#free middle grade kindle books

[strakam]

Free Holiday Reading

The New Kid 5: Snow Day! and The New Kid 6: Flying Solo will both be free in the Kindle store on December 27-28. I hope you get the chance to enjoy some free books during the holiday season. A sample from my latest book is listed below:

[writingquestionsanswered]

how to get into reading more? I find it very it hard to get into reading and whenever I try to read books I could never get past chapter one.

Tips for Getting Into Reading More

Reading is a habit, just like exercising or brushing your teeth. The more consistently you do it, the easier it is to do. Reading is also a skill, meaning that doing it consistently makes you better at it. Whether that's reading a print book and training your eyes and brain to read better and faster, or reading an audiobook and training your ears and brain to listen and comprehend better. Try reading a book or audiobook every day for at least ten minutes, and after a while you'll find it's a habit and you're craving more.

Here are some other things you can do during that initial few weeks to help yourself along...

1 - Read Fan-Fiction - Go to AO3 or FF.net and look for fan-fiction of your favorite shows, movies, books, games, etc. AO3 also has podfic available to listen to. Fan-fiction is a fun and easy way to get back into a reading habit since it's easy access (your brain is already familiar with the world and you already love it) and it's free.

2 - Read Short Stories - Short stories are a great way to build a reading habit. You can find free short stories online via a Google search. Wattpad has a short story section and many libraries also offer them in their online catalogs. Or, you can by short story collections by author or anthology. You can also find audiobooks of short stories and recordings.

3 - Read Graphic Novels or Comic Books - Graphic novels and comic books can be another great way to get back into reading. The visual component can help draw you into the story, but the text makes sure you're honing your reading skills. Many graphic novels have audiobook adaptations.

4 - Read Bite-Sized Serial Fiction - Sites like Kindle Vella and Radish offer "bite-sized" serialized fiction which allows you to get absorbed in a story a little at a time. Bite-sized and serialized fiction works great if you're trying to build a reading habit by reading for 10 to 20 minutes a day. You can also find serialized audiobooks.

5 - Read Books That Were Adapted Into Movies or Shows - If you watch TV and movies, there are probably several that were adapted from books. YA books that were adapted into movies and shows (Twilight, Love Simon, The Vampire Diaries, The Hunger Games, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, The Sun is Also a Star, The Hate U Give, Dumplin', and The Princess Diaries--just to name a few) are especially good for getting back into reading because the content and story presentation is accessible and the lengths are usually manageable. But really, any TV show or movie you loved that was based on a book would be a great place to start. Most books that were popular enough to be adapted into a show or movie will also have an audiobook.

5 - Try Audiobooks - If you don't read audiobooks already, they can be a great way to get back into reading. Even if you're not training your eyes to read print, you're still training your brain to engage with a story which is just as important. If you're able to read print books, you might even try reading book one of a series on audiobook, then switch to reading the print version of book two.

6 - Reread Old Favorites - If there are any books you've read before and loved, try reading them again. Sometimes, revisiting old favorites can help us get back into reading because we already know we love the story, and familiar stories can be more accessible to our eyes and brains. Many older books and even classics have audiobook versions.

7 - Read Children's Fiction - Picture books, chapter books, Middle Grade, and YA books can be a great way to get back into the habit of reading. You might even try rebuilding your reading habit/skills from the ground up, starting with picture books, moving onto chapter books, then heading into Middle Grade and finally YA. Children's fiction tends to range from shortest to longest, with picture books being the shortest and YA fiction being the longest, but YA fiction still tends to be shorter than most adult fiction. Children's fiction is also written to be accessible to younger age ranges, which doesn't mean it's not complex or can't be enjoyed by adults, but many readers to find most Middle Grade and YA books to be easier to read than say A Game of Thrones or Outlander. Everyone is different, though, and every book is different. So it really just depends on the book and the reader.

8 - Try Reading Out Loud - If you're able to read print books/stories, some people find it's easier to read out loud. You can even read to your pet, pretend you're reading to a class, or pretend you're the author doing a reading at a book signing. It sounds silly, but sometimes this performative aspect can make it a little more accessible and easier to do.

9 - Audiobook Alternative to #8 - Something similar you can do with an audiobook is listen to a few minutes, pause it, and then talk out loud about what just happened as though you were discussing it with a class or book club. This can help you get (and stay) engaged with the story.

10 - Keep It Fun and Stress Free - The most important thing of all is to keep it fun and stress free. Try not to give yourself a hard time if you drop the ball. Do your best and give yourself grace if you struggle. Putting pressure on yourself or creating unreasonable goals only makes it stressful which makes your brain want to avoid it. Set up or find a cozy reading space if you can. Put on some light music and grab yourself a cup of coffee, tea, or your favorite beverage. Sit outside if the weather is nice. Walking or doing chores is great if you're reading an audiobook. You can also try reading when you're waiting for things. Try instituting a reward system, like eating a special treat whenever you finish a book/story, chapter, or you've read for your ten daily minutes.

Happy reading!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[eddiemyluhuv]

hey y'all, more ethnography stuff!

hi everyone, once again I'm working on another facet of my project on tumblr fandoms and their populations over time! this time, I'm looking to do some "life history" accounts. in normal ethnography, this would be where I ask an informant about a specific period of their life such as childhood or adolescence in their culture. since this is not a normal ethnography, I was hoping to examine what people's fandom life histories have been like, ie - what fandoms you have been involved in over the years and how they interacted.

so if you want to participate, you can drop in the tags either some of the most important fandoms to you that you've been a part of them, or as many or few as you'd like. it would be awesome if you could put what period of your life you entered the fandoms too! in other words, this is like telling your (at least digital) life story through your fandom experiences.

here's my example of my fandom life story:

first was H*rry P*tter, but was too young for fandom - elementary school

this led me to Twilight which was the first time i made a fanfiction.net acc - 5th grade-ish

my first MAJOR fandom was Hunger Games, the movies were coming out, and I made a Tumblr and Pinterest for it lmao - 6th grade (-present tbh I never left) but yeah I remember reading on my kindle fire tablet either Hunger Games or thg fanfiction for HOURS everyday after school, I probably read at least 1,000 fics (I read small back then) that school year alone

Then I revisited HP, which inspired me to finished reading PJO (I never finished the first series in elementary school and at this point HOO was coming out, so I caught up and read the last few books) (also fun fact this was the only fandom i ever wrote fanfic for before I was ruin by my own self-criticism) - this was 7th grade-ish

Then I was emo... I was into bandom and dan and phil and other things I can't even remember honestly but fob/patd/mcr were my new big thing for the rest of middle school into hs

At this point, I officially threw myself into SPN - my irl friends were Superwholockers, but mostly on the Dr. Who/Sherlock side of things, so I had to become the representative in the friend group lmao - 9th grade

The next time I got DEEP into fandom was It/Loser's Club from Stephen King. the 2017 movie came out my sophomore year and that entire school year I stg I was eating sleeping breathing Loser's Club with a side of Stranger Things 2 to go with it.

I know I'm missing things but in general there was a through-line moving from media surrounding books, (probably because of the ya boom of the 2000s/2010s), to internet things like bandom and dnp, to tv shows and movies later. Interestingly, I probably never would have heard of the later fandoms I got involved in if I weren't online, so I basically came to Tumblr for fandom and then joined fandoms because Tumblr showed me them.

Please, please boost this, and if you don't want to write all that you could list them in a little timeline like

HP

Twilight

etc.

or even just say a general trend that you saw like from a certain genre -> a new genre -> a new medium etc.

And feel free to not share and just pass along! tysm y'all, I'm looking forward to reading your personal histories with fandom :)

[libertyreads]

May TBR--

Thanks to my newly minted library card, this is not all of my TBR for the month of May. Just the books I currently physically own. I’m so excited for the reads for the month of May. I get to start my Murderbot Diaries reread and I get to check out some books that have caught my eye but not held enough interest for me to actually go out and purchase them for myself.

1. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (Library)-- This is a Murder Mystery set on an isolated island. Daisy Darker’s family has never been what one would call functional. After years of avoiding each other, the family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday at the crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. When the tide comes in, they’ll be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours. Each family member arrives while harboring secrets and then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later the next family member follows. This is a retelling of sorts of the Agatha Christie story ‘And Then There Were None.’

2. Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen (Library)-- Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart and succeed in the NHL. But, on the first day he’s called up to the show, Leo gets checked on both sides. First, by the team’s coach who has a grudge; second, by the team’s sexy, icy publicist--his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington.

3. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (Library)-- This one seems to be a Middle Grade Mystery/Fantasy novel about a place called Greenglass House. It’s a creaky smuggler’s inn that’s always quiet during the wintertime. While Milo, the innkeepers’ adopted son, planned on relaxing during his holidays, things get thrown off course by the ring of the guest bell. It rings again and again. Soon, Milo’s home is bursting with odd and secretive guests who each bring a strange story that’s connected to the old house.

4. Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo (Library)-- This one seems to be a graphic novel version of the Darkling’s history and backstory. I think it’s the only Grishaverse thing I have yet to read. I was never interested in buying it so I’m glad I finally have my library card and can read it for free.

5. Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl (Kindle)-- This is a YA Mystery following a group of friends a year after the death of their friend Jim. His girlfriend Beatrice has questions she wants answered and their meeting again gives her that chance. And then a mysterious man knocks on the door and announces the impossible: time for them has become stuck, snagged on a splinter that can only be removed if the former friends make the harshest of decisions.

6. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (NetGalley)-- A Fantastical Dark Academia novel that looks like it will be everything fans of Dark Academia could ever want. Since childhood, Effy Sayre has been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad--author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King and then destroys him. Effy’s tattered copy is all that keeps her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny. 

7. The Marriage Act by John Marrs (New Release)-- From the author who brought us the insanity that was The One, comes a new Mystery/Thriller. What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey? In near-future Britain, a right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills--the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage and punishes those who choose to remain single. But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honor, and obey.

8. All Systems Red by Martha Wells-- I’m finally starting my reread of The Murderbot Diaries! I cannot explain my excitement. I’ll just quote the GR synopsis since there’s so much I could just burst forth with already. “In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conduction surface tests, shadowed by their Company supplied ‘droid--a self-away SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself as ‘Murderbot.’ Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.”

9. The Beauty and the Beast (Minalima edition) by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve-- I’m so excited to read this interactive, illustrated version of the original story. The epic love story follows a beautiful young girl imprisoned in the magical castle of a monstrous beast.

10. The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas-- This is a standalone romance novel that is set after The Spanish Love Deception. But I’ve been reassured that I don’t need to read that one first. In this novel, we follow aspiring romance author Rosie Graham whose life is a little up in the air following her quitting her well paying job. But through a misunderstanding Rosie and Lucas both end up staying at her friend Lina’s apartment. They end up trying to break Rosie’s writer’s block in some unexpected ways.

[unravelingthepages]

The Bandits of Basswood- Book Review

Hi! I read this book a while back and enjoyed reading it! It is a children’s book but it pretty much kept me hooked to it too. Its intended audience is middle grade readers.

Bandits of Basswood by E.P. Bellows is a fantasy book for middle grade readers and the first of a series. Thank you to bookinfluencers.com and the author for my e-copy of this read, below is my honest and uninfluenced review of this book.

The Plot

John William Drake was born an explorer; just like many, many Drakes before him. His adventure really began with the discovery of an old book hidden in the ceiling of the Drake home, followed by the mysterious disappearance of his father. He lived everyday in misery until his twelfth birthday. A new friend gave him an invitation he could not turn down… follow me and change your destiny. He never imagined being captured by bandits and taken to a ship riddled with river rats was part of his fate. Not just any bandits – the Bandits of Basswood; known to be a ruthless and wild crew of thieves. Trying to escape would be a ridiculous idea. No one has ever escaped and lived to tell about it. Uncovering traces of his missing father gave him hope and upped the stakes. John William was determined to get off the ship alive and search for the missing pieces of the puzzle. The chase out of Basswood was on. He took a chance to change his destiny and ended up on a wild ride to solve the most important mystery of his life.

Book review-

The book starts off slow but picks up its pace pretty quickly. It starts with an event long ago, with the second chapter in the life of John Willian Drake, the protagonist, when he’s 11 and then fastforwards a year, which is when the rest of the story takes place (he’s a tween).

Let’s start with his character. He’s pretty tenacious, and smart at times though with the innocence and trust a kid has. He makes friends quickly and though it’s written in the third person, you get insights into his thoughts.

I especially liked the little illustrations that pop up occasionally. Taking up barely any space, they provide these tiny glimpses into an entirely new world. I liked that it helped you visualize the world the characters are in as the author intended. It should be especially helpful for those kids who may not enjoy reading only-text books because descriptions of something can only do so much and would appreciate those tiny, ethereal illustrations.

This book ends on a cliffhanger, and I definitely think I would be waiting for the second book if I read this when I was a kid. So if this book sounds like something someone you know would enjoy, I recommend it to you :)) I give this read 3.75 stars!

purchase this book here: https://amzn.to/48t2PB1 (free on Kindle Unlimited!) [this is an associate link]

[ellaurashoop]

Welcome to my page/account! I am E̲l̲l̲a̲u̲r̲a̲ S̲h̲o̲o̲p̲, author of ten novels. My works span a wide variety of genres. I write middle grade fiction (ages 8-13), young adult fiction (ages 14-18), and adult fiction. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬 describing my posts, that’s where you’ll find what audience that specific works are appropriate for.

All of my works are published on Aɱαȥσɳ except for Pride Book One: Falling Storm and The Meer The Marked: Blaze. These books are being rereleased and relaunched with new covers and new interior illustrations.

All of the books in 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 will be relaunched with new covers over the next year or so, that is why the titles 𝕊𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖, ℙ𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝔾𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕥 are only available in electronic versions on Aɱαȥσɳ and/or Kindle Vella.

You can read a sampling of my work completely ⒻⓇⒺⒺ

ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴇʀ ᴀɴ ᴜɴᴛᴏʟᴅ ᴛᴀʟᴇ: ᴏɴʟʏ ʀᴀɪɴғᴀʟʟ (MG Animal Fantasy)

ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴇʀ ᴀɴ ᴜɴᴛᴏʟᴅ ᴛᴀʟᴇ: ɴᴀᴍɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴀʏ (MG Animal Fantasy)

ᴛʀɪʙᴜᴛᴇ: ᴀ ʀᴇᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴏғ ɪᴋᴀʀᴜs (YA Fantasy)

ℑ 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔰! Feel free to send me a message with any thoughts or questions! (Please state your question or reasoning for messaging me in your message. I will not respond to solicitors.)

If you have read and enjoyed any of my works, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ them on αмαzσи αи∂ gσσ∂яєα∂ѕ! Or drop a like or comment on Wattpad or World Anvil regarding the free stories. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, a few stars (or all five if you prefer, I won’t argue with that) and a couple words. I’d really appreciate it. 𝕋ℍ𝔸ℕ𝕂 𝕐𝕆𝕌 :)

I’m looking to build my launch team as well! So, if you’d like to read ebooks for free message me through my 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘦 and I’ll explain how it works. There are only a few spots open, let me know if you’re interested.

My Patreon has three tiers: Helper for $①, Guardian for $④, and Sentry for $⑧. Each tier offers different content so make sure to read the descriptions to find which one is right for you.

For exclusive content, such as access to short stories 𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕟 ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤: 𝔸 𝕋𝕒𝕝𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟𝕒 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕄𝕖𝕕𝕦𝕤𝕒 and 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕖𝕖𝕣 𝔸𝕟 𝕌𝕟𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕕 𝕋𝕒𝕝𝕖: 𝕀𝕟 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕓𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝔽𝕖𝕒𝕣, and other perks become a   ⓅⒶⓉⓇⓄⓃ here: patreon.com/EllauraShoop

Discover my books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B087KGRR3T

Also check out maps of the territories and character profiles on World Anvil: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/the-meer-ellaura

Find me on social media and follow for updates:

https://www.instagram.com/ellaura_shoop_author_artist/

I'm also on TikTok @ellaura_shoop_author

And in case you haven't visited the Facebook page sporting my initials yet (which features book reviews and updates on my writing): https://www.facebook.com/TheMeerSeries

Find Redbubble merch here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Rainshadow724/shop

Follow my Etsy shop for soon-to-come merchandise of my series and more: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BookishThemes

To find links to listed above everything, including my books and newsletter, find me on Koji:

[hollymbryan]

Series Repackage Tour + #Review: THE BELLES series by Dhonielle Clayton (w/ #giveaway)!

Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the Rockstar Book Tours blog tour for the gorgeous series repackage for The Belles series by the incredible Dhonielle Clayton! Book three, The Beauty Trials, just released, and the whole series got a beautiful redesign. I’ve got all the details on the new covers for you below, along with my review of the first book. There’s also a giveaway for all three books with the new covers, so be sure to enter!

About the Books

title: The Belles (The Belles #1) author: Dhonielle Clayton publisher: Disney Hyperion release date: 6 February 2018

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision. With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

Add to Goodreads Purchase the Book Available to read free via Kindle Unlimited and to listen free via Audible!

title: The Everlasting Rose (The Belles #2) author: Dhonielle Clayton publisher: Disney Hyperion release date: 5 March 2019

Add to Goodreads Purchase the Book Available to listen free via Audible!

title: The Beauty Trials author: Dhonielle Clayton publisher: Disney Hyperion release date: 14 February 2023

Add to Goodreads Purchase the Book

About the Author

Dhonielle Clayton is a New York Times Bestselling author of The Belles series, the coauthor of the Tiny Pretty Things duology which debuted as a Netflix original series, and the author of the MG fantasy series The Marvellers. She hails from the Washington, D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books, and co-founder of CAKE Literary, a creative kitchen whipping up decadent—and decidedly diverse—literary confections for middle grade, young adult, and women’s fiction readers. She’s an avid traveler, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief.

Sign up for Dhonielle’s newsletter (scroll to bottom of page)!

Connect with Dhonielle: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

My 4-Star Review of Book One

The publisher was kind enough to send a set of the redesigned series my way for this blog tour, but I decided to check out the audiobook for book one, The Belles, for this review. It turns out if you have an Audible subscription, both books one and two are available to listen to for free! So I downloaded it, hit play, and was swept away to an incredible fairy tale world. The world-building is absolutely amazing, with descriptions that have you envisioning every little detail in your head. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that gave me such intense visions of the world, and I can’t say enough about how Dhonielle created this incredible fantasy and had me seeing every scene in such detail. The characters are also all richly drawn, and the narrator did a great job differentiating them with different voices and accents. She had me wishing August was real, as she gave him a lovely Irish accent, which I’m a sucker for, ha! 

I love the world Dhonielle created, the story she told, and the characters she made real. And the ending, what?! I am about to dive into the audiobook for book two now and I can’t wait to go back to Orléans with Camille. If you haven’t read the books yet and enjoy listening to audiobooks, I highly recommend this series on audio!

Rating: 4 post-balloons! (which I SO wish were a real thing)

**Disclosure: I received copies of the books from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

About the Giveaway

One (1) lucky winner will receive all three books with the new covers! This one is US only and ends 14 March. Enter via the Rafflecopter below, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Tour

Today marks the start of the final week of the tour. Check out the schedule below so you don’t miss anything!

Week Five:

3/5/2023 - Book-Keeping - Review/IG Post      **you are here! 3/6/2023 - @froggyreadteach - IG Review 3/7/2023 - @drew_ambitious_reading - IG Review/TikTok Post 3/8/2023 - Momfluenster - IG Post/Facebook Post 3/9/2023 - @enjoyingbooksagain - IG Review 3/10/2023 - @thebookishfoxwitch - IG Review

[wtdiscover]

Get your free copy! https://www.worldstodiscover.com/anyiawarriorschallenge

[fictionadventurer]

Literary World Tour: Weeks 2 through, like, 4?

I've had a lot less time to read, between life getting busy and me spending more of what free time I have writing, but I feel like I should talk about the few books I've read with this project.

Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys (Germany): I actually already had this one on audiobook from the library (since I'd loved Between Shades of Gray), and had been considering returning it to focus on the world tour, because the ocean isn't any country. Then someone recommended it as taking place in Prussia, so I counted it toward the project. Fascinating look at WWII from an angle it's rarely covered from in American literature. I loved how it managed to convey that these people in this mostly-forgotten disaster all matter, even if it didn't end well for most of them. The four first-person narrators was weird, and I had trouble sinking into the narrative because of it. The readers were excellent, but having the stylized prose spoken aloud does make some passages sound more stilted. From what I saw in reviews, I think the audiobook may have made the German soldier seem more nuanced--everyone was talking about how over-the-top evil he was, but the narrator gave him a Mr. Collins type of pathetic-ness that made him seem ridiculous, so the evil-ness kind of emerged as chilling underlayers. Not nearly as good as Between Shades of Gray, but still very glad to have read it.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Russia): I don't intend to talk about books I don't finish, but I loved this one so, so much before I abandoned it (at 60%) that I'll make an exception. What a delight of a book. Would have been one of my all-time favorites if content (I get picky about sexual content and the Lord's name in vain) hadn't forced me to abandon it. Count Alexander Rostov is a Russian version of Peter Wimsey and I (mostly) loved him. The sanguine-phlegmatic cultured gentleman both trapped in horrific circumstances while living in relative sheltered luxury. (I want to know what idiot of a cover designer was responsible for making him look like the most boring man in the world). Loved the hotel setting, loved all his friends, loved the conversations about the shifting world and what makes a gentleman, loved the child characters. Pity that I couldn't finish it.

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan (India): Middle-grade book about a thirteen-year-old girl left a widow after her husband's death a couple of weeks into their marriage. Read this in one sitting. It felt rather underwritten--huge scenes were glossed over in a sentence or two, telling us most things rather than showing us anything. But it was still a fascinating story about a very different culture, and I've explained the plot to at least two different people since reading it because I found it so interesting.

Norah of Billabong by Mary Grant Bruce (Australia): Third book in the series that starts with The Little Bush Maid; already had it on my Kindle. I have such a strange relationship to these books. The setting (early 1900s Outback Australia) is so interesting, and the characters are likable overall, but the story can be so boring, until it has a few absolutely thrilling chapters that get me just engaged enough to contemplate continuing the series.

There is a shocking lack of tension in this story. Things go wrong, but they wind up just turning out alright with little action from anybody, or the characters just kind of shrug and move on and you don't get the sense that anyone's emotionally affected by anything. I think part of it is a massive overuse of passive voice. And then the characters! I like them, but it's sickening to read about how the Lintons are the absolute ideal at outback life and always good at everything and everyone loves them. My favorite characters were Brownie and Jean because they weren't good at everything; they had insecurities or flaws. Jean especially was satisfying to follow, because she wasn't sure how well she'd do at this life, so her accomplishments felt meaningful.

(I'm not usually one to get too worked up over outdated ideas in classic fiction, but oh my goodness, if anyone tries to say that Little House on the Prairie is racist, they have clearly not read these books. Little House may have some racist characters, but it has the general worldview that the Native Americans have a valid culture and what happened to them was sad (or at least acknowledges that there are multiple views of them). Here, any mention of any brown person, but especially the Aborigines, is ruthless in telling us that they're primitive, dirty, lazy thieves, and while it's an accurate depiction of a settler's POV back then, it was kind of brutal to read.)

But anyway, the chapters with the fire were great, and it was interesting to learn about this time period, and there was just a shade of compassion shown toward the Aborigines at the end, so it's just possible I may cave and read something else in the series, but I'm not sure it'll be worth it.

[arkenfreeth-blog]

Raleigh wants to know what book your currently reading?

Download SeaJourney here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1508605629?tag=ammbt-20

[jlalafics]

Prompt request 2! We’re studying in the library and there are two people very obviously fucking in the stacks and we keep sharing embarrassed glances

Here you go boo-boo! Enjoy!

 ________

Friday

Groaning, Katniss Everdeen packed her laptop in her bag and threw it over her shoulder. She couldn’t believe that she had mixed up her dates in her calendar. Not only was her Anatomy Practical due on Monday, but so was her analysis on Thoreau and transcendentalism.

She was usually very good at not messing up the calendar; it kept her on track and on time for graduating the upcoming spring.

So, what if she didn’t get to participate in the usual college activities? She didn’t need sorority sisters or keg parties. She didn’t need waking up in someone else’s dorm room after a night of meaningless sex.

She was on the Dean’s List.

That was pretty cool…right?

Johanna, her roommate, stepped into their dorm room. Wrapped in a towel and carrying her shower caddy, she nodded at Katniss before going to her closet.

“There’s a party going on upstairs,” she informed her as she rummaged through her clothes. “Do you want to come?”

“I’ve got two assignments due on Monday,” Katniss replied as she zipped up her bag.

Johanna shrugged. “Your loss. Hit me up if you decide to join and I’ll send you the dorm info.”

“Sure. Have a good time.” Katniss reached for her notebook. “Just don’t bring anyone back to the dorm, okay?”

“Hey! Someone has to get laid around here!”

“I know, but I hate having to give them the let-down talk after you take off,” Katniss retorted. “They look so bummed to be waking up to me and my flannel pajamas.”

“Fine.” Johanna gave her a smile. “Have fun at your favorite place in the world.”

She grinned back. “I will.”

++++++

The Panem Library was three floors of pure bliss for her. Katniss always sat on the second floor, right next to archives because no one ever really bothered to come up there. Here, she could commandeer a whole table, spread out her notes and arrange her highlighters. There was also an outlet for her laptop so she would never have to worry about it dying.

The second floor was mostly empty, and her usual table was free so quickly set everything up, notes to her left and writing paraphernalia to her right with her laptop plopped in the middle.

Finally sitting down, Katniss looked around to examine the other occupants of the second floor. There was an older man towards the far end of the floor in a cubby as well as one girl in the corner. Her eyes moved across her area and she almost yelped at who was sitting just a table apart from her.

He hadn’t been there while she was setting up!

He must’ve felt her stare because Peeta Mellark suddenly looked up from his own laptop to meet her eyes.

Then, he smirked. “Everdeen.”

“Mellark. What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded to know.

He had been a thorn in her side since they sat next to each other in General Anatomy—whenever he bothered to show up. When he did show, Peeta either spent his time trying to look at her notes or tugging at her braid.

The worse part was that when the exam grades were listed, he was always—besides herself—one of the top scores.

“I may not be married to my assignments like you are, but I do study,” he retorted.

Katniss nodded tersely. “Fine. Just try not to bother me.”

He glared. “You looked at me first!”

She looked down, hiding her blush. “Whatever.”

“Clever,” he mocked.

They went silent and with a deep breath, Katniss began to look over her notes about transcendentalism, losing herself in her scribble.

“Oh my God…yes…yes…”

Her head shot up at the thick moan and she looked around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Her eyes went to Peeta, who was also looking around, two crimson spots on his cheeks.

He turned to her. “Tell me you heard that.”

Katniss waved it off. “Maybe someone is watching something on their laptop on the main floor.”

“Well, whatever they’re watching sounds pretty fucking dirty,” Peeta replied.

She found herself chuckling at his words.

Their eyes met for a quick second and she felt a rush of warmth at Peeta’s boyishly handsome smile. His ocean eyes held hers for a moment and her chest fluttered.

Katniss quickly looked down, overwhelmed by her reaction to his penetrating gaze.

Calm the hell down! Yes, Peeta Mellark is a good-looking guy, but there’s no need to get weird over him.

She made a grab for her next set of notes and took her yellow highlighter, uncapping it—

“That’s it…you feel so good…you’re going to make me co—"

The words were followed by a series of moans and grunts.

“Okay, someone is definitely fucking.” Peeta stood up, going to her table, and holding out his hand. “Let’s go.”

She peered up at him in confusion. “What?”

“We’re not going to get any work done if they don’t get the hell out of here,” Peeta told her. “So, we have to find them and let them know that they need to either wrap it up or get out before we alert the library managers.”

“I didn’t peg you as cockblock,” Katniss remarked.

Peeta grinned. “I didn’t peg you as a voyeur of sorts.”

“I just understand that sometimes it’s hard to find places to be alone,” she stated. He looked to her curiously as she stood, taking his offered hand.

Peeta pointed to the far left. “I heard it coming through the archives—that way.”

Katniss snorted. “Oh yeah. That’s just old research on minerals. Nobody is going to be coming around there.”

He smiled wickedly at her as they headed in that direction.

“Didn’t you hear the guy—obviously somebody’s going to be coming.” She laughed at his words and he turned back to her. “You have a nice laugh.”

“It’s a pretty normal laugh.”

“Well, maybe it’s because I don’t hear it that often,” he said as they headed down the corridor.

They went silent as they traveled along the shelves of dusty papers and weathered books. As they got further in, it started to get warmer and Katniss could feel the sweat build at the nape of her neck. She pulled at his hand to stopped them and he whipped around, swift as a ninja.

“It’s fucking warm,” she hissed. Quickly, she pulled her navy sweater, revealing her grey tank top, and took her the hair tie from her wrist to pull her thick, dark hair up into a top knot. “That’s better.”

Katniss looked up to find Peeta staring at her. His jaw was taut, and his usually light eyes were thunderous, her core suddenly throbbed as he reflexively licked his lips.

“What?”

The question came tightly from her mouth.

Peeta shook his head, pulling himself out of his reverie. “Nothing. You just look…different.”

“I suppose you see me as more asexual,” she replied as they continued down their path. Peeta grunted in response. “It’s probably because I’m not blonde and my tits don’t bounce when I walk—”

She was suddenly slammed against a bookshelf, dust flying at the sudden motion, and staring straight into Peeta’s electric eyes.

“Don’t presume to know how I see you,” he whispered against her mouth. “Trust me, sweetheart. You are sexy, and I’ve fought temptation when it comes to you, Katniss.” His nose went to her neck, inhaling deeply. “And for the record, your tits definitely bounce—I had to stop myself from yanking your top down and pulling one into my mouth while you were yammering.”

Katniss was acutely aware of the fire kindling between them—their mission forgotten—she wrestled with her need to be sensible and her need to reach down to feel…him.

Carefully, her lips went to his, pillowing his bottom lip between hers, dragging it slowly before pulling away.

The little motion filled her body with an ache so harsh that she almost fell to her knees, her core pulsed, and she could feel the wetness between her thighs.

This had never happened before—this hunger—but she wanted more.

Peeta breathed shakily, his hand reaching for the nape of her neck to press his forehead to hers. “Wow.”

Her mouth melted into a smile reflecting his own.

He looked at her shyly. “Do you want to…um…study…at my place? I have my own apartment; it’s quiet and much more comfortable.”

She laughed softly. “Why do you study at the library? You have a perfectly private place.”

“Because of you,” he told her. “I overheard your roommate once saying that you usually come here on Fridays. I thought if you saw me here that you’d take me a little more seriously.”

“Why would what I think matter?” she asked, her heart racing.

“I like you.” The words came out like a treasured wish. “Katniss, you have no idea of the effect you have on me.”

They both went silent at the declaration.

“Yes…yes…oh YES!”

The tension broke and they both burst into laughter.

“Well, I guess it’ll be much quieter now so you can study,” Peeta told her, his gaze traveling down disheartened.

She smiled to herself. When the hell did Peeta Mellark become so endearing to her?

“Okay.”

Peeta’s head shot up. “What?”

“Let’s go to your place,” she told him simply, tugging him back to their tables. “I hope you have snacks.”

He was flabbergasted. “Snacks…uh yeah…I can bake, too.”

“Oh good. I get hungry after a study session,” Katniss rattled on. “And after sex, of course.”

“What?”

She turned to him, an amused smile on her face.

“We’re not going to be like those two in the stacks, especially since we have perfectly good bed, right?” Peeta nodded. “Then, let’s go.”

She turned but was suddenly yanked back and into Peeta’s arms.

“Yes?”

“I’ve been wanting to do this since the beginning of the semester.”

Then, he kissed her.

++++++

Sunday

“Where have you been?” Johanna asked as she entered her dorm. “I feel like I haven’t seen you since Friday.”

Katniss put her bag down in a daze, thoughts on the man who had spent most of Saturday between her thighs.

She also got both her assignments done—a feat when she discovered how good Peeta was going down on her.

Katniss turned to her roommate, giving her a serene smile.

“I’ve just been…studying.”

FIN.

[broetry]

Gifts for your reader/writer friends!

(Hello my dudes, my ladies, and my pals! With Christmas coming up, I thought it would be nice to make a list of gifts to give to your writing/reading friends for those of you who are just too tired at this point to come up with anything. I apologize for any grammatical/informational errors.)

•Book lights

•Book-based candles (irewolfcandlesandcuriosities is just one business that sells them)

•Book merchandise (this includes face masks, shirts, pins, bookmarks, art cards,) (redbubble will probably have something for most books, especially traditionally published ones)

•Book sleeves (booknookSleeves and Bookgizmo are just two businesses that sell them)

•A book subscription box (goscribbler or Button Poetry have them)

•Subscription to a writing Masterclass

•If they have an Instagram account, book props (fake flowers, vintage cards/paper, old-looking necklaces, )

•A case for their kindle

•Commission art of their characters/characters they kin

•Try to find special editions of their Favorite Books, especially if there’s extra scenes/an interview/a new shiny cover

•If they’re a writer and they have been researching a certain topic specifically, get them a magazine based off that thing to help their studies. (Ex: one of my characters is in the painting restoration business so my dad got me a book on different painting techniques)

•Small White boards (especially for your Plotter writer friend)

•If they happen to cosplay a book character, find outfits at goodwill that they could use in their cosplays.

• fuzzy Blankets

•Get them a writing Prompt book (easily found at the book section of 5 and Below or at B&N)

•Make them a soap and name/base it off a book/characater they like/made (here’s some links to soap tutorials)

https://youtu.be/acRfwZ2Oi6I

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ4CDt5B/

https://youtu.be/KahqPaxVSyE

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ4CSMGo/

https://youtu.be/xsIT6aGetvw

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ4CmkBw/

For those on a tight budget-

•If you’re unable to buy anything for them, customize a Spotify playlist for their reading/writing time

•Draw them some fanart that they can see when they’re feeling down about their writing

•You can also make them themed bookmarks with stock paper and markers if you’re on a budget, readers lose bookmarks at a very fast rate and they will greatly appreciate it

•Origami. (don’t question it)

•Get them some of their favorite snacks for when they’re writing/reading

•Get them a nice mug that reminds you of them, along with a box of a new flavor of tea (if they like tea) for when they’re reading/writing

•If you can find a thrift store with cheap paperbacks, buy books that when you align the titles together, the first letters spell out their name. (Ex: my name is Rae, so Ready Player One, Anne of Green Gables, Erratic And Unnecessary.)

•Stickers. Just stickers.

•Download a bunch of tiktoks and use the Vont app to make a compilation based off a book series they like/ or writing tips (you can also do this with meme formats on Pinterest and using the Phonto app for words)

•If they like buddy reading, find a few free kindle ebooks (they’re everywhere) and make a buddy reading schedule for you guys (bonding!)

•Make a physical list of names for imaginary people/places/landmarks and decorate it for them in case they ever get stuck on names

And now for some book recs, in case you’re not a reader and don’t know what to choose-

If they like poetry-

•Growing Gold by Syrah Kai

•Midnight comes by S. J. Blasko

•Among The Stars by Sameer Monn

•Lavender And Other Field Flowers/ Shes Honey Love by Mhari Grace (a two-book poetry collection)

•A girl is a shapeshifter by Jasmine S Higgins

•Crown Of Stars by Mallory Rowe

•A Handful Of Haikus by Indianna Daveson

•Stirred Moments by Abbey Forest (a multi-book collection of poetry)

•Paper scraps/ love as a distinct possibility (both are poetry books by Chloe Henkel)

•Mountains by Tasha Doughman

•When the stars wrote back by Trista Mateer

If they’re into Middle Grade:

•Of Friend And Fiend /Of Monster And Mayhem by T Strange (it’s the first two books in a middle grade fantasy trilogy, this would be especially good for middle grade readers who like Thicc books)

If they like fantasy/dystopian-

•Defy / Unchain (the first two books in the Murder Of Crows dystopian fantasy series by Kayleigh Gallagher)

•Ember Dragon Daughter by Rebecca K Sampson (first book in a fantasy series)

•Silent Night / Sacred Ruse bye Emma K Couette (first 2 books in The Guild trilogy)

•The Love Of Her Kingdom by Zoe Anastasia (fantasy standalone)

•When The Sky Eats by K Weikel (stand-alone)

•Broken Aether by S. G. Bacon (this one is Steampunk)

•The Fate If The Fallen by A E Winstead

•The Disease Ones by Danielle Harrington

If they like contemporary-

•Lie Like A Magpie by Lily Anna

•Stars Above by Brooke Tiedt

•Dewdrops and butterflies by Libby May

•The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drew’s

•Leaving Wishville by Mel Torrefranca

If they like anthologies-

•There Is Us: an anthology (edited by S.J. Blasko)

•Nostalgic Nightmares And Daydreams (an anthology arranged by Ren Elliot)

•Anthologies by King & Friends

•Starlight by Hannah Lee Kidder (this isn’t an anthology, it’s a compilation of short stories, so it’s similar to an anthology)

And if your reader happens to be Very Little,

•The Day It Rained Iguanas by Lauren Darnell

•Outside the lines by Abbey Forrest

•Pluto And The Lost Carrot by Irene Sizopoulos (for the ones who are now getting into chapter books)

Stay gucci my dudes!

[nanowrimo]

No One Publishes Alone: How I Found My Community of Writers During NaNoWriMo

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Kindle Direct Publishing, a NaNoWriMo 2019 sponsor, is a free self-publishing platform that can help you reach millions of readers. Today, author Julian Simmons shares how he found his writing community through NaNoWriMo:

This NaNoWriMo, participants are busy with the exciting challenge of bringing their stories to life. The time has come to seduce our stories onto the page with the dream of reaching people all over the world. But as some of us know from experience, our narratives can be shy, and therefore we have to start small and simple to get them ready for literary splendor. 

I went into my first NaNoWriMo with no outline, no storyboards, and no expectations. All I had was a simple plot and the drive to devote 50,000 words to my book. The zero prep work allowed me to focus on taking the words from my head and putting them on paper. I never looked at NaNoWriMo as something that would give me a completed novel, ready for publication at the end. For me, this competition was only about writing 50,000 words as the foundation of my story. That was it. What I didn’t expect was the level of support I received from the many different writing communities I found by just joining my home region.

Our network of writing communities met for write-ins, used online platforms to play games to increase our word count, shared writing prompts, and challenged our NaNoWriMo buddies’ word count to keep us motivated. I even joined a group of Wrimos at work and we scheduled short breaks to write together. All of these activities had one focus: getting as many words out as possible. And it worked! I finished the challenge with over 50,000 words and went on to write an additional 30,000 words in the months following NaNoWriMo. What worked best for me was to avoid making the writing process feel like a project with spreadsheets full of story timelines and character outlines. This would make the process feel like a never-ending homework assignment, and I would never finish. Some writers prefer to plan and organize their NaNoWriMo journey, and ultimately you have to do what works best for you.

“What I love most about NaNoWriMo and KDP is that they provide a path for writers to create, nurture, and share their stories with the world, lending a voice to those who may never have had the opportunity.”

The community and support that I experienced continued after NaNoWriMo. My home region stayed active on social media. Through my network of friends I made during the writing challenge, I was able to connect with an amazing editor that fit the needs of my manuscript and even found multiple graphic designers to help me with cover and interior design. When I was ready to publish, I used Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). The KDP community forums are heavily driven by authors sharing tips and tricks for publishing and gave me a true sense of authors looking out for each other.

What I love most about NaNoWriMo and KDP is that they provide a path for writers to create, nurture, and share their stories with the world, lending a voice to those who may never have had the opportunity. I’d watched many of my friends publish their books over the years, but finally being one of those authors by submitting my final manuscript for publication was an incredible experience. 

To find out more about the KDP community, visit the KDP Community page.

Julian Simmons is an award-winning author of the middle-grade novel The Writer’s Table and works at Amazon KDP in the books division. You can find him at www.juliansimmonsbooks.com and through social media @writerjsimmons​

Top photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash.

[amtrak12]

Hey! I’ll buy you books!

I keep thinking I need to have some formal plan for this, but fuck it. Let's just dive in!

Free books for friends and followers!

There's a million and one book recommendations lists going around right now and maybe you have your eye on some titles, but don't have the funds or library access to read them. I CAN FIX THAT! 

*

I'll buy you any book written by BIPOC, queer, and/or disabled authors that you want!

Just send me a dm with: 

the book title

your preferred format and source*

and your email address 

*by format and source, I mean ebook, audiobook, physical book, Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Kobo, etc. If I'm not familiar with what you want, I'll do my best to accommodate. 

*

> Physical books are limited to US residents. (They’ll be shipped directly from my local independent bookstore.)

> Ebooks and audiobooks will either be gifted to you or you’ll receive a gift card for the price of the book. (not all stores allow you to gift a book directly)

> Worst case scenario, I can send you money through Paypal. And no I don’t care if you ask for a book and then use the money for something else. It’s a gift. Spend it however you want or need to.

*

This does require you to be comfortable sending me your email address or physical address. I promise to promptly forget them and never make them public. I'm socially anxious enough about inadvertently messaging the wrong person one day. I don't need to add more email addresses to my list. 😩

I say friends and followers, but seriously if we've ever interacted at all even once in fandom, you count. (Particularly if you were ever in the Bering and Wells or Ghostbusters 2016 fandoms, because I'm heavily biased. 😜) 

In fact! Is this post the first time you’ve ever even seen my username??? AWESOME! We’re now friends, too, and you get a book!

*

This offer is open through June 30, 2020 or until I give away 200 books.

Limit 2 books** per person. 

** quantity limits can be swapped for a dollar limit if you’re requesting infant, children, or middle grade books.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Little Miracles

Today seems determined to make up for last week’s misery, all at once.

Well, okay, there was one minor bit of hiccup when I went to get a few groceries ahead of my Big Shop and got to the bloody supermarket before realising I’d left my wallet home - I’d had it out to sub to Disney+ and forgot to stick it back in my handbag. So there was a bit of a grumble about a wasted, unnecessary trip.

On the other hand, I do now have Disney+ for the month and that means Hamilton! I’ve only got to intermission because I have to occasionally pause and squee. A lot. I’ll have to go back and watch it from the beginning, largely because I really want to do a write-up / review / Theatre Studies-style essay on the whole thing. ...Such a hardship.

Okay, that’s not the only interruption I had. Doorbell went. FedEx delivery person who turned up with a parcel ... right in the middle of The Battle of Yorktown, which is basically my favourite bit. (Not his fault, and that’s what the Pause and Go Back buttons are for.) This parcel contained two decks of magic item cards - The Griffon’s Saddlebag volumes 1 and 2. I ... did not order these. I had to ask around to find out who did, and I have now thanked @true0neutral very much and will have to browse through those for Interesting Things and Inspiration.

Also I have weeks’ worth of groceries arriving via delivery on Wednesday.

And Thursday? Well, here’s where I really lucked out. I figured I should at least try to book myself a hair appointment because my hair is really irritating me now and I didn’t want to do another half-assed hack job myself. So I looked up my usual salon and - hallelujah - my regular hairdresser, the one who knows exactly how I like my hair ... she’s got a slot open on Thursday! My salon sent out a statement about the precautions they’re taking because of the pandemic and I’ll be mitigating things for them as much as possible (I may be low-risk, but since I haven’t been tested despite the symptoms I had in March, I can’t say for sure that I’m no-risk and I won’t take more of a chance than I have to), but ... look, my hair is sticking up really weird in the back in ways I failed to notice back when I kept it long. I swear, I’m going to invest in a set of hair clippers. Just so I can keep the back of my neck at a grade 2 and not have to hit the salon until I need the longer bits in the front trimmed properly.

Honestly, the little treat that is finally getting to see Hamilton and upcoming cornucopia of groceries would have been enough to fill me with squee. Everything else is just extra. We had a good D&D session last night (I might be a tiiiiiiiiny bit late with the vid and write-up of that because I have other things to watch just now; sorry!), I have wonderful players who are also the most glorious friends, and there’s an upcoming grocery order which will contain good coffee and fixings for burgers (even gluten-free buns) and a pork roast that’ll feed me for days and all manner of other nice things, and there’s even shiny entertainment.

These are things that maybe shouldn’t feel this miraculous, but they do. At least I’ll never take it for granted. How could I, when they kindle a day of smiles and laughter from a week of rage and misery?

[thisisbookland]

My Decade in Books

I know this is a tag but I decided to just do this one on my own (Sorry if you’ve tagged me and I missed it!)

Anyway, I’m going to go year by year and list the books that best defined that year for me. I didn’t start tracking books until 2017 though, so before that is mostly going to be me guessing that I was saying the right books haha. 

2010

I remember I hated reading before sixth grade, so I didn’t really read in 2010. I do remember my teacher in 4th grade reading The Percy Jackson series to us every day in prep for the movie coming out, so I’d say that that series was important for me at that time. 

2011

I don’t remember reading any books this year honestly. I know I read part of Anne Frank’s diary though, because it was in our classroom library. Though I don’t remember why I picked it up at all and I don’t remember if I finished it. I hadn’t quite found my love of reading yet. 

2012

Of course, on my birthday in 6th grade I got my Kindle and that’s where I really began to read and I read through books like they were water somehow. (And no, I do not quite do that anymore). I’d say there were two series that majorly impacted my reading this year. Those would be all the Warrior Cat series books out at the time, and the Hunger Games. 

I found the WC series because of my Kindle actually, and I think I read them literally because there were cats on the cover and I loved (and still love) cats. I think these books took over half my life until I was heading in to highschool, and at the same time I don’t think I ever talked about them with anyone I knew at school because I was afraid of getting bullied. Go figure.

The Hunger Games series became important to me because my teacher in 6th grade read the books to us every Friday or something, and we all really enjoyed them. However some students mother was angry that the books were being read to us and we were forced to stop by our principle. My class sort of threw up a protest over it but it never went anywhere, and most of us just decided to get the books one way or another and read them ourselves. 

2013-2015

I’m honestly not quite sure what books I read during what year in this time. I know I read the Twilight series in about four days during either the later part of 6th grade or 7th grade. (Twas a bad idea). I know I started reading a lot of weird YA series with one of my aunts that I probably shouldn’t have read but nobody stopped me. (And honestly, I’d like to re-read one of those series). I know I read through The Mortal Instruments series, Percy Jackson, and Harry Potter too, ect. But there aren’t many books outside of school books that stood out. I’d say this was my big slump before I started reading for fun again. (And considering I went into middle school in 2013 and then high school in 2014, it makes sense, because my homework increased and I got reading fatigue). 

2016

I’d say that the book I most remember reading was The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. It’s the book I remember reading that got me back into wanting to read, and I finished it in about two days. I don’t have much else to say, I reread the book a second time and I still enjoyed it well enough but I can’t say I’d read it a third time. Though it was interesting and it’s also what made me want to start reading The Iliad, which I have not finished yet haha.

2017

Now is where I started tracking books for real. I had four books I had to read during the summer before senior year of high school and boy I struggled with them. It was when I started my blog and my goodreads account! Which is great because now I can look at lists of books haha. There were quite a few books that I’d say defined that year. 

First I’d say It, because I really pushed myself to finish that damn book before the movie came out. Then I gave up and saw the movie, and then I finished the book afterwards. (Which is surprising, because usually I can’t finish a book if I’ve seen the movie recently.) I enjoyed it more for the coming of age aspect, with the kids sitting around acting like kids, than anything else honestly.

And then I’d say The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was another book that defined that year. It was a really good book but also important to show the effects of police brutality/racism and how awful it is for victims and their friends, family, and community, I don’t know if I have much else to say about the book though, it just made me angry.

Some honorable mentions I don’t feel like writing too much about - They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. Ari and Dante by Benjamin Alire Saenz.

2018

This was when I read a lot more. I logged a lot of books I read for class which boosted my read count but hey, I did read them so. 

I’d say Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy was one book that was pretty important to me. It was about a girl coming to terms with her bisexuality, and well - I’m bi so I did enjoy that one haha. I read quite a few books but Ramona Blue is the one that sticks out the most for 2018. A couple others I really enjoyed were historic fiction like The Alice Network by Kate Quinn and All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. But mostly I spent 2018 graduating high school and settling in to college, so I didn’t read as much for myself as I had wanted to. 

2019

Well.. here’s the part where I admit I spent a major part of the last year of the decade re-reading Warrior Cats. I got curious about what happened after what I last read and had a free link to read the books so, I took advantage of it. So while I did read I think almost 70 books, 60 something of them were Warrior Cats books. (They’re quite easy to get through). 

But, BESIDES WC I read some other fun novels and graphic novels! I read The Prince and the Dressmaker which a friend of mine loaned to me, and I later bought the graphic novel myself. It was a very good one that had a happy ending -- perfect for the end of the school year stress of finals. I also read Six of Crows, which I really enjoyed and I am looking forward to reading the second book, and perhaps the other series that Leigh Bardugo has written. 

For the next decade I’m looking forward to all the books I’ll find and read, and hopefully by the end of it I’ll still be reading and enjoying books!

I’m not tagging anyone, if you wanna do this just go for it!