar, and Reese Ryan. Search for THE BOOK BUZZ SHOW on YouTube or Facebook. I’ll add a link to my appearance on my website at booksbydlwhite.com/praise.

Thanks for your support!

Thank you so much for joining me for today's chat. Don’t forget to share the podcast if you enjoyed this episode and if you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, give a girl a rating! I’d really appreciate it. Do not forget that you can support this podcast with your book purchases, by spreading the good word, or by throwing some coins in the hat at bookcast.buzzsprout.com. Every little bit helps.

[therealcrimediary]

Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] 36 Disturbing True Crime Stories of Murder and Deception Readers Love This Series - Over 7,000 Five-Star Ratings on Amazon & Goodreads Three Book Collection: Volumes 7, 8, and 9 of the True Crime Case Histories Series (2022) *** This series can be read in any order ***If you’re a fan of true crime, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the big-name cases: Ted Bundy, BTK, David Berkowitz, Christopher Watts, Diane Downs, Casey Anthony, Jeffrey Dahmer, Jodi Arias, Ed Gein, etc. The list of well-known, notorious cases throughout history is seemingly endless. Books, websites, podcasts, streaming television series, and magazines are filled with their abhorrent tales of mayhem. They’re some of the most foul killers the world has ever known. In my books, I do my best to find stories you may not have heard of. To do this, I count on my readers to send me stories that may have gone forgotten and aren't found all over the internet. Inside, you'll find 36 True Crime stories from the 100 years. Many of which you may never have heard of. You'll read the story of five-year-old Stephanie Hebert, who walked only three houses down her quiet suburban sidewalk and disappeared forever. Her case went cold for forty years before other children from her neighborhood came forward in their adulthood with information leading to the killer. There’s the story of the sadistic mother who viewed her children only as the spawn of their demon father, torturing them for their entire short lives. You’ll also read of the deranged husband and wife team who started their own cult and made it their life’s mission to rid the world of witches. Another story tells the disheartening tale of a toddler’s skeleton found in a suitcase on the side of the road. Motorcyclists discovered her mother’s skeleton more than 600 miles away. Five years had passed, with no one even realizing they were missing. There’s also the heartbreaking story of a single mom, drowning in debt, who did the unthinkable for insurance money. Many of the stories in this book feature women killers, three of whom took the time to meticulously dismember their victims—a task that can take great strength. Another woman manipulated her two teenage boys into killing for her. Plus many more disturbing stories. The stories in this volume are shocking and exhibit human behavior at its absolute worst. Pure evil. However, these things really happen in the world. We may never understand what goes on in a killer’s mind, but at least we can be better informed. Included in this volume: Stephen McDaniel, Lauren Giddings, Leonard Tyburksi, Dorothy Tyburksi, Cheryl Knuckle, Greg Rowe, Ellen Boehm, Bevan Spencer von Einem, Alan Barnes, Neil Muir, Peter Stogneff, Richard Kelvin, Omaima Nelson, Betty Freiberg, Kimberly Hricko, Steven Hricko, Hilma Marie Witte, Sky McDonough, Leanna Walker, Carol Carlson, Daniel Carlson, Gerard John Schaefer, Evans Ganthier, Rebecca Koster, Gary Vintner, Mikhail Drachev, Chris Andrews, Dennis Tsoukanov, Sean Southland, Konstantin Simberg, Jason Massey, Brian King, Christina Benjamin, Sheila Keen, Debbie Warren, Michael Warren, Marlene Ahrens, Charles Albright, Travis Lewis, Martha McKay, Grant Amato, Cody Amato, Chad Amato, Margaret Amato, Robert Willy Pickton, Marty Dill, Heather Teague, Joe Ball, Jared Chance, Ashley Young, Theresa Knorr, Robert Knorr, William Knorr, Jason Vendrick Franklin, Stephanie Hebert, John Joubert, Danny Jo Eberle, Christopher Walden, Ricky Stetson, Anna Maria Cardona, Lazaro Figueroa, Charles Schmid, Jeremy Gipson, Jessica Thornsberry, Justina Morley, Domenic Coia, Nicholas Coia, Eddie Batzig, Jason Sweeney, Angela Stoltd, Jimmy Sheaffer, Vincent Tabak, Joanna Yeates, Edmund Arne Matthews, Lisa Ann Mather, Daniel Holdom, Karlie Pearce-Stevenson, Khandalyce Pearce-Stevenson, James Carson, Michael Bear, Suzan Bear, Susan Barnes Carson From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ iDigital Group (June 20, 2022) Language ‏ : ‎ English Paperback ‏ : ‎ 418 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1956566295 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1956566291 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.47 pounds Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.05 x 9 inches [ad_2]

[televinita]

is this a...a Reading Triage??

Since I’m in a chatty mood, and also have spontaneously started reading again (amazing how well a 5.5-day break from work will start you right up), and expect to be off work for the full last week of the month as well, I’ve decided to get Ambitious and finally do one of these again!

I think I might actually stick to a plan of almost ten whole books in the next 30 days, on top of the one I read today, because I am -- get this -- wildly excited about a ton of upcoming reads again. I know, I can’t believe it either. I love this feeling. BEGONE, TWO-STARS. Maybe even begone 3 stars...

1. Summer of Sloane - Erin Schneider: I am actually about 1/3rd done with this one, but I set it aside a few days ago to finish reading at the beach, since it was perfect for that and the weather wasn’t being very beach-day-like, and now I can’t figure out where I put it. But hopefully I rectify that soon?

[edit: ✅ done! quite good, 3.5 stars but probably rounding up on goodreads]

2. Smothered - Autumn Chiklis: a spontaneous grab off my TBR, I am now about 1/4 of the way through this one and having a blast. One of the few genuinely light & funny books I’ve picked up this year.

[edit: ✅ all smiles here]

3. Falling Out of Time - Margaret Peterson Haddix: I made a post about it and now it is FINALLY at the library and waiting for me on the hold shelf.

[edit: ✅ glad I read it]

4. Girls of July - Alex Flinn: I have been meaning to read this for the last 3 summers but I finally own it AND know where it is. This is the summer I make it happen! Almost definitely!! Four girls sharing a cabin for a month in the Adironacks, vaguely giving me Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants vibes? Yes.

[edit: if I don’t read this one, please know that it’s because “where it is” is an open grocery bag that hasn’t been touched for a year and has a spiderweb stretched across it that needs vacuuming before I can touch it, and I keep forgetting or only remembering before 9 AM or after 11PM]

5. Something Wilder - Christina Lauren: I’ve never read one of their books (except the YA novel that is a very different style and tone), but this one has me all kinds of excited. Second chance romance? Fake guided treasure hunts, but secretly maybe real treasure too? Danger?? I wanted to read it last year but the request list was REAL so I was waiting for the fervor to die down, and now it has. Mostly. I should have a copy by the 20th, at least.

[edit: ✅ fun, perfect for summer, great introduction to their adult work]

6. Something Wild & Wonderful - Anita Kelly: I wasn’t really looking for a m/m romance at the moment, and I will definitely be bracing myself to skip some scenes, but a novel about hiking the PCT just feels like a summer necessity.

[edit: ✅ exactly what I wanted]

7. Peacock Summer - Hannah Richell: a dual-timelines novel about a mansion and Family Secrets. It’s been on my TBR since it was released but it wasn’t at local libraries -- and then I found a copy at a garage sale last month! So, hyped.

8. Famous For a Living - Melissa Ferguson:

I splurged on Once Upon a Book Club for the first time, and it arrived yesterday and I am positively SQUEALING with excitement. Actually planning to bump this up to my next read as soon as I finish the books I’m in the middle of. Or maybe after the Haddix book.

[edit: ✅ done! worth my purchase but also definitely should have been saved for winter]

[dearmrsawyer]

gloryhalleloujah replied to your post: gloryhalleloujah replied to your post: ...

Ahhh see I got most of my books from my library’s annual book sale which, for the last hour, allows you to fill up an entire paper grocery bag FOR ONE (1) PENNY so any author or title that I’d ever had any interest in (or that suddenly looked/sounded interesting) got snatched up lmao. I’m mostly same about classics but then Jane Eyre was one of those I got at the book sale and I was v hesitant bc I don’t care that much for Pride & Prejudice or Wuthering Heights but obv

I LOVED Jane Eyre so yOu NeVeR kNoW… The Prince and the Pauper has taken longer than I’d like but mostly bc I’m bad at setting aside reading time fml. It’s p good though disappointingly focuses on one boy much much more than the other which is frustrating bc I wanna know what the other one is up to and I’m running out of pages! Also I know it was written as a children’s book but it has so much old timey language (“an” for “if,” “sith” for “since,” etc) I think I would

have had a hard time with it as a kid OKAY SORRY THIS GOT SO LONG I JUST LOVE TALKING ABOUT READING AND BOOKS ESP TO YOU <3333

omg amazing!!!!! we have something v similar here, its put together by Lifeline which is an organisation that runs help lines esp for suicide prevention, and they have a chain of second-hand shops as well. they run 2 big book fairs a year and in the last few hours of the last day they also have a thing where you can just fill up a bag with as many books as you can for a set price! and i’ve bought SO MANY BOOKS that way jjgfdj even if i was like soooooo vaguely peripherally interested in it, like that’s a nice cover i’ll just get it, or that’s an author i heard of once i’ll just get it lol.

And Jane Eyre is one of my FAVOURITE books (as we discussed!) so i know i need to keep myself a little open to classics just in case there’s another treasure out there. The classics i held onto were mostly things by the Bronte sisters or Thomas Hardy because they’ve authored the classics i enjoyed most. But its goodbye to Charles Dickens and see ya to E.M. Forster!

Ahh ok! I see what you mean. Omg the stuff tailored as kids books back in the day? Even the publishers of the Hobbit specifically recommended it for children aged 7-11 dfjjgjfgj ????? it sounds like its worth reading but would have an element of dissatisfaction that is experienced with a lot of children’s media because its aimed at a simpler level of emotion. I mean i feel that with some contemporary children’s media too!

[bookaddict24-7]

I said at the beginning of the year that I would share my reviews more on my blog instead of just on Instagram and Goodreads. I’ve been reading a lot so far this year, so my reviews will be delayed on here. I upped it to 10 reviews per post so I can do most of the reviews before the end of the year!

Friend me on Goodreads here to read my reviews in real-time!

___

176. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho--⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, I get that this is a classic read and that it has some great messages in it, like following your own path and finding what your life journey is; essentially trusting the process. But. BUT this book and some of the commentary in it are a bit dated. There were some observations that made me slightly uncomfortable, especially given the political climate we’re living in. It’s the whole sentiment of “otherness” that made me uncomfortable. Again, I can see how this book could be life changing for some because of the great philosophical messages in here. I’m personally glad I finally read this and can scratch it off my to-read list. But if this book had been written today, I think some things in it would be given a serious side-eye. I’d recommend it if you’re stuck in life and can’t seem to trust the process. But be wary of some of the commentary.

___

177. Little Monsters by Kara Thomas--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh wow, this book was a RIDE. I didn't see several of the twists coming and I absolutely LIVE for books that surprise me. I also really enjoyed that this book focus so much on the mystery and the family dynamics. This book wasn't as dark as other thrillers I've read, but there was a moment where I was left with my jaw dropped because I was taken by surprised. Also, that ending was weirdly satisfying. I've read one other book by this author, I think, and I remember enjoying it as well. I'm excited to read more books from this author in the future!

___

178. Hero by Mike Lupica--⭐️⭐️⭐️

While this was a quick and entertaining read, I’m taking a star off for that conclusion. The author makes it seem like this is the start of a series—he even mentions in an interview that he “has three chapters written”, but never wrote anything else for this character. I remember thinking, “We’re almost at the end and this feels like it still needs so many answers.” And as a result, everything in the last few pages is rushed and kind of anticlimactic. It’s too bad—this book had a lot of potential.

___

179. Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've had this book on my TBR for years and I finally listened to the audiobook. I was wary at first because I haven't had the best luck with older YA Fantasy, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the twist of us not knowing who was the prince and who was the assassin, and then I loved the twist of finally finding out who was who. I don't know if I'll read the sequel, but this was an enjoyable read. There's one character I wanted to strangle, but other than that, this was fun and I would recommend it to YA Fantasy fans!

___

180. Vox by Christina Dalcher--⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book had some great qualities and some not-so-great qualities. The premise of how women are treated in this book is fascinating and unique (even if it was rage-inducing). I wanted to throttle many, many people in this book for the things they said and how this new way of being had begun to feel "normal" to them. What wasn't so great about this book was the almost random storyline that begins almost halfway through the book, and then the extremely sped up conclusion. I feel like some of the things that happen and the ease with which they happened were a bit too convenient. And the one character that suddenly changed because they realized that actions have consequences--I don't know how to feel about them and their sudden about-face. If you want to read something that my anger you because of the terrifying potential of this happening to women in the future, then I recommend it for that. But that weird storyline meant to, I presume, add an extra thrill to the story, was eh.

___

181. The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I will, off the bat, say that I liked book one more. This one was cute and had some adorable moments, especially with the puppers. But the conflict in this didn't sit well with me and made the pacing of the novel feel...off? I think that the romance was also insanely sped up and a bit unrealistic for someone who's been grieving so intensely for two years. The author made a really good point in her author's note about the inspiration for this story and why she wrote this romance, and in retrospect, the fantastical elements of this romance make a bit more sense. This book had a lot of potential and I think the road it took was far simpler than it deserved. The conclusion was a little too cookie-cutter. But hey, I couldn't stop listening to this one and I honestly now need to read the third book. Something about this story made me want to keep reading--probably that craving for the HEA that usually comes with these stories featuring heavier topics. I just wanted the MCs to have their happiness after all of their heart pain. While the first book remains my favourite so far, I know this one is also pretty popular with the fans of this series. Hopefully book three won't face the same issues this one did.

___

182. Starfish by Lisa Fipps--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Short and sharp, that's how I'd best describe this book. It was so powerful and so heartbreaking. When I was a kid, I was the chubby one who got bullied and got made fun of by all the other smaller kids. I had nicknames given to me by middle schoolers, and even had kids unabashedly jab verbal digs at me in front of the teachers and other students. While my mother wasn't toxic like this one, she was still someone who tried the diets with me and tried to exercise with me, and who unknowingly made comments that I can still recall to this day. I don't know if the younger, fat version of me would have appreciated this book--maybe it would have made me feel less alone, but I think maybe it would have made me face those emotions I was too afraid of naming or challenging. But that's my own personal thing. This isn't to say that I don't think other children won't benefit from this book. Sometimes books that don't sugarcoat the truth of the pain a bullied child feels are the best gift to the lonely child. This book yells "You are not alone" from the rooftops and cannonballs into the pool of life. I think that this is also a great book to read as an adult--especially if you're a parent. A lot of parents may not realize how awful they're being, while some do it without thinking of the long-term trauma of said bullying and/or "advice" they give. This is a super powerful and important book that I think needs to be seen more. STARFISH just punched me in the heart and I won't lie, I wanted to cry a few times and give the MC the biggest freaking hug.

___

183. The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy from the publisher. This didn't affect my review in any way. This book was creepy right off the bat--not just because of the weird behaviour of the new black girl in the mostly white office, but because of how normalized racism is in said work office. The fact that the MC felt uncomfortable to voice her displeasure is one thing, but the guilting and the gaslighting was terrifying in its own right. I think that though this book is jarring in several aspects, it's a great book to read. It should make you uncomfortable enough to see how ridiculous some situations are and how obviously problematic some instances can be. The concept of this book and the behaviour of the other black girl is honestly terrifying. I think the comparison to GET OUT is right on, with a hint of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, because this was more like...what it would look like to cater to the white coworker, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you as a black person, or a POC. Is this a perfect book? No. I wasn't the biggest fan of the conclusion BUT it's the journey getting to said conclusion that will have you not wanting to put this down. Also, it will have you question who you can trust.

___

184. The Dead Girls’ Dance by Rachel Caine--⭐️⭐️⭐️

My goal is to finally finish this series and I'm on my way! I will admit, one of the major events in this book set me off on a bit of a rant with my bookish group this morning. One of the plot devices used in this book really aged it for me and it left a sour taste in my mouth. I won't say more because spoilers, but also TW: for attempted sexual assault via date r@pe. Also, there's a mild age gap in this that is getting...interesting. And a twist I partially didn't see coming, but I know will definitely make this series more interesting. On to the next book!

___

185. Made in Korea by Sarah Suk--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy via the publisher. This did not affect my rating in any way. I went into this one a little wary because I'm normally not the biggest fan of books featuring competitions like this because, hi, hello, Anxiety. BUT I loved seeing the representation in this book and I had an opportunity regarding this book come up, so I tentatively began the story and then ended up loving it! I loved that though both characters, to an outsider, had similar backgrounds, they both had their own unique struggles. As a reader, I appreciated it because it taught me so much more about the culture and the different family dynamics and expectations. This was also a classic enemies to lovers (though it definitely felt more one sided in that aspect). I could sort of guess where the story was going, but that actually helped me process it better and helped me enjoy the story more! I'd definitely recommend it to readers who love very strong characters, different cultures, and dual perspective narratives!

___

186. Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury

I'm torn on this one. On one hand, I loved the concept and some of the characters, but on the other hand, I feel like A LOT was going on. I need to further process my thoughts on this one.

___

Have you read any of these books? Would you recommend them? 

___

Happy reading!

[sinterblackwell]

i don’t know who exactly created this tag but i wanted to thank @arywizm for being the one who happened to make me aware of it since it does seem cool.

book tag:

- how many books are too many books in a series?

my recent two favorite series (the skybound saga by alex london + the timekeeper trilogy by tara sim) both consist of just three books, which works pretty well for me.

but then there’s also the raven cycle series by maggie stiefvater, which consists of four books (+ an additional short story). with each book that i read, i fell deeper and deeper in love with this world the author built so i can’t forget that.

with that in mind, if i do the math, the maximum is five books. any more than that is overkill.

- how do you feel about cliffhangers?

they’re amazing.

ex: “chainbreaker (timekeeper, #2)” by tara sim.

- hardback or paperback?

some hardbacks come with a special design underneath the printed cover depending where you order them from (ex: “cemetery boys” by aiden thomas) so it is really cool to see that, plus the feeling of holding a hardcover book in my hands is immaculate.

however, paperbacks are better.

my copy of “white rabbit” by caleb roehrig proves it. it’s so floppy and brilliant, i can’t get enough of it.

- least favorite book?

“the unfortunate importance of beauty” by amanda filipacchi. it is the first (and hopefully last) book i ever gave a 1-star rating on goodreads.

- love triangles, yes or no?

i feel mostly meh about them because i just don’t care. i would prefer if there not be one because then there’d be less relationship drama but it could sometimes be fun seeing how readers are at such opposite sides when it comes to the ships.

(ex: addie & luc vs. addie & henry from “the invisible life of addie larue” by v.e. schwab. it’s not much of a love triangle but it’s close enough, i guess you can say).

i personally love addieluc.

- the most recent book you just couldn’t finish?

i tried giving “the inheritance games” by jennifer lynn barnes a second try over a month ago but i just couldn’t get into it.

if it was an adult, or even new adult (everyone in the online book community knows how many more books we need under the 18-22 age bracket), the story probably would work better, in my opinion, because it being in the young adult category just makes the writing feel off to me.

- a book you’re currently reading?

there’s two: “the weight of the stars” by k. ancrum + “china room” by sunjeev sahota.

- last book you recommended to someone?

“vicious” by v.e. schwab to a close friend of mine. i raved to him about eli ever and he found the premise really interesting so fingers crossed 🤞🏽

i have a bad habit of recommending books to non-readers but i genuinely can’t help it when i know the book in question would just be absolutely perfect for them.

like, i recommended aftg to this same friend a long while ago and it’s become so incredibly important to him, especially the character andrew, so that’s just a little fact that matters a lot to me.

- oldest book you’ve read?

“we have always lived in the castle” by shirley jackson (first published: 1962).

- newest book you’ve read?

it technically hasn’t even come out yet but it was my book of the month pick for august so it was an early release: “the heart principle (the kiss quotient, #3)” by helen hoang; it’s set to be published on august 30.

note: it can be read as a standalone.

- favorite author?

adam silvera was the first author i ever considered my favorite and he still is. but there’s also olivie blake.

- buying books or borrowing books?

i love that feeling of adding books to my personal collection but 9/10 of the time, i prefer borrowing them first so that i know for sure i want to own them for myself.

- a book you dislike that everyone else seems to love?

i don’t necessarily dislike it but i didn’t care too much about it: “the mark of athena (heroes of olympus, #3)” by rick riordan.

it was my least favorite of the series, although, “blood of olympus (heroes of olympus, #5)” was slightly disappointing, but only just because of how rushed the ending felt.

- bookmarks or dog-ears?

bookmarks!! there’s these charm ones i buy off of etsy and they’re really cute.

- a book you can always reread?

“autoboyography” by christina lauren; i originally answered this one with “masters of death” by olivie blake because it has become a huge comfort book of mine in the last couple of weeks but then someone by michael schulte just popped up in my shuffle and my mind changed.

the song’s always reminded me of sebastian & tanner from “autoboyography” so i couldn’t help including them in this tag because they mean a lot to me.

- can you read while listening to music?

i just listened to the entirety of taylor swift’s “red (deluxe)” album while reading “it ends with us” by colleen hoover so……yes.

- one pov or multiple povs?

multiple!! i especially love it when authors include the perspectives of some minor characters since personally, i think it adds more depth to the story (ex: the skybound saga by alex london).

a booktuber complained about this in “the jasmine throne” by tasha suri but it just made me that much more excited to read the author’s new adult fantasy.

- do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?

depends on the book, really.

i read the entirety of “firestarter (timekeeper, #3)” by tara sim all while laying in bed with very few social media breaks in between.

on the flip side, it took me over a couple weeks to finish “these violent delights” by chloe gong.

- who do you tag?

i wasn’t tagged to do this, it was just something i thought could be fun and it was. i hope maybe there’s any titles that stuck out to anyone who comes across this, reader or not, since i do believe that there’s always a book out there for everyone.

if this is something that could be fun for you, i tag: @tawmlinsun @kritiquer @flying-elliska @dreamingoftinystars and @minyardss

[royalwilmon]

🙄☕️

what’s a popular book that you dislike, but you’ll get crucified if you say it?

i try to do my research on goodreads before picking up a book so i dont wind up reading a book i'll have a miserable time with so i don't think there is a suuuuper popular one that people would get mad at me for. BUT the worst book i read this year was one that i kept seeing all over booktok and i know that there are are lot of fans of the author so..... i HATED the unhoneymooners by christina lauren. HATED IT. here's my goodreads review if you wanna know why lol

drop a HOT unpopular opinion about a book/character. be savage.

i was so excited for one last stop because rwrb is one of my all time favorites, but the more I sit with the book, the less I like it. i keep docking it stars the more i think about and read about it. there are plenty of people who have written it up nicer than i can but there are definitely issues with the representation, and for me it was also just a huge problem with pacing, a confusing and underwhelming ending, and i think really underdeveloped characters. i was so disappointed. :///

[couchpotatoaniki]

The books that you posted about really intrigued me. And the books seemed really cool, I was wondering if you have any book recommendations? For any genre.

:0 Someone's asking me about book recs? This has never happened before I'm scared 😂😂 So, I suppose I should warn you that a lot of these are fantasy. Also, thank you for taking an interest 🥺🥺

This is gonna be loooooong, so continue to read more. Also, all the links are for the Goodreads pages so you could read the blurb and reviews if you're interested. Word of warning though, these are all of my opinions, so if they don't work for you--that's okay. Tastes are fickle :))

Also, if you have any book recommendations for me or want to talk about books, then please feel free to pop in my inbox because I LOVE discussing and getting excited about books.

Books that I've already read:

The School for Good and Evil series by Soman Chainani--there are six books in total (seven if you include the handbook), but this was one I read when I was around 13/14. It's kinda like a fairytale retelling, where there are two schools; one for good and the other evil. It has a lot of references to folktales and discusses the divides between good and evil, girls and boys, and young and old. It's a story about self-discovery and I just love the characters--especially their relationships and dynamics with one another. Netflix is actually making a movie about the first book and it's going to come out sometime in 2022. Hopefully they don't screw it up 😔😔

A Thousand Nights by E. K. Johnson--I know this may not be for everyone, but I love this book. There is a sequel that I haven't gotten around to reading, but this one specifically was one I enjoyed quite a bit. It's like a retelling of the folktale One Thousand and One Nights (commonly known as Arabian Nights) but with more a fantasy twist to it. It's slow-paced, but it has so much meaning behind it. It paints such a beautiful picture in your head with both the imagery but also has a subtle feminist strength to it through its deliberate choice of words and description--not to mention it has a very strong feel to the pre-Islamic Middle East setting as compared to other retellings like The Wrath and the Dawn, which is much more suited to be classed as YA than this (by no means is that derogatory to any of the books, but it's just to explain how they're so different despite being based off the same folktale). Just read it, it's honestly amazing.

The Sin Easter's Daughter series by Melinda Salisbury--Okay, funny story, I actually read the second book, The Sleeping Prince, first by accident. A problem I have with a lot series, is something commonly known as second-book syndrome--as in, I'm not particularly a fan of the second book in a trilogy series. Once I realised my mistake and read the first book, The Sin Eater's Daughter, I found that I wasn't as in love with it as I was the second, so I thought that might've been just because of the way I read it. But when I read the reviews, I realised that a lot of other people thought the same as me despite having read it in order; the second one was more loved than the first. Unfortunately, I haven't read the third book yet, but I feel like The Sleeping Prince was enough to put it on this list. Once again, this is fantasy with tones of the Pied Piper in it, and there is so much more I could say, but again it would be more about the second book than the first so I won't spoil it for ya. But just sayin', if you wanted to read the second book as a stand-alone, you can do since I myself kinda figured out what was going on and filled in the gaps by myself. This is probably because the first and second book follow different characters (and I assume it switches in the third book, but again, I haven't read it).

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller--now, this GODSEND of a book is one that I rate highly. It's based off the Iliad (so it's heavy on the Greek mythology), though it follows Patroclus rather than Achilles throughout the whole book. If you don't know anything about the story, then I won't spoil it--just know that I knew the story of the Iliad and was in this state of dread the entire time 'cAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH FORSHADOWING. All I can say is that I love the dynamic between the two guys and the story is so heartbreakingly beautiful. Bless 'em 😔😔 But a friend of mine found the writing a little bit confusing (she still loves it) since you kinda have to read between the lines--it isn't blunt. Also, one word of advise I'd like to give on good stories, and specifically plot twists, is that the shock factor may occur the first time you read it but what makes a good story or plot twist is the way it makes you feel--it should still be positive no matter how many times you re-read it. Shock factor isn't everything, so when I read this there was no shock factor for me (I knew what was going to happen from me previous knowledge) yet this book still kept me gripped onto it. I didn't loose interest--and that's part of the reason why I love it.

Caraval series by Stephanie Garber--I put this on the list because of the progression within the books, despite it being fast-paced. Book one follows one of the two sisters during the Caraval who is accompanied by a guy and the whole description was very magical--kinda alluding to the magic of Legend himself (the Caraval Master). In it, there is mentions of what kind of world it is, but it doesn’t really get explained until book two, which follows the other sister to find out Legend’s real identity for a certain reason that I won’t disclose ‘cause it’s a spoiler. This expands a lot more about how the present came to be as it was and also explains a little more about the background for the major characters. Although I’m in the early chapters of the third book and so can’t really comment on it, all I can say is that so far, it brings the two stories more together than they were before as it switches viewpoints between the sisters; I feel like that’s also why I don’t hate the second book in this trilogy, because the first one seems more like a prequel to set the scene while the second feels like the beginning of the actual story, and the third would be it’s conclusion. Okay, so, fair warning, there is a lot of metaphors which mix senses (for example, describing an action/emotion as a colour/image/taste) and I understand not everyone likes that writing style, which is completely okay; I just happen to like it.

Daughter of the Pirate King series by Tricia Levenseller--the main girl, I feel, is either a love-or-hate character. Personally, I don't particularly mind her, since she's just fun to read. There are parts where she tells you just how awesome she is but can't show you because she would give her act away (she's pretending to be a prisoner on a ship to steel a map) but if it was in any other scenario, I would despise that. I suppose my plus points would be for how she reacts internally to what she's doing, you see the whole process going on in her mind--and it isn't perfect, mind you, but the fact nothing is perfect makes it better. Though I could see why people would think she was annoying or the romance was very fast-paced (I prefer a slow-burn, but I don't mind this either). One thing I will say is that there are two characters (one in particular) that I love the dynamics of. Also, there's pirates. I don't think I need to explain further on that point.

Books I'm in the middle of reading that seem pretty cool so far:

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black--I'm halfway through this book and so far I'm really enjoying it. The dynamic between the main girl and her nemesis is just unlike many enemies-to-lovers I've ever read (including online) because they just hate each other so much. Like, she's not gonna be seduced by him and get into a really toxic relationship where her feelings are being taken advantage of. She's grown into being smart, she's grown into being skilled, she's not a love-struck idiot that makes impulsive, nonsensical choices. There are two more books after this and apparently it gets better and the main characters find some ground to not be toxic (again, not sure since I haven't read it myself). Now, this is probably going to get me a lot of hate, but I'm not a fan of a certain popular YA author who has a very popular book series that involves fae. I find this a much more likeable alternative since the faerie are not humans with superpowers and pointy ears. There is actual description, actual difference between the humans and the fae, different rules they live by, two examples being that humans can't eat fae food otherwise [redacted] and the other being the fae are immortal (the kind that doesn't age, but can be killed). There's consistency in the world building and the characters are not too overpowered--and this itself just set above all the other faerie books I've read thus far.

Lost Boy by Christina Henry--this is a Peter Pan retelling that I'm still in the first half of the book. Not got much to say except for the characters are even at such a point are distinct with each other (I can already tell that Peter Pan is a Psychotic Asshole™). It's very impactful, but be warned, it's dark and violent too. I mean, when I say Peter Pan is a Psychotic Asshole™, I mean it with every fibre of my being. And it is a very good origin story to Captain Hook, who you begin to empathise with quite a bit even early on within the book. I also like a few other books from the same author since she delves quite a bit into dark fantasy and story-retellings which I personally adore, but I feel like this one is a good starting point. Either this, or The Girl in Red which is Red Riding Hood is bi and goes on a murder-spree.

The Archived by V. E. Schwab--I've actually got a couple of this author's books but I decided to put this one on because so far I'm enjoying it so far. The atmosphere of the story is very eerie and it gives beginning-of-a-horror-movie vibes. So far I haven't really gotten into the whole thing with the love interests, but there is some in there. I just really enjoyed the whole worldbuilding, the setting and feel of the story was awesome, the writing was really good, and I love the little anecdotes that are put in between Mac and Da (her grandfather). Though I can see why the switching from tenses would be confusing for some, I just really liked it. Again, not much to say because I haven't gotten too far into the story, but so far, it's pretty great.

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan--oh boy. Now, this book is one I would recommend so far but it needs to be said that it is hard to read. Not because the writing was bad or the plot was crap--no, the writing is really good and the plot is very interesting. It's hard because of the themes that are being addressed within it. I'm not gonna sugar-coat it, it mentions a LOT of sexual harassment, kidnapping, lack-of consent. However, although there are a few books in which this is romanticised, this is definitely NOT one of them. In fact, you feel really bad for the main character and I even felt like taking a break to come to terms with what was being said or described, but this is a story where the main girl does what she can to fight against it. Usually, I skip past the author's notes at the beginning but lucky I read this one because it gave me an understanding of why this was written--the author had been through a similar situation and wanted to raise awareness for any girls currently going through anything remotely close to this situation. It was nice to see that this was something that was being spoken about and I'm so proud of the author for speaking up about her experiences and encouraging others to speak up as well.

Circe by Madeline Miller--if you've already read Song of Achilles and enjoyed it, this was written by the same author and follows a character called Circe. She is actually a side-character from The Odyssey by Homer, so--again--Greek mythology is heavily present in this. I actually haven't gotten around to reading it but I've been promised that this was amazing, and speaks about feminism and females themselves in a world as patriarchal and oppressive as Ancient Greece (let's be honest, they were extremely sexist)

It's Not About the Burqa by various authors, edited by Mariam Khan--this is the only non-fiction book I have on this list because I don't read non-fiction all that much. Reading books, for me, is escaping from reality so reading this genre is going against the main reason I read in the first place. However, that being said, the topic it discusses is very near and dear to my heart as it is part of my identity, who I am as a person. This book, folks, is about Muslim women. It's a compilation of essays written by said women which each tackle different topics regarding Muslim women, ranging from religious dress, representation, mental health, stereotyping, feminism within Islam, expectations, modesty, sexuality, marriage and divorce, and more. One line that instantly hit me was "When was the last time you heard a Muslim woman speak for herself without a filter?" And I realised it was true--that most of the crap I heard about my own people, my fellow Muslim women, are either from men or non-Muslims or (in many cases) both. Reading these really opened my eyes to how we were actually being treated; how our hijabs were being used as a fashion trend rather than a religious observance; how our communities disapprove of behaviours that deviate from what we're expected to be, and the press and state being oppressive and racist towards us. I knew about most of this stuff but it really put into words (quite literally) how severe it is and had made me realise how some of the things I believed were good (like increased representation of Muslims in advertisement for beauty and fashion) were actually only short-term things at face value (like how barely any of the models or designers are actual Muslims and how the hijab, abaya, and other religious clothing were supposed to show how in Islam a woman is not valued by her physical beauty but for her personality, her intelligence, her love for her religion). This in and of itself is a bit of a rant from my part, but I really want people to read this book and understand our voices and our views from our own mouth than through someone else's interpretation off of some half-assed search on the internet. I would seriously recommend people to read it because it is such an important issue to at least try to understand.

There's so many more book that I've heard a lot of praise from that I have but haven't read yet or don't have and am planning to get in the future when my wallet recovers from me recent spending because boy is it HURT. I'll be posting about them

[the-art-librarian]

Do you have any recommendations based on "The Uncanny" by Andrew Wyeth? A lot of his artworks strangely remind me of Dostoevsky's novels

My first thought was Edith Wharton’s Ghost Stories. A reviewer on Goodreads explains why better than I can, saying Wharton’s ghosts “haunt those who once had the power to change things for the better but did not do so”, and “If you read about ghosts in order to be filled with dread, then Edith Wharton may not be your favorite supernatural author. On the other hand, [read this] if you are a fan of elegant realistic fiction but like a few chills from time to time.” I think it fits this painting quite well.

Also Wharton’s ghost story collection is where this quote comes from, and it feels solitary and quietly desperate like some Wyeth paintings (I’m thinking of ‘Christina’s world’...):

A woman's nature is like a great house full of rooms: there is the hall, through which everyone passes in going in and out; the drawing-room, where one receives formal visits; the sitting-room, where the members of the family come and go as they list; but beyond that, far beyond, are other rooms, the handles of whose doors perhaps are never turned; no one knows the way to them, no one knows whither they lead; and in the innermost room, the holy of holies, the soul sits alone and waits for a footstep that never comes.