#syllablesofvelvet

[syllables-of-velvet]

bitter pills, sober tears, pt. 2

but as the storm of regret and shame swirled within her, a flicker of defiance sparked to life. “i can’t keep living like this” she realized, trapped in a hellish dance with the very pills that ravaged her life.

her mind became a battlefield, a fierce internal struggle between succumbing to the seductive beckoning of benzene-fueled numbness and the desperate desire to break free from it’s treacherous hold. however, a determination began to take root within her bruised and battered soul.

the realization that she was at a critical juncture filled her with a strange mixture of dread and resolve. she knew that continuing down this path would ultimately lead to her obliteration, but facing the daunting task of climbing out of the abyss seemed equally, if not more, terrifying.

as the storm within her quieted down, she found herself facing the stark reality of her situation. she was in a state of limbo, torn between the destructive comfort of slurred thinking familiarity and the uncharted potential of sobriety. the allure of the hedge maze still whispered to her mind, but the ember of hope that had started burning in her soul refused to be extinguished. her whole being was catching stray bullets of the war that raged inside her. she was being pulled in opposite directions by conflicting desires, both promising different endings.

in her 22nd year of life, a now sober and hardened young woman found herself looking back upon the journey of the past three years, her path to sobriety a source of both lustrous pride and ocean-deep regret. in hindsight, she realized the extent of her lost youth, precious years she spent balancing her broken soul on the tightrope of dependance. she was painfully aware of how just one wrong decision, swallowing a single pill through a tight, hesitant throat, had started a chain reaction that had almost cost her everything. it’s now 1.102 days since the last glitch in her system, a period of time which had been both triumphant and tinged with regret.

in her heart, she could see the damage she had inflicted on her loved ones, the pain and disappointment she had inadvertently caused through her actions. the guilt was overwhelming, but she was resolute in her newfound determination to make amends and work towards rebuilding the bridges she had burned. making a choice to embrace the promise of a brighter future, she accepted the marks left by her past mistakes as lessons and vowed to seize the opportunities that lay ahead. with a resolute spirit, she decided to carve a new path, one marked by hope and optimism.

[thesheepthewolf]

Talk About Your TBR Tag

I was tagged by @anassarhenisch - thank you!

Rules:

Look at your TBR pile or list.

Get 3 numbers from a random number generator.

Talk about what books correspond to the numbers you were given. (Why are they on there? Were they recommended to you? Etc.)

Tag people to do the same.

For the sake of clarity, I should mention that there are over 300 books currently on my Goodreads TBR list, and they are in no particular order (well, the one they’ve been added in, I suppose). I've also been meaning to go through the list for years to weed out the books I no longer actually want to read, so there’s a lot on there that I’m not all that interested in anymore. This is a good reminder to get a move on with that project! Anyway, here are my three picks.

182 - Fairytales for Wilde Girls - Allyse Near

To be perfectly honest, I have no memory of adding this book to my TBR list. It sounds like the kind of thing (dark, fairytale elements) I was pretty into a few years ago, and I’d say it’s probably something I picked up from Jen or Mercedes on booktube. It still kind of interests me, but the language used in the author’s own description of the book does make me cringe slightly. Not sure if that’s any indication of what the book is going to be like, but I don’t think I can sit through 430 pages of that.

187 - Challenger Deep - Neal Shusterman

I was initially drawn to this book because of its beautiful blue cover. I’m also fascinated by the way this story explores mental illness, but I’ve been putting it off because I’m afraid that it might be quite an intense read and I think I really need to be in the right space of mind for that.

242 - The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin

This book used to be one of our ABC Favorites (a curated list of popular books in the bookstore where I work, drawing from sections) and it’s also in a section I used to be the buyer for, which is how it came to my attention. One of my friends read it a few years ago and put it in her top-5 reads of that year, which made me think that maybe I should pick it up as well. I’m not big on non-fiction, though, so it’s never happened and at this point I’m not sure I’m still interested in reading it.

I tag @readakins, @syllablesofvelvet and @allenvooreef.

[toofarforgotten90]

rules: Bold the words/phrases you prefer. You can tag whoever you want to get to know more.

tagging: @syllablesofvelvet @saranwrappedsusansarandon @thatwritererinoriordan @buryingreality and anyone who wants to do it!

summer or winter

cats or dogs

pizza or pasta

black or white

comedy or horror

hugs or kisses

shorts or trousers

night or day

bath or shower

plain or patterned

beauty or brains

coffee or tea

concert or play

fiction or nonfiction

elevator or escalator

pork or chicken

sleeping or eating

hot or cold

formal or casual

pen or pencil

sweet or spicy

jet or ship

high school or college

walking or jogging

alone or in a crowd

love or money

mammal or reptile

bills or coins

straight hair or curly hair

married or single

ninjas or pirates

zoo or aquarium

flowers or chocolate

angels or demons

christmas or halloween

slippers or barefoot

pool or beach

truth or dare

blonde or brunette

slippers or sneakers

debit or credit

quiet or loud

sun or moon

thunder or lightning

bed or sofa

weird or normal

[bookishbird]

When you get this reply with 5 things that make you happy and anonymously send this to the last 10 people in your notifications!!

Animals

Reading

Plants

Netflix

Music

[vablatsky]

18 and 19 :)

18: Top 3 quotes to describe your life

“You can have a bad day or two, if you need them. Fall apart too, it’s okay. Then you get up and you wash and you look at yourself in the mirror, and you keep going.” – Neil Gaiman

“You cannot change what you are, only what you do.” – Philip Pullman

“Oh man. Crossbow, straight up, and I’d want an army of ninja chimpanzees that crush people all around me. Or I would just go to Sandra Bullock’s house as I’m sure she has all that stuff because she’s dope and kick-ass.” - Channing Tatum’s Zombie Apocalypse Plan

19: Top 3 characteristics you love about yourself 

I’m very reliable – I try to be that kind of friend who textes you back at 3 am or stays with you in a hospital waiting room for 5 hours.

I’m really good at coming up with creative and unusual birthday presents for my family and friends. Usually I just pick a theme (like “Professor Layton”, “Unicorns”...) and go crazy with it.

It’s a bit of a German cliche, but I always try to be punctual. I usually plan ahead so I’ll try not to keep you waiting and I’ll always be the first person to arrive at a party.

Thanks for asking! :)

[aliteraryescape]

syllablesofvelvet said: Which books did you buy?

I ordered a few books online, but only two has arrived:

Secret History by Donna Tartt

Dragonflicht by Anne McCaffrey

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Going Postal also by Terry Pratchett

I also bought myself a trip to England to visit family next week (I bought this in December as an early present to myself), so I will be buying a lot of books there using my birthday excuse :)

[qualiteabooks]

I was tagged by syllablesofvelvet

Rule 1: post the rules

Rule 2: answer the questions the tagger set for you

Rule 3: tag 11 people and link them to your post

Rule 4: let them know you tagged them

Questions:

1. Your favourite book(s) when you were a kid.

Chrysanthemum. Arthur books.

2. Your favourite place to read.

In my room, on my bed.

3. The book you’ve read most.

I believe it's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. At least, that's the book that's coming to mind that I've read more than once for sure.

4. A book that changed your life.

Ask Alice. I read it in 7th grade, I think, and for me to have been reading something like THAT when I was 13 was weeeeird and it gave me a new look on life (what some people go through, what to avoid in order to not end up like the protagonist.)

5. The book you can’t wait to read.

So. Many. The Knife of Never Letting Go. Gone Girl. The Cuckoo's Calling.  Bossypants. Eleanor & Park. Ready Player One. Someone give me money!

MY QUESTIONS:

1. When entering a bookstore, what section/book genre do you hit first?

2. A book you ended up loving (you had reservations about it at first.)

3. Do you eat/drink while you read? (snacks?) If so, what?

4. [Assuming everyone's read Harry Potter] at what point in the series did you first cry? (If you can't remember, a poignant part in the series that's important to you.)

5. When you finish reading a book, who/what do you tell first?

*NOTE: I won't tag 11 people (maybe a couple people),  but please answer these questions if they interest you in any way and tag me. I would like to know your answers :)

[literaryglamour]

I was tagged (a while ago, oops) by syllablesofvelvet

Rule 1: post the rules

Rule 2: answer the questions the tagger set for you

Rule 3: tag 11 people and link them to your post

Rule 4: let them know you tagged them

1. Your favourite book(s) when you were a kid.

I really liked the Cam Jansen mystery books, where the girl with a photographic memory solved crimes, and the Boxcar Children series. I also loved A Wrinkle in Time, The Doll People, and The Menyms. I used to read a LOT when I was little...probably explains a lot...

2. Your favourite place to read.

My room back home

3. The book you’ve read most.

The Goblet of Fire (my second-favorite harry potter book)

4. A book that changed your life.

In 3rd grade my mom got me the Katherine Paterson Treasury, with three of her novels, and I think that was when I first understood a distinction between good writing and everything else.

5. The book you can’t wait to read.

MaddAddam, coming out Sept. 3, is the new Margaret Atwood novel and the conclusion to the trilogy. Excited is an understatement. 

---------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not going to tag anyone in specific because I know a lot of my favorite bloggers have already done several of these, but if anyone reading this has wanted to do one of these, take this as your tag and here are my questions: 

1. What's your favorite book-related memory?

2. If you could be friends with any book character, who would it be?

3. What's your favorite book you've had to read for school? 

4. If your life were a book, what genre would you want it to be? 

5. What is your current favorite book? 

[booksandhotchocolate]

I was tagged by wordsarethebonesofmylovers, syllablesofvelvet, and shriekingbooks

1. Sometimes a book looks/sounds too exciting to wait to start it. Do you read multiple books at a time/start books before you finish others?

I prefer reading one at a time so that I can focus on the story more

2. Do you have to read a book before seeing a movie adaptation?

I try my best to read it or if not read it right after. 

3. What book have you read the most times?

I haven't reread anything in a while but probably the HP books because I like to reread books before a new sequel comes out

4. Who is your favorite poet?

Robert Frost

5. Is there an author whose work you don’t like? If so, who?

I don't think I've read enough books to answer this

6. Do you have multiple copies of any of your books?

I don't have more than 2, it usually happens when I want my books to be of the same size

7. Do you have/use a local library or do you prefer just to buy books?

Buying. I like to expand my collection

8. What’s the first book you always recommend to people?

I recommend according to what they usually like but I like suggesting mostly fantasy books.

9. What was your favorite book when you were younger or the first book you remember reading?

I first remember reading several teeny tiny pocket sized books containing fairy tales and the only one I was sure of is The Little Match Girl, what a sad story.

10. Do you mind dog-earing/underlining in your books or do you try to keep them pristine?

Keep them perfect!!!! I'm weird that way

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1. Your favourite book(s) when you were a kid.

I collected Goosebumps and Fear Street Kids

2. Your favourite place to read.

My bed

3. The book you’ve read most.

The earlier HPs

4. A book that changed your life.

HP

5. The book you can’t wait to read.

House of Hades. That cliffhanger was so frustrating. 

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1. Which fictional character do you relate to the most?

A mix of Hermione and Tris Chandler

2. What is the last book that made you cry?

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

3. When do you usually read?

Before I go to sleep

4. Give at least 2 books that you think a child should get to read while he or she is growing up.

Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia

5. Do you want lots of romance in the books you read? Why or why not?

I prefer romance in small doses. I don't mind it in a story but not as the main focus/theme

[cormoranstrike]

5, 20 & 25

5: What countries did you visit?- The USA, France & Italy

20: How did you spend Christmas?- At my grandad's house

25: What was your greatest musical discovery?- Die Young by Ke$ha haha

[syllables-of-velvet]

bitter pills, sober tears, pt. 1

the bitter pill slipped down her throat with the promise of ecstasy, blissfully unaware of the storm it would soon unleash as she crossed the gates of psychosis. the days that followed blurred into a maddening haze, as empty blisters filled the underside of her mattress. and before she knew it, the girl who was once lost in her freedom had become a prisoner in her own body. in the depths of her addiction, she discovered a treacherous yet alluring world that took hold of her like steel chains to her brain chemistry, refusing to let go.

as she delved deeper into the abyss of hypnotic-fueled daydreams, the once innocent girl found herself trapped within a labyrinth of her own mind and circumstances. each lilac-colored pill she consumed brought with it a temporary, blurry escape from the harsh realities of her world, but at the devastating cost of her very essence. her once sparkling brown eyes now held a hollow gaze, haunted by the shadows of her own brokenness.

her relationships began to unravel, replaced by the cold embrace of isolation and deceit. she became adept at hiding the deepening grip the demons of intermediate-acting bittersweet numbness had on her being from those around her, putting on a facade of normalcy while silently drowning in her own despair.

the weight of her b pressed down upon her, a constant, suffocating presence. she became a master of manipulation, convincing herself and others that she was in control. but beneath the surface, her mind and body were slowly being consumed by the relentless grip of her dependency on the very pills that promised release.

the consequences of her fondness for dancing with the devil started to manifest in more profound ways. her academic performance plummeted, once-held dreams slipping through her fingers like grains of sand. the world outside her spiraling, chemically-fueled reality continued to move on, but she felt stuck in a never-ending loop of craving and shame, being constantly at the mercy of strings controlled by hazy euphoria.

the people who were once oblivious to her struggle started noticing the alarming signs. her weight dropping like rusted leaves in autumn, her complexion paler than fresh snow on a Nordic morning. their pleas, threats and prayers seemed to fall on willingly deaf ears as her mind and body were dominated by the inexorable control of the siren’s call that she answered twice a day.

as her mind grew increasingly erratic and unfocused, the once-vivacious girl now resembled a shadow of her former self, a puppet manipulated by the whims of the poisoned well she constantly dipped into.

as the young woman stood before the mirror, her sunken eyes met the reflection of the weary soul she had become. she no longer recognized the girl who once held dreams and aspirations. the realization hit her like a wrecking ball, awakening a wave of loathing and disgust for the person staring back at her on what briefly seemed like a shattered mirror.

with each passing moment, the weight of her addiction bore down on her, crushing her under its merciless grip. her smile, once bright as a supernova, had now been dimmed by the relentless abuse of what she once thought was harmless teenage fun. her life had become a relentless cycle of craving and despair, a never-ending spiral that left her broken and defeated.

[thesheepthewolf]

7 covers in 7 days

I was tagged by @lampyris95.

Rules: each day, I will post the cover of a book that I love and nominate someone new to start the challenge. No explanation*, no discussion, just post the cover and by doing so spread some literary love!

* but feel free to ask me about the books I’m posting, because I love talking about them!

Day 2: SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo I tag @syllablesofvelvet

See previous post here.

[eponymiad]

19, 25, 39, 81.

19 - What was the best thing you were given?

My mom gave me the first three Harry Potter books when I was 7 anddddd the rest is history. 

25 - Who do you spend crazy moments with?

My Harry Potter friends irl. We sleep on sidewalks together, stage door Jo Rowling together, bump into Steve Kloves together...Literally I love them. 

39 - Do you have any phobias?

Used to be afraid of spiders but I've gotten over it :)

81 - What are you thinking right now?

How swimming screwed up my back by giving me man-shoulders -.-

(but also gave me a really hard ass soooo whatever)

[theflorrickbrand]

TAGGED BY SYLLABLESOFVELVET

Rule 1: Post the rules

2: Ask the questions the tagger set for you and then make 11 new ones

3: Tag 11 people and link them to your post

4: Let them know you have tagged them

1. Favourite book as a child.

Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Charlotte's Web

2. A book you’ve read just because it was been made into a film.

The Devil Wears Prada

3. Best book you’ve read last year.

everything by Lori Lansens

4. Favourite and least favourite characters of your favourite book series.

Favourites; Molly Weasley & Professor McGonagall Least favourite; Umbridge.

5. Favourite genre.

I just love words.

6. A book you thought you wouldn’t like but you ended up loving it.

Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys I'm not always a fan of stream of consciousness, but this book is gorgeous. 

7. If you could live in a book, what book it would be?

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

8. If you could change something about the destiny of a character, what it would be and for what character?

The Casual Vacancy. You can probably guess if you've finished the book.

9. Favourite author(s).

JK Rowling, and about a dozen others. 

10. A book or an author everyone seems to love, but you don’t.

The Hobbit.

11. You’re currently reading…

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Trilogy by H.D.

Both for uni because I have no time.

[vablatsky]

A, G, L and S

A. Author You’ve Read The Most Books FromProbably J.K. Rowling because I've read everything by her. ^^

G. Glad You Gave This Book A ChanceThe Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst. Two friends gave it to me as a birthday present because they thought the cover looked nice. I started reading it a few days later and I was immediately hooked.

L. Longest Book You’ve ReadI think A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin.

S. Series You Started and Need to FinishThe Inkworld trilogy. I've only read the first book so far.

Thanks for asking! :)

[aliteraryescape]

Happy birthday! I'm sorry I'm late, but I remembered you yesterday anyway. Hope you've had an amazing day and that you have a great 'new' year, since you're older now. Also, I hope you've got lots of books! :D

Thank you! The best thing about having a birthday, at least for me, is that it gives me the best excuse ever to buy a lot of books. More than usual that is :)