#just need to finish everything else on my tbr first lol

[jaypentaghast]

Lestat being denied knowledge his whole childhood by his parents and then denying knowledge to his family in turn when he became a father drives me wild

to protect his own ass? (did he really care that much about his own safety) or to keep them from becoming independent and leaving him behind (that's just Gabrielle junior)

[cheriecoke]

Can you drop some long series recs (any fandom!)?! I haven't had any come across my dash >.< Would love to read some!

omg of course!! I HAVE SO SO MANY RECS! a lot of the ones i've seen recently are ongoing, but i hope you give them a go & keep watching for updates <3 i have read quite a variety, so hopefully there's something for you tehe. some of them i haven't read yet, but have been on my list bc i enjoy their other works :) so i recommend them to since i know the writers are amazing!!

to have and to hold by @fedyenkas (chuuya, ongoing) - i just started this one today & it's so so amazing so far !! chuuyas characterization in it is sooo yummy. i haven't read a hybrid series before, so it's super unique to see how that fits into the bsd universe.

noble blood by @forest-hashira (satoru & suguru, ongoing) - i haven't read this one yet, but both of fallon's entries for my collab were incredible, so i can only imagine this is too! plus, the premise is SO insane, it's about dragon riders, and there's an entire sheet with all lore that they've created !! i can see how much love and care was put into this one, so i can't wait to check it out !!

oh, baby! by @tetsuskei (kuroo, ongoing) - i have yet to read the first part (everyone throw tomatoes at me) but risu posted some parts on her old blog & i read it there! it's so so sweet!! i looove all her writing, and dad!kuroo is just the cutest thing EVER.

waterloo by @fyorina (dazai, ongoing) - i haven't read this one yet either but i am SO SO incredibly excited to get to it. this one is going to be long, so it might be what you're looking for !! the first two parts are out already, and there's a posting schedule if you want to know when they're coming out :)

bulletproof love by @staryukis (gojo, ongoing) - i've really enjoyed this one so far and logan's writing is so captivating <3 it feels just like missing scenes from in between the canon jjk storyline. logan also has a mini zombie apocalypse series i've been excited to read after reading the other series !! it's dying (for your love).

regrets by @/kingkonoha (levi, complete) is so good !! i still need to finish it, but the concept is super cool & the reader is the antagonist so it's a really interesting spin on levi's actions in the canon universe.

tidal temptations by @fyodorloveclub (fyodor, ongoing) - i have also yet to read this one (cries myself to sleep my tbr is never ending), but everything flora writes is incredible, so i have no doubt this one is too. it's a merman fyodor fic, which is such a cool concept i'm so excited to see where it goes !!!

hell within reach by @/ddarker-dreams (chrollo, complete) - omg. ok i read this one like 2 years ago LOL, but it's finished and its about 80k long, and it's so good <3 i used to be an insane chrollo girlie & this is one of my favorite fics about him.

lover's delight by @lovelyluc (diluc, ongoing) - i don't even play genshin or know anything about it HSHFSDFH but this one is so sweet <3 you can really see how much awea loves diluc in this series, which is my favorite thing about reading fics, and it has so many of my favorite tropes !!

geheinisse by @honeybleed (jean & reiner, ongoing) - only the first part of this is out but it's SO INCREDIBLE. there's so much drama already, and nara does such a great job of setting the scene while getting you hooked immediately. nara also has a two part reiner fic (the first part is decades) that's completed and over 10k words that i'll never forget! her characterization of reiner is so yummy.

if it wasn't for him (would you have me) by @gojoath (yuuta, ongoing) - cella's the ceo of yandere yuuta, so if you're into him, i can't think of anyone else to recommend !!! cella wrote another yuuta series that i think is completed, so there are lots of amazing things to read on her blog <3

@osaemu has a streamer!gojo series that are all in the same universe & connect! they're so funny & everything sabs writes is amazing, so i encourage you to check out her work if you haven't

the lakehouse by @tetzoro (kuroo, ongoing) - rahhh i'm the worst bc i still haven't read this but aims is one of my favorite writers on here, so trust me it's amazing. this was written for october, so if you're missing autumn rn def read this one! aims also has another kuroo series coming soon <3

i know i left some people out, so if you're ever in need of any other recs, pls lmk tehe. and if you're a mootie of mine but have a series i didn't include, send it my way <3 but hopefully all these amazing ones will get you started!

[sweetshire]

HI FRIEND (even though this is text I am waving so fast at you)

I hope you’re doing well! A couple questions but also please take this as a chance to talk about what you think is cool. Ok two questions: who is your fav lotr character?? If that’s too hard, maybe top 5? I am such a Sam fan, I love that silly little guy. I also love pippin. And I also love merry. And I also love Frodo. Can you tell I like hobbits.

Ok question 2: do you have a favorite sherlock holmes story? And do you have a favorite adaptation?

Secret third question: do you have a hobby that is not your favorite but that you do enjoy doing? Like if it’s on your list, one that’s solidly in the middle?

Ok that’s it!!! Thank you for being in my notifs, it always fills me with joy to see you there hehe <3

*waves back* HEYYY FRIEND AM I GLAD TO SEE YOUUU!! i was thinking about just yesterday bc GUESS WHO FINISHED READING E.W’S encyclopaedia of faeries? me! i did! this was goood. sweet and wholesome and utterly charming <3 and exactly the kind of book i needed to read atp, given that the next few books on my tbr are mostly classics or hard-hitters. u were so right they ARE giving howl & sophie!! these delightful fuckers- they have me squealing & smiling all day 🥺🥰

1. u should know that this is too hard a question for me & when u ask me anything abt lotr i could ramble for centuries but i’ll refrain from listing every one of my beloved characters, which includes the minor ones too obvsly because i’m me :) anyhow! woo *quivers excitedly* here i go: first would be a tie between frodo and denethor- i physically cannot (& will not) choose. also lmao SUCH a contrast in both their, well, character - lol well done, me! (yet they’re soo similar too. yes i find parallels between their narratives AND everything else as well what of it) then in no particular order- eowyn, faramir, boromir (basically all the gondor men <3), legolas, & as u know i adore the hobbits. all four of them -um 5, including bilbo- but MERRY!! i hate to see him brushed aside & unappreciated. justice for merry, and frodo too!! what selfless, sacrificing, lovely dear hobbits *cries* OH OH AND I ADORE SAMWISE TOO i’d be a fool not to. there’s not a person who’s capable of not loving him. no doubt i’ll be cursing myself later for forgetting other dear ones…

2. charles augustus!! god i’m obsessed w the milverton case. what doesn’t it have?? a master blackmailer. a lady killer (she slays -literally ajdksf). hand-holding. h&w being not at all hesitant abt committing a crime - a master detective who’s always used to solving one!! delicious.. it’s the story™ which perfectly captures the true essence of holmes’ character imho. and ‘a study of scarlet’ ofc. irene adler (nee norton) queen i love u. big shoutout to ‘the copper beaches’ also. i like all the stories with the ladies

3. hmm i do! fav one is - u guessed it - reading. to answer ur question: i looove doing henna!! every summer without practice i’d practice it on any hand i could find. i’m an amateur but still i like it. i haven’t been able to do it this summer :( on account of. me & my whole family has been sick/unwell in some way since the past month & a half or so. but i’m planning on applying mehendi or do a painting soon!! (i also liked to collect coins/stamps/buttons or some such as a child - i habit i’m always in danger of relapsing into but shh)

[fushitoru]

HALWA OMG ur making me crave some at 8 in the morning :,) also gulab jamun bc come on u can never go wrong with gulab jamun 🙂‍↕️

ALSO WHAT OKAY so this might just be me but it's the complete opposite for me with c vs python 😭 i had python in my first sem & it was okayish but i've been using c for most of my classes since my second sem! and our core CS subjects involve coding in c so ig i'm just more used to it? like i've spent this entire semester coding data structures with c 💀 if u asked me to code data structures using python i would NAWT be able to (i have my data structures final tomorrow rip)

also!!! i'm very excited to read your spidey!gojo and bridgerton!gojo fics!!! i used to be a Big mcu nerd and spider-man was always my favourite so i am Very Excited! i've kept all ur fics on my tbr as a little treat to myself for finishing my third sem LOL (completely unrelated but. i started watching bridgerton in like june or july and never continued. perpetually stuck on season 1 episode 7, i fear 😔)

dude gulab jamun with vanilla ice cream is ELITEEEEEEEEEE

oh thats so interesting! i feel like in the US everyone is taught cs with java first, not c. but thats bc the US teaches easy things so i wouldnt be suprised if you live in asia / europe / somewhere else and they make you rawdog everything with c. you're just wired different i fear

AND AHHH thank you!!! lowk bridgerton season 1 was boring but i held on for season 2. i woudl just skip if i were you tbh and wanted to continue it it gets better in the second season, and you dont need to know a lot of s1 for s2

[splendid-teeth]

sjm and crescent city and misogyny

so i finished house of earth and blood and i have some Thoughts. i didn’t think i’d like it and actively hated it as i read so clearly there are still some lessons to be learned in how useless hate reading a book is. and i’m still personally trying to figure out how to like something while also criticizing it/ acknowledging flaws (to be clear this is not about hoeab because i straight hated it but i do like parts of acotar). this isn’t gonna be a review cause this ain’t goodreads but here we go

why are all of sjm’s worlds so misogynistic? like i genuinely don’t get it. the amount of times cunt/ whore/ slut was said in hoeab was absolutely ridiculous (i know there’s widespread complaints about the amount of cussing and maybe it ties to that idk). maybe i don’t have enough sworn enemies or whatever but i literally never hear people say those words without it being a Big Fucking Deal and yet sjm is like the goddamn salt bae meme with them. she couldn’t figure out one other reason to make Amelie and Bryce enemies besides being jealous over a dude. in acotar the sexism inherent to the Illyrians, the lack of high ladies when not only does it add nothing to your narrative besides making your characters seem super duper for not being sexist, it actively makes no sense as there are plenty of powerful women so why wouldn’t they be leaders??? by force if nothing else. i know there’s other examples in throne of glass it has just been a hot sec since i read them. idk if these all seem small and petty but there’s just a pervasive misogyny to all of her worlds and it’s difficult to put my finger to how it shows/ how to address it. 

and i don’t think sjm is fantastic at characterization in general but something really rubs me the wrong way with her female villains. it’s not that women are villains because i’m all about that. it’s the female villains have no personality beyond evil/ lusting after whatever love interest, being utterable unable to root for them (i liked micah, i was all about that but sandriel ehh) and just being 2d as hell. and the fact that sjm is willing to redeem anyone and everyone but no women. at all. i do think sjm is not good at writing actual morally gray characters or villains that make you root for them cause she either takes the literal worst would eat babies if they could route or they are secretly a good person you cannot hold their sins against them or the i say they’re complex and morally gray but they’re actually a marshmallow route. so maybe someone else can tell me what i’m picking up on with her female villains cause i’m just rambling. 

she’s creating an actual made up fantasy world where everything is created by her. and it’s one thing if you’re making your world sexist on purpose and are then saying something about it/ addressing it but she just treats it like the default?? why tho. i know this is a widespread issue so i don’t mean to hold up sjm as some peak misogynist or something but she’s an author who has mostly female MCs and seems to be trying to make them strong and well rounded (we can argue about the effectiveness but there’s an effort) and so for her to have sexism as the default flavoring for everything. i’m just tired.

minor aside for LGBTQ+ rep which we all know she is the WOAT at (i hate acowar with such a passion but beyond the slaughtering of mor’s character and resultantly their friend group i’m not sure i remember another thing i hated that much ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). idk who told sjm that all queer people feel the need to keep it a desperate secret but that is a blatant lie and most queer people i know never shut the fuck up about it. and while some queer people are in the closet and are still coming to terms with it, the secrecy to your closest friend group just tells me as a queer person that the friend group isn’t close full stop. 

i know the fact that sjm creates sexist books and is bad at diversity in terms of LGBTQ+ rep and characters of color (i spoke on the first two because that is my expertise as a white bi women but i don’t mean to diminish the racism inherent to her worlds too) is not new info. and i also think she’s average at best at characterization, relationships, world building, and pacing so it just irks me to see how popular and recommended her books are and i know at some point i just need to get the fuck over the fact that things i think are awful will sometimes be wildly popular. and this is a very negative post about an author that has written some characters and scenes i truly adore (lol just look at my posts) but i’m just tired of how little care is put into propagating sexism, racism, and homophobia into fantasy worlds and how low the bar can be for books (i promise i know good books and don’t need recs and am just a bit of an idiot in terms of picking the worst books of my tbr list)

[bibliophilicwitch]

an update

i’ve been relatively quiet the last week or so since i’ve been busy with work and scrambling to get my ducks in a row for taking vacation last weekend and again this weekend to go camping with my family. i need to build my queue back up to make it to tuesday, write up the weekly muse posts, and schedule the tomes and tea reminders. last week my queue was good, i was half prepared for weekly muse, and i ran out of time to schedule tomes and tea. hopefully i can do better this week lol.

i’ve been working my way through my reread of windwitch and i am SO CLOSE TO FINISHING. i’m in those last 50 pages of the book where everything is going fast and it’s HARD to put down the book. i’m also not remembering like any of these events and twists until they happen. makes me really damn happy i reread these books before jumping into bloodwitch. still trying to decide if i want to read sightwitch before bloodwitch or not. i did check it out from libby in audio, so maybe i’ll read both at the same time?? i paused my playthrough of platinum due to the constant freezing and i’ll likely try buying another copy as disappointing as it is. i’ve returned to my playthrough of white and am working on the post game. it would be really good to play while listening to sightwitch.

i’m also thinking i want to participate in the medieval-a-thon but it’s been a challenge to try to shoe-horn my tbr into the challenges lmao

things at the pharmacy are... fine. we are still only being allowed two pharmacists meaning they are the only pharmacist from open to close technically they shouldn’t even leave the pharmacy to use the restroom or buy food per law, so they do not get to take proper breaks or lunches. absolute bullshit and reason #934 why i do not care for this company, but what else is new to this corporate capitalist shitshow? the company appointed an intern who was taking his tests in may to be our pharmacy manager, but his license still hasn’t been approved by the board. our pharmacist float has been traded out and their hours have been dropped also. the new float is also a baby faced new pharmacist though he actually has his license lol. our tech hours have been cut again. luckily for me the pharmacy manager is making a point of getting everyone their hours instead of just cutting. he has been sending our full-timers to another location. one of the techs was out for nearly two weeks for a virus that left her without a voice and then was out for a scheduled surgery for about three weeks and she is FINALLY back. usual petty drama continues, but luckily it is p mild. mostly we are able to handle patient demand and have far less issues causing frustration. i’ve also come to understand this is basically how all pharmacies are. my first pharmacy was an outlier and they have gone under, so while i was originally aiming to get my certification and this be my back up career, i am no longer sure i want to go that route.

library programming was going well for june until the confusion that was last week’s craft night due to the new reminder system and the summer hours time change. i’m vaguely concerned about attendance for this slightly last minute paint night going this evening, but overall feel confident it’ll be fine. there’s a lot i SHOULD be doing and i almost shouldn’t be using vacation time, but by that logic there is ALWAYS shit i SHOULD be doing and basically no opportunities to use my vacation. i just need some chances to not worry about this job so i can come back to it fresh and ready to dig into it. i’ve been researching volunteer management software - of course the one i like the most so far is also around $400 a year ugh - test the software to see how it runs. i have some new volunteers to reach out to and to line up with volunteer opportunities. i need to start planning a craft night i plan to change this fall and the december drop in event needs to be chosen and planned. next year’s craft series needs work and planning and i need to better plan the crafts to use up extra funding for this year. i have a couple of things i said i would do for the after school program that is currently on hiatus over the summer. the monthly report is just around the corner again. and i know there are things not on here. this job is stressful and while i get good things out of it most of the time i don’t feel the positive outweighs the negative. the only reason i keep at it is that 1) i wish to leave this position better than i got it and 2) the pay is worth it. i just heckin wish it was full time or close enough to full time i didn’t need a second job.

[thebestoftimes]

50 QUESTION BOOK TAG FOR WORLD BOOK DAY

By me, Jess. I made this for world book day but then got depressed and didn’t post it on time lmao but here ya go kids be warned though it’s a long one. Also the numbers thing got fucked up and I couldn’t fix it.  I got a lot of these questions from other tags I’ve seen and google so if something sounds familiar... that’s why.

Who or what sparked your love of literature?

Aw my parents fueled my book habit when I was a kid and took me to the bookstore all the time and since then all my teachers have always encouraged me and made me love books even more than I thought possible.

Do you have an ‘odd’ book habit? (page sniffing/never leaving the house with a book)

It’s true that I never go anywhere without a book. I got one in my backpack or purse or reading on my phone but it’s always there.

Do you have a book that you think has changed your life? How?

A lot of books and series have made significant impacts on my life (like I can’t picture elementary school without Percy Jackson being in my life) but like as a person I can’t think of any one book that has changed who I am. It’s been a team effort.

Which book have you reread most frequently?

I think I reread Hush Hush every year lmao idk why

You can meet any author and ask one question. What author would you chose and what question would you ask?

I’d want to meet Shakespeare and ask him if all his characters really were just that gay or if we’re all reading too much into it.

Best book published this year so far?

It’s only March but The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

Imagine you’ve started a book and don’t like it. Do you see the experience through to the bitter end, or are you able to talk away from it mid story?

I used to always finish what I started but now that I’m in college and have a mountain of a TBR I’ll just stop.

What book is top of your wish list/TBR pile?

Uhh A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos  is on top rn

Favourite place to read?

My bed. Boring but a classic.

If you buy books, do you lend them out? Ever had a bad experience?

Of course. No all my friends respect my stuff and return them promptly.

What fictional character do you ship yourself with?

So many but I think Gansey and I from The Raven Cycle would make the best couple.

Weirdest thing you’ve used as a bookmark

I use whatever near me so I might have done something weirder but lately I’ve been using tissues because I have a tissue box by my bed and never real bookmarks. But I’ve used graded homework, a toy car, a crayon, earbuds, etc.

Favorite quality/qualities in a protagonist and antagonist

Wow this is s hard okay for protag I am a sucker for like stubborn, smartass with a martyr complex. Sad but true. Antags I love a good morally grey character or anti-villain. Tragic backstory but smart as hell. The worst (the best). Characters like the Darkling from The Grisha Trilogy, and Warner from the first Shatter Me book (I know he’s a good guy NOW but back then we all thought he was a sadistic and sexy villain).

Favorite genre and favorite book from that genre.

YA Urban Fantasy babyyy and that’d be City of Bones by Cassandra Clare or Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare:)

  Best/worst movie adaptation in your eyes

Best: Harry Potter and The Hunger Games | Worst: Percy Jackson

Do you prefer reading your own books, or library books?

My own.

How do you choose your next book to read?

Literally whatever I’m feeling like at the moment.

Your favorite word.

I love many words but I have a soft spot for “lively” and “lilt”.

Book that got you hooked on reading/how you got hooked.

I’ve always been obsessed with reading but The Peter and the Starcatchers Series was like my shift from nicotine to heroine.

Opinion on dog-earing, margin writing, ect.

I only write in the margins of books I have to read for class/textbooks. And that’s for studying and active reading purposes. For any other situation: no.

Top 5 immediate to read in no order

A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab

Most underrated book you’ve read

Definitely The Foxhole Court/ All for the Game series. Fairly small fanbase for some of THE most amazing books I’ve ever read. And the memes will have you in stitches.

What is the first book that catches your eye when you look at your bookshelf?

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell because of the exceedingly bright cover/spine haha

How do you arrange your books on your shelves?

LOL I do not have a system at all. I keep series and authors together and that’s it. Everything is placed where there is room.

You have the power to change a book’s ending. Which ending would you change and what would you make happen instead?

I’d change the end to Allegiant and SPOILERS SPOILERS not make Tris fucking die over her shitty ass brother. I know why she did it but like Veronica girl wyd with that. And I’d want the entirety of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins to be rewritten into a book that just focused on the domestic life of Finnick and Annie and no one dies.

Favourite book cover?

This is SO HARD. Either The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin or Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Which book from your childhood has had the most impact on you?

My entire personality was shaped by the Maxmimum Ride series by James Patterson. For better and worse.

When reading, what do you value most: writing style, characters, plot, world building, pacing, etc?

Characters. I think all of those things are essential and as I read more and more, the pickier I get, but I find myself leaning towards being a fan of a book when I become obsessed with the characters. Like hey!! New friends!!! For my brain!!!

Do you prefer buying books or borrowing them from a library/friend?

Buying them even though I shouldn’t. It’s a real problem.

What books/sequels that are being published this year are you most excited for?

SO MANY OH MY GOD

Okay some of these already came out because it’s March right now but I’ll include them anyways.

SEQUELS/ SPIN-OFFS AND SHIT

The Wicked King by Holly Black; King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo; Dream by Natalia Jaster; Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare; The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare; Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco, Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater; Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi; The Shaw Confessions #3 by Michelle Hodkin

FIRST BOOKS

The Binding by Bridget Collins; Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan; The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi; A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer; Romanov by Nadine Brandes; The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen; The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

Which fictional character would you want as a sidekick?

Percy Jackson because he’s my firstborn son and one of my favourite characters of all time. He is talented, smart, hilarious, an amazing friend, and the sweetest of boys (when he isn’t the sassiest of boys).

How many books have you read so far this year?

Only 15 I am so behind :(

What’s been your favourite read so far this year?

Oh man. Gotta be Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo :)

You’re stuck on an island with a suitcase big enough to hold five books. What books are they?

I probably shouldn’t cheat and say How to Build a Boat huh

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

The King’s Men by Nora Sakovic

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

If you had to go out to dinner with any character who would it be and why? What would you talk about?

Will Herondale and we’d talk about books

Is there a book you have such a hatred for that you would throw it off of the highest tower knowing that the last copy of it will be destroyed so that not another living soul can read it or would you rather keep it and give it to someone else who might actually enjoy it?

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne or After by Anna Todd

Do you believe books make nice decoration?

I mean. I think they should be read before used as decor but I love showing off my books so I guess both. But I don’t believe in buying books for the purpose of decoration instead of reference or reading lol

Do you listen to music when you read? Or do you need complete silence? 

I need silence or low amount of white noise. I used to read and listen to Taylor Swift when I was a kid but I can’t do it anymore.

Do you have a favorite book? If not are you in the group that believes there are too many great books out there to just choose one?

I tell people it’s City of Bones by Cassandra Clare but in all honesty no I don’t have a favourite.

Do you sleep with books under your pillow.

Nope

Do you go to the library or do you have a book buying addiction or are you one of those lucky people who is able to do both?

I do both. Mostly bookstore though.

Own any book inspired clothing?

Yes. Several items :)

Have you ever read a book in another language?

I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Tristan and Isolde, and Beauty and the Beast in French. And parts of Les Mis.

Strangest book you’ve ever read?

John Dies at the End by David Wong. Still not sure exactly what was going on. 

Favourite type of non-fiction?

Memoirs babey

Favourite non-fiction?

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Favourite subject to read about?

History

Favourite book you’ve read in school?

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Favourite work of Shakespeare?

Hamlet

Character you’d love as a mom or dad or guardian?

Hmm Sally Jackson, The Women of 300 Fox Way, or Tessa and Will (they totally count because The Last Hours Series)

I tag literally whoever wants to do this and @fangirl-daydreamer97 @acleeds12 @iviisastrawberry @221bdoom @bicycles-bees-bisexuals @betterthanapit @dippindots126 @vlctorvale

[savvyjournaling]

All of this is absolutely correct. I’d also like to add (from my own experiences journaling):

If you’re just starting out, get a smaller journal with less pages. It won’t take you as long to fill it as a bigger or thicker journal would, and the sense of accomplishment after you’ve completed one gets you excited to start another. It’s also easier to get in the habit of carrying your journal around with you if it’s smaller. (I, of course, went for the big, thick journals right off the bat and never carry it anywhere. It sits on my desk at home and doesn’t move. Oops.) And carrying your journal around really is very helpful in filling it out.

Get some washi tape and just add it to the edges of the pages or use it to cover up mistakes or mark a certain type of pages (such as red washi for lists, or blue washi for an entry), it’s something simple that you can add to brighten the journal and give a little dimension. You don’t have to do this of course, but if you dislike journaling because it feels plain, this is an easy way to add color without too much work.

Sticky notes, paper clips, and/or sticky tabs help with organization. You don’t have to give your journal a specific layout. Like the above post says, do everything in one journal, include your mood boards or diary entries or errands lists or calendars or your TBR all in the same journal. Use something (like tabs or colored paper clips or something) to mark what it is. Maybe keep a key on the very first page. It’ll help organize your journal without constructing you.

And don’t worry about things like a daily log or mood board. I’ve discovered that I can do a simple calendar, put in my work schedule and important dates like birthdays, but I can’t keep up with anything like a habit or mood tracker. You can try it, but don’t stress yourself out to fill it out.

If you’d like to keep track of books you’re reading, you don’t have to have a beautiful setup or anything, you can literally just write down: From Blood and Ash by JLA, started 02/09/21, finished 02/14/21, physical book, 5/5 stars. You can add a description or write about what you thought. Or nothing at all but the title and maybe the author. This journal is for you, no one else, so don’t worry about making it “pretty”.

If you just wanna draw on one page, do it. If you just wanna test out some new pens or markers you bought or were gifted, do it. Tape a card you got for the holiday on another page. Stick your animal’s paw in (pet safe) ink and stamp the page and add no other context. You can do literally anything you want.

Don’t worry about using one journal for a certain period of time. I tried to keep my journals from the beginning of one year to the end, and start a new one at the new year. But that wasn’t working for me. You don’t have to do that. If you want, start your journal on May 23rd 2021 and let it end on July 2nd 2022. You don’t need to keep a journal through a specific set of time. Let it flow naturally.

If you are able, print off pictures (I use a cheap online mailing service for photos). Of your favorite selfie or your pet or a tattoo you found online that you might want. Anything. Tape/glue it into your journal. Add context, or not.

If you’re in school (and the kids still do this lol I feel old all of a sudden) instead of doing the whole “sign my yearbook” thing, maybe have them sign your journal instead.

You can literally do anything. Anything. It’s your journal.

I always have to give to advice to people, so I might as well post it here.

I have completely filled 6 journals in my life. I love journaling, but a lot of people think that they aren’t capable of doing it. So here’s my hot tips so that you too can say that you’ve filled out a blank journal completely and are a certified Journal Keeper:

Give up writing about every day of your life. Seriously, give it up.

Write about your feelings or your day only when you have something to say. You might not write in your journal for months at a time this way, but it’s better than having unrealistic expectations

Have one journal at a time, which means consolidate your various other journals into one. Like, have one journal for your feelings but another for writing ideas? No you don’t. You have one that contains everything you would possibly write down

And I do mean everything you would write down– grocery list, calendar dates, phone numbers, poems you read, TBR lists, etc, etc. If you can write it down, put it in your journal

For example, when I was in school I ditched having a planner and instead made spreads to keep track of class work and tests.

But you also do not need to bullet journal. Ever. If you don’t like spreads, don’t make them. You can forget about them

On the same note, don’t make your journal super neat. Embrace messiness. Use different pen colors. Write in the margins. Cross things out. Write upside down. Do whatever. It’s your space.

Tape fun mementos into your journal, like movie tickets and birthday cards

Get a journal you can put stickers all over

Or just get one you can generally trash. At least half of my journals are covered in duct tape because the spines started to fall apart

Try to take your journal with you as much as possible. You never know when you’ll need it!

You don’t need to carve out big chunks of your day dedicated to writing in your journal. Just add to it whenever you can. I used to write in my journal before lectures. They might be tiny poems, song lyrics in my head, or little doodles. Didn’t matter. I have entire pages made from these 5 minute sprints

[twobrokegirlswithbooks]

50 BOOKISH QUESTIONS TAG

Thanks for tagging us, @kafkalit!

1. What is your favorite book and/or book series of all time? Nerdy Panda: I always say The Catcher in the Rye miss kitty: I love anything by Patricia Briggs

2. What is the longest book you have ever read? How many pages? Nerdy Panda: Les Misérables with the grand total of 1,463 pages miss kitty: Definitely A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin 1138 pg

3. What is the oldest book you have ever read? (Based on its written date) Nerdy Panda: Pride and Prejudice (published in 1813) miss kitty: Maybe Black Beauty

4. What is a book series that everyone else loves but you do not? Nerdy Panda: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (I didn't even finish the first book) miss kitty: Most young adult. I try to stay away from them since they tend to more expensive except for a few.

5. What book or book series would you like to see turned into a film/ TV series? Nerdy Panda: I'm waiting for The Lunar Chronicles to be adapted somehow miss kitty: Harry Potter the TV show made by a true fan. all animated kinda like game of thrones but again animated

6. What is your favorite stand-alone book? Nerdy Panda: Never Never (a Peter Pan retelling about Captain Hook) miss kitty: Anything by John Green

7. What is a book that you feel glad for not reading? Nerdy Panda: no clue miss kitty: 50 shades. I can find that stuff for free and better written to boot.

9. What is a book you have read that is set in your country of birth? Nerdy Panda: The Infernal Devices miss kitty: Lots lol (born in America)

8. What is a book that you feel guilty for not reading? Nerdy Panda: I don't really feel guilty about not reading a certain book miss kitty: Pride and Prejudice

10. What is a book that you own more than one copy of? Nerdy Panda: I own multiple copies of books but the book I have the most copies of is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe miss kitty: Got rid of my extra copies and I’m not counting mom’s copies

11. What horror book made you really scared? Nerdy Panda: Horror isn't my thing miss kitty: I don't read horror

12. What book do you passionately hate? Nerdy Panda: Say What You Will miss kitty:  When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. I loathe that book.

13. What is the biggest book series you have read? How many books are in it? Nerdy Panda: Chronicles of Narnia (7 books) miss kitty: The cynsters. I dont know she keeps writing more. Plus the other series by Stephanie Laurens all connects and is one big world. But last I checked there was 39.

14. What book gives you happy memories? Nerdy Panda: The Mouse and the Motorcycle. My happy memory of that is always checking it out from the school library when our class went in elementary school. miss kitty: This Disney short story book. Mom used to read it to me every night before bed.

15. What book made you cry? Nerdy Panda: So many books made me cry. I cried for about five minutes while reading Cress and The Raven King miss kitty: The Fault in Our Stars

16. What book made you laugh? Nerdy Panda: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl miss kitty: Nerd Gone Wild by Vicky Louis Thompson

17. What is your favourite book that contains an LGBTQ+ character? Nerdy Panda: Carry On miss kitty: In the Mercy Thompson series there's an adorble gay couple. One iss a werewolf cowboy, the other a divorce attorney

18. Have you read a book with a male protagonist? What is it? Nerdy Panda: A lot miss kitty: A lot of romances switch point of views

19. Have you read a book set on another planet? What is it? Nerdy Panda: I read a couple of pages of The Martian (set on Mars) miss kitty: Zodiac by romina Russell. Planets are named after the different signs (thanks for the bday gift nerdy panda)

20. Have you ever been glad to not finish a series? Which? Nerdy Panda: I don't know about finishing, but I haven't picked up the fourth book in the Dorothy Must Die series. I'm gonna pretend everything gets wrapped up in the third book miss kitty: Hmmm nope can't think of one.

21. Have you ever read a book series because you were pressured? Nerdy Panda: Yes. Everyone keeps on talking about how great (insert hyped-up book) is. Sometimes I like it, other times I don't get it. miss kitty: No

22. What famous author have you not read any books by? Nerdy Panda: Sarah J. Maas, Emily Bronte miss kitty: Charles Dickens even thou i hav a copy of his complte works

23. Who is your favorite author of all time? Nerdy Panda: John Green miss kitty: Patricia Briggs

24. How many bookshelves do you own? Nerdy Panda: Four. One is dedicated to holding my books.  miss kitty: I have 3 over spilling ones mom has one. I need more.

25. How many books do you own? Nerdy Panda: 266 miss kitty: Over 300 i just found 2 more boxes of books i need to go thugh

26. What is your favorite non-fiction book? Nerdy Panda: The Diary of a Young Girl miss kitty: Braiding Sweetgrass

27. What is your favorite children’s/middle-grade book? Nerdy Panda: The Mouse and the Motorcycle miss kitty: Where the Sidewalk Ends

28. What is your next book on your TBR? Nerdy Panda: After the book I'm currently reading, I'm picking up We'll Always Have Summer miss kitty: No idea. whatever I'm in the mood for

29. What book are you currently reading? Nerdy Panda: It's Not Summer Without You miss kitty: Braiding Sweetgrass and A Bite to Remember

30. What book are you planning on buying next? Nerdy Panda: Hmm, who knows? miss kitty: What ever catchs my eye

31. What was the cheapest book you bought? Nerdy Panda: I got a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for about 50 cents miss kitty: I got a big box of books for 2$

32. What was the most expensive book you bought? Nerdy Panda: The Infernal Devices box set was around $38. For an individual book, Heartless was around 27 dollars. miss kitty: Not including text books Braiding Sweetgrass

33. What is a book you read after seeing the movie/ TV series? Nerdy Panda: Marley and Me miss kitty: Harry Potter. I was stubborn as a child. I refused to read it because it was popular then my parents bought the movie.

34. What is the newest book you have bought? Nerdy Panda: Always and Forever, Lara Jean miss kitty: I got 5 new books on my vacation

35. What three books are you most looking forward to reading this year? Nerdy Panda: Wonder, The Silver Linings Playbook, Emma miss kitty: my new books

36. What is a book you love that has a terrible trope? (Love triangle, etc) Nerdy Panda: Les Misérables has a love triangle but I like the trope in the book because it works miss kitty: no clue

37. Have you read a book in a different language? What was it? Nerdy Panda: No miss kitty: I wish

38. What is a book you’ve read that is set in a time period before you were born? Nerdy Panda: The Perks of Being a Wallflower takes place in the 90s miss kitty: Lol most of my books are in a different time periods. I like my historical romances

39. What book offended you? Nerdy Panda: No books have offended me... yet miss kitty: 50 shades of grey. The DUFF she was neither ugly or fat!

40. What is the weirdest book you have read? Nerdy Panda: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer was pretty weird miss kitty: Alice in Wonderland

41. What is your favorite duology? Nerdy Panda: Maus miss kitty: Don't have one

42. What is your favorite trilogy? Nerdy Panda: To All the Boys I've Loved Before miss kitty: Hunger Games is the only one i can think of lol

43. What book did you buy because of its cover? Nerdy Panda: A Little in Love. The cover reminded me of Les Misérables and then I realized it's a retelling set in one of the character's point of view miss kitty: Too many lol

44. What is a book that you love, but has a terrible cover? Nerdy Panda: Books I love tend to have nice covers miss kitty: Umm cant think of any

45. Do you own a poetry anthology? What is your favorite poem from it? Nerdy Panda: Milk and Honey. It's hard to choose a favorite miss kitty: Yes i love We wear the Mask

46. Do you own any coloring books based off other books? Nerdy Panda: Alice in Wonderland miss kitty: I used to hav the harry potter one

47. Do you own any historical fiction? Nerdy Panda: Yes miss kitty: Yup and if historical romance counts a lot of it

48. What book made you angry? Nerdy Panda: Clockwork Prince because the line 'his blue eyes' kept coming up every other line and I just got annoyed. miss kitty: When Zachary Beaver Came to town

49. What book has inspired you? Nerdy Panda: Fangirl inspires me to write more miss kitty: Braiding Sweetgrass

50. What book got you into reading? Nerdy Panda: I think it would be The Mouse and the Motorcycle miss kitty: No clue

Tagging: @contentreading, @gracebook-page, @princessofbookaholics, @myliteraryromance, @the-girl-who-lived-to-read, @jasminereadsbooks

[jesscreason]

Otherword & Otherearth (Last Reality #1 & #2) by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller

          Otherworld (Last Reality #1)

The company says Otherworld is amazing - like nothing you've ever seen before. They say that it's addictive - that you'll want to stay forever. They promise Otherworld will make all your dreams come true. 

Simon thought Otherworld was a game. Turns out he knew nothing. Otherworld is the next phase of reality. It's everything you've ever wanted.

And it's about to change humanity forever.

Welcome to the Otherworld. No one could ever have seen it coming.

Otherearth (Last Reality #2)

Return to the series BuzzFeed compared to Ready Player One in the second book in a new fast-paced trilogy from New York Times bestselling authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller that's perfect for fans of HBO's Westworld.

Simon saved his best friend, Kat, from the clutches of the Company and their high-tech VR gamilng experience, Otherworld. But it was at a steep price. Now he, Kat, and their friend Busara are on the run. They know too much. About the Company's dark secrets.

About the real-life consequences of playing Otherworld. And about Kat's stepfather's involvement in everything. The group is headed to New Mexico to find Simon's old roomate, who is a tech genius and possibly the only person who can help them reveal the truth about the Company before it's too late and the line between what's real and what's fantasy is erased... forever.

Imagine a future in which you can leave reality behind and give in to your greatest desires. That future is now. And the future is terrifying. 

Review(s)

I am writing my reviews of Otherworld and Otherearth together, mostly because I rushed through them both super fast and didn't take any time in between to jot any notes down for a review like I normally do. I will make sure I do not give away any spoilers for Otherworld, for those of you that have not read book #1 yet. 

MIND BLOWN!!!

I must say, I was pretty intrigued when I learned that Jason Segel wrote thsi book. When the first book was released, I put it on my TBR but never read it. I saw him on The View (don't judge me, I just happened to land on that channel while it was on and stopped because he was talking, and he is funny) and found out that he wrote these books and the second had just been released. I 💓💓💓 Forgetting Sarah Marshall! I knew he wrote that, and everything else I've seen him in has been hilarious. I already wanted to read these books after reading about them when Otherworld was released, so this was the push I needed to bump them to the top of my TBR list and read them.

There are definitely some funny parts, and the book is very well-written and the world building is excellent. The authors were able to build an amazing realistic AI world within a world and bring both to life. 

The first book was really good. I sped through it and finished it within a couple of days. The second book was just as good, but the ending BLEW MY MIND! I totally did not see it coming.

I am so upset now! In the Kindle version, the page after you finish the book says Other____ coming Fall 2019" Seriously? It's like they're rubbing it in that we will have to wait a whole year to see what happens next.

So, I just recently started listening to audiobooks on my commute to work. Usually, I just want to keep reading (something that you shouldn't do while driving), so I get the audiobook of the book I am reading from the library so that I can SAFELY keep reading while I drive. 

I was expecting the audiobook to be super funny and entertaining because Jason Segal narrated it. He did a good job, and it wasn't boring, monotonous, or not entertaining, but it just wasn't' what I was expecting when I started it. He does well voicing some of the characters, but I was expecting a lot more theatrics and funny-making (yeah, that's totally a word). That was just my expectation though, not something that the audiobook is advertised as or anything. It is no way was a bad audiobook, and I will totally listen to book #3 on audiobook. I just wanted to mention this in case anyone else has the same expectation I had. Definitely, do not let this deter you from listening to it, but just don't go into it expecting him to do voice work as if it were a cartoon or something. It is an audiobook, and we are adults (kind of). lol I loved these books! I am happy that I waited until the 2nd book was released to read the first so that I didn't have to wait to read it, but I am upset that I have to wait to see what happens next! I'm not sure when book # 3 will be out. It isn't listed on GoodReads yet, so I assume it will not be anytime this year. 😥

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[shanannigansthebibliophile]

Hey guys!

I’m back with Part 2 of my TBR Tackle! After another successful school drop-off (Again, she didn’t even look back *Sniff), I am going to pick up where I left off yesterday. If you missed Part 1, click here!

Science Fiction & Dystopian

Fly Paper: A Novel by Chris Angus

How do you fight a deadly disease that comes from beyond planet Earth?

When a 2,000-year-old mummy is unearthed in central China, investigators from all over the world fly in to Washington, DC, for a top-secret meeting, hoping to find an answer to its mysterious genetic anomalies.

But the scientists may have mistakenly released a new, deadly disease of extraterrestrial origins in the process of examining the genetic markers of the ancient mummy. The devastating human error causes a worldwide plague—one that penetrates the barriers of the human immune system. Sino expert Eric Logan and archaeologist Dr. Marcia Kessler lead an expedition back to the icy glaciers of China to extract a much older 20,000-year-old mummy, which could help them formulate a cure. Even as they embark on their mission, the strange illness afflicts the people around them, turning men into mindless monsters.

The team retreats to a remote Buddhist monastery and must hold off a vicious army of victims. As they wrestle with the possibility that they may be the last living humans on earth, someone finds an ancient burial object that may hold the key to ending the apocalyptic epidemic . . .

My Thoughts…

Sounds really good right? Well, it was okay but it wasn’t all I had hoped for.

It was well written and engaging enough, but it was missing something. Unfortunately, I can’t quite say what that something is but it left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.

Overall, a decent read with a good premise but had a lackluster ending. As the song says, “That don’t impress me much”.

Rating… C+

The Dreams by Matthew R. Flemming

Waking up in an unknown forest with four strangers, James has an unsettling feeling that the group is not alone. As tension mounts and he finds himself questioning the motives and loyalty of his companions, one of the group members disappears, leaving only a pool of blood behind. It soon becomes clear that something very large and unnatural is in the deep secret places of the forest. And it knows they are there.

My Thoughts…

This was originally a DNF. The first one in a long while. I loved the premise and the cover is brilliant, but it was so messy. Disorganized with way too many words. I hate overly descriptive writing!

This what I put on Goodreads:

DNF: Good premise by lacking proper execution. I couldn’t stick with it.

REVISED…

OK I finished it but only because I needed to know how these poor suckers ended up here. I still maintain my original opinion.

Yes, I went back and finished because I felt bad. It did not get any better!

Rating… D-

Ghost Virus by Graham Masterson

The girl had been staring into her mirror all morning before she picked up the small bottle of sulphuric acid and poured it over her forehead.

Samira was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. What could have brought her to this? DC Jerry Pardoe and DS Jamila Patel of Tooting Police suspect it’s suicide. But then a meek husband kills his wife, and the headteacher of the local school throws her pupils out of a window. It’s no longer a random outbreak of horrific crimes. It’s a deadly virus. And it’s spreading. Somehow, ordinary Londoners are being infected with an insatiable lust to murder. All of the killers were wearing second-hand clothes. Could these garments be possessed by some supernatural force?

The death count is multiplying. Now Jerry and Jamila must defeat the ghost virus, before they are all infected…

My Thoughts…

This book is hard to classify. It’s a little bit sci-fi, a little procedural, with a paranormal backbone. The premise is a bit misleading, which I guess is the point but I thought I was going to be reading a good plague story.

I loved everything about this book until the origin of the virus is revealed. Then I was like, “WTF? Are you kidding me?” And not in a good way. It’s just so silly! Here I was thinking that this book had everything. Suspense, gore, mysterious virus, and then the author went and ruined it for me.

Maybe you will like it and won’t find the ending ridiculous. You’ll have to make that decision for yourselves.

Rating… C

Blue Skin: A Dystopian Vampire Thriller (Book #1) by Steven Jenkins

The world has turned inward, away from the sun, in the wake of a mysterious disease that has altered the human race. No longer able to bear healthy human children, our mothers and daughters have brought vampire-like hybrids into the world, and with it a new order. Now that reproduction has been banned, those left with young children face a terrible and devastating decision – turn your babies over to the government or pay the price. For young Freya, keeping her brother hidden is the only real option.

Enemies of the state, Freya must stand between her family and the forces of a fearful world. Although her brother may not be human, there is little else separating her and those of the blue skin.

Choices will be made. Lines will be drawn. The battle for humanity has only just begun.

BLUE SKIN is the first book in a 5 part vampire dystopian, thriller horror series.

My Thoughts…

Ooh I really enjoyed this book and the follow-up, Blue Skin: Book #2 that was released this past May. Good vampire stories are really hard to come by these days since the genre was drowned in vamp tales due to the Twilight phenomenon.

Blue Skin however, is an interesting mix of vampire and apocalyptic. The fact that the vampires are children make it especially horrifying.

Great writing, a unique plot and a strong female protagonist make this book appealing to all sorts of readers. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series!

Rating… A+

Contemporary Fiction & YA Fiction

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Books 1-3) by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all

P.S. I Still Love You

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

Always and Forever, Lara Jean

Lara Jean is having the best senior year.

And there’s still so much to look forward to: a class trip to New York City, prom with her boyfriend Peter, Beach Week after graduation, and her dad’s wedding to Ms. Rothschild. Then she’ll be off to college with Peter, at a school close enough for her to come home and bake chocolate chip cookies on the weekends.

Life couldn’t be more perfect!

At least, that’s what Lara Jean thinks . . . until she gets some unexpected news.

Now the girl who dreads change must rethink all her plans—but when your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

My Thoughts…

I’m lumping all 3 of these books together, not because they don’t deserve individual reviews (They totally do!), but because I read them all together, one right after the other like a big novel.

Why you ask? Well I watched the Netflix movie of course, and fell in love! (Read review)

As soon as the credits rolled, I quickly purchased all 3 books and had myself a lovely binge read. All 3 were fantastic! Nostalgia inducing, charming, adorable, and funny. I really enjoyed them and I’m happy with how the author ended the trilogy.

Want to hear something crazy though? I liked the movie more and something tells me I’m not the only one.

The actors had such great chemistry! ‘Lara Jean’ and ‘Peter’ were so good together on screen which added a whole new dimension to the story. Honestly, they made the story and I really hope the other books get movies too.

Rating… A+’s all around!

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

My Thoughts…

Warning: Major Triggers! Mental illness, Abuse, Addiction, Self-harm, Suicide, and Disturbing Scenes (Just to name a few).

I would give this AMAZING book 6 stars if I could! It’s riveting, evocative, heart-wrenching and incredibly illuminating. It’s not the easiest book to read but if you can stomach the darkness, it’s a brilliant story about survival and self-discovery. The protagonist ‘Charlie’ will take you on one hell of a journey but it’s worth it. Just be prepared to feel every emotion on the spectrum.

Honestly, I have nothing negative to say. I truly loved it, if that’s the right word, and can’t recommend it enough!

Rating… A+++

Well, I’ve caught up a ton with these two posts. They’re certainly some of the longest posts I’ve ever written lol. Like I said before, I had really gotten behind with my writing but I’ve never stopped reading (I’m 18 books ahead on my yearly Goodreads challenge) and I never will. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these books, especially if you’ve read them.

Until next time!

      #TBR Tackle & Mini Reviews (Part 2) #BookBlogger #BookReviews #Books #AmReading #BookHaul #Thriller #Romance #YA Hey guys! I'm back with Part 2 of my TBR Tackle! After another successful school drop-off (Again, she didn't even look back *Sniff), I am going to pick up where I left off yesterday.

[jenmedsbookreviews]

This has been one very long week. Productive in work terms but very, very long. And to cap it all off I have decided to try and get myself back on the diet which means I am tired and irritable right now. Which in fairness is my default mood/status so there isn’t actually anything unusual in that fact.

Funny old week. We have had go live with the first set of victims, sorry drivers, using the new proof of delivery app at work. Seems to have gone well all things considered. A few minor glitches, but nothing we couldn’t fix so happy days. It has meant early starts but that has also meant earlier finishes so I have been able to get to reading much earlier in the day than normal. This means I’ve had an unusually productive week on the blogging front too clearing a relatively high number of books (for me) without resorting to one audio book (or Mr Men) to help me out. Who knew?

I also had a bit of a surprise earlier in the week when this happened:

Yes. I recieved an email from Reedsy informing me that I’d been listed as one of their recommended best book blogs of 2017 over on their website. A great honour, especially when you look at some of the other blogs on the list – there are some really high profile blogs with massive viewing figures making mine look kind of tiny in comparison, but I am very chuffed and humbled to be up there considering I am just a babby in blogging terms. It’s been a very long time since that statement applied in real life…

I have tried to be good on the book purchase/download front this week. Failed miserably but it’s the thought that counts right? In my defence, some of the books I have bought in preparation for a forthcoming Christmas feature month on the blog, currently pencilled in for November. I blame Mandie as we came up with the idea while on a walk yesterday morning. What started as a couple of weeks of Christmas posts is now a whole month of madness, espescially when you consider that neither of us actually likes Christmas. 😉 Other books (namely the Netgalley download for which I blame Bookouture) are books I need to read for blog tours (well one is) so it doesn’t really count. That’s right isn’t it?

Books I ordered: Murder Game by Caroline Mitchell (preorder); Thorne at Christmas by Mark Billingham;  Dying For Christmas by Tammy Cohen; Frost at Christmas by R.D. Wingfield; and six Mr Men Christmas Books. Audio  book wise I only ordered one which was Perfect Prey by Helen Fields. Netgalley wise I only downloaded Hide and Seek by Richard Parker (blog tour fodder I promise).

I also received a lovely bit of book post this week in the shape of Santa Claws by Gabriela Harding. Can’t wait to dive into it and it’s part of what inspired the Christmas posts mentioned earlier.

Isn’t it fabulous? Send in the clowns lol. Blogging wise I’ve been quite productive too. I had, how shall I put this, a backlog of unwritten reviews – a mere nine – nothing to be concerned about. Much. I managed on Saturday to get six of the nine written … then promptly read another book so I am back to four to write but they will be done imminently. I probably would have completed all ten reviews but I was a) running out of new ways to say ‘really bloody good’, and b) starting to get my sarcastic, comedic head on due to blogger fatigue which is never a good thing ;). Reading wise, as I said, I’ve had a pretty good week clearing four books off my tbr. And four corkers they are too.

Books I have read.

I Know A Secret by Tess Gerritsen

I have a secret.  And someone wants to make sure I never tell . . . 

In a house decorated with horror movie posters, a young woman’s body is found. She lies on her bed, two bloodied objects clutched in her palm. Detective Jane Rizzoli and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles are called to the murder scene, but even faced with this gruesome sight they are unable to identify the immediate cause of death. 

Their investigation leads them to a high-profile murder case that was seemingly solved years before. But when another body is found in horrific circumstances, the link between the two victims is clear. Was the wrong person sent to prison? Is the real killer out there right now, picking off new targets? 

One woman knows the killer is coming for her next. She’s the only one who can help Rizzoli and Isles catch him.

But she has a secret that she has to keep . . .

Confession time – I have a secret too … I have never read any Rizzoli and Isles before this book! I know. I should hang my head in shame. I have seen the TV series on occasion but not read any of the actual books. Until now. I shall be heading back to the first eleven books as soon as I can as I absolutely loved this and have no doubt fans of the series will love it too. Sucked in from page one I raced through to the conclusion. You can see my thoughts as part of the blog tour tomorrow but in the meantime why not preorder it here.

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Hide and Seek by Richard Parker

The sun is out. Your little boy is smiling. The next time you look… he’s gone. 

When Lana and Todd win a trip to Blue Crest Adventure Park, their four-year-old Cooper is ecstatic, but when Lana goes to meet them, Todd is out cold, and Cooper is missing.

No one stopped the man carrying the sleeping boy. The cameras don’t show where he went. Then Lana receives an anonymous message, telling her to visit a local school with a horrifying history… 

This is no random attack. Whoever took Cooper is playing a twisted game, and if Lana wants to find him, she must participate. 

What is the link between the school and her missing son? Can Lana uncover the kidnapper’s identity and save Cooper before it’s too late?

Now it may come as a surprise to some, but I absolutely loved Richard Parker’s last book, Follow You, so as soon as this appeared on NetGalley  had to have it and as soon as I had it I had to read it. Did it meet my expectations. Well, the cheesy grin on my face while reading may have been a give away, but yes. I enjoyed it. Muchly. You can see just how muchly next month when I post my review in the meantime do yourselves a favour and go preorder it here.

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The Good Sister by Jess Ryder

Two sisters. One secret… A lie that could destroy them both.

When her father dies, Josie is devastated to uncover he led a secret life: another house, another family and a half-sister called Valentina.

Both with red hair and icy blue eyes, Josie and Valentina could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there…

Josie – Sweet, reserved, jealous, thief.  Valentina – Care-free, confident, dangerous, liar. 

There is a perfect life here for the taking. But which one of them wants it the most?

Two sisters. One survivor. 

I thought initially this may have been a biography about me as I am clearly the good sister of all of my siblings but turns out I was wrong. What it is, is a twisted tale centred around long held secrets which have deadly repurcussions. What it also is is extremely gripping and a fluffing good read. My review will be up in a little over a weeks time, in the meantime you can preorder here.

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The Big Dreams Beach Hotel by Lilly Bartlett

Wriggle your toes in the sand and feel the warm breeze on your face when you check into the hotel that’s full of dreams…

Three years after ditching her career in New York City, Rosie never thought she’d still be managing the quaint faded Victorian hotel in her seaside hometown.

What’s worse, the hotel’s new owners are turning it into a copy of their Florida properties. Flamingos and all. Cultures are clashing and the hotel’s residents stand in the way of the developers’ plans. The hotel is both their home and their family.

That’s going to make Rory’s job difficult when he arrives to enforce the changes. And Rosie isn’t exactly on his side, even though it’s the chance to finally restart her career. Rory might be charming, but he’s still there to evict her friends.

How can she follow her dreams if it means ending everyone else’s?

I loved Lilly Bartlett’s Carlton Square books so when asked by the author if I wanted the chance to review her new book, how could I possibly refuse. I’m very glad I didn’t as this was a wonderfully funny book and having only recently been on holiday to Yorkshire when we spent a day over in Scarborough, where this book is set, everything about it made sense. A great cast of characters and some heart warming romance to boot, if you love rom-com you’ll love this. I’ll be reviewing on release day 18th August but you can preorder the book here. You can also watch the promo video below – make sure to leave the sound on …

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So that was it reading wise. Four books. Are you impressed. Believe me when I say I am as I have never felt so tired as I did last week and I am pretty sure the books are partly to blame as they were too good to put down. Blogging wise I had a full week with a mixture of reviews, a couple of impromptu cover reveals, and the good old #booklove features.

#BlogTour: Review – Red is the Colour by Mark L. Fowler

#BookLove: Carol Cooper

Cover Reveal – @Bookouture & Tracy Bloom

#BlogTour: Review – Long Shot by Jack Steele

#Blogtour: Review – Till the Dust Settles by Pat Young

Cover Reveal: @Caroline_writes @Bookouture

#BlogTour: Little Bird by Sharon Dempsey

#BookLove: Lorraine Rugman

Guest Review: Stalker On The Fens by Joy Ellis

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The week ahead is just as busy. I have two blog tours this week, both tomorrow. First up is I Know A Secret by Tess Gerritsen and then I have a guest post by Jo Huey, author of Transition. I will have a selection of reviews and also #Booklove posts from Louise Walters and Abbie Rutherford. I do hope you can join us. I also have a very exciting afternoon and evening planned on Thursday, but more about that next week.

Have a fabulous week’s reading all and I’ll see you same time next week.

JL

Rewind, Recap: Weekly roudup w/e 06/08/17 This has been one very long week. Productive in work terms but very, very long. And to cap it all off I have decided to try and get myself back on the diet which means I am tired