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ARC Review: You Asked For Perfect by Laura Silverman

ARC Review: You Asked For Perfect by Laura Silverman

  You Asked For Perfect

Pub. Date: March 5, 2019 Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire   Format: Digital ISBN: 9781492658276 Source: Netgalley

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Plot Summary:Seventeen-year-old Ariel has only one goal: To make it into Harvard. As first chair violin, community volunteer, and to-be valedictorian, he is…

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Hi, is this seat taken?

Hi, is this seat taken?

Hello friends, it’s been a while. Suffice to say that 2018 was a clusterfuck, and 2019 has been off to a rocky start. I sort of fell off the face of the reading world towards the end of last year, mostly because I didn’t have the capacity to hold space for books, reading, and the book community. Truth be told, I thought the blog was done. Mostly because I didn’t know what I wanted to blog about.…

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack.

Heyo!

I sat with my planner first thing this morning, and already everything I’d slotted for this AM has been juggled. It’s not even noon on a Monday, but if these past few hours are any indication, this week is going to be…interesting. Dear universe let this not be representative of my entire week, thanks.

Let’s chat books. I did finish one ARC for #ARCAugust– The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith, which was quiet and magical. I listened to Rainn Wilson‘s book on audio but I wasn’t impressed. 

This week I plan to finish:

It’s been exactly a year since surgery today, and it feels a bit weird. It’s easy to think about progress physically but I’m still discovering that there’s a bunch of things the whole experience did to my mental health that I’m still navigating a year later. Some days are hard, and I’m reconciling with pain being a part of my life, but the truth is, I just got really lucky a year ago for things to happen when they did, where they did, how they did and most everything since. I’ll take that for now. 

Talk to me about your reading lives, friends!

-J

  August 6, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date…

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The wonderful bloggers at Read.Sleep.Repeat are back with their annual ARC August, a month long reading challenge to read and review as many galleys as you can. If you’re like me (well nobody is as bad as me), you’ve definitely hit that point where you’re struggling to keep up with all those advance copies and review requests.

This kind of challenge is perfect for me – I probably won’t catch up, but I would like to make a dent in my enormous unread pile and amp up that pitiful Netgalley percentage. I’ve got a lot going on in August with respect to work, but thanks to this challenge there will be not one, but two readathons this month, of which I can participate in at least one. Just check out their announcement post for all the details.

Here’s some of my ARCs I plan to catch up on during this challenge:

Just use the hashtag #ARCAugust throughout the month to share whatever ARCs you’re reading, the hosts have some neat prizes if you sign-up. 

If you’re participating, let me know in the comments, and what you’ll be reading! Good luck!

-J

ARC August 2018! The wonderful bloggers at Read.Sleep.Repeat are back with their annual ARC August, a month long reading challenge to read and review as many galleys as you can.

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July 29, 2018: It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

July 29, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack.

Hello!

It’s 7 AM on Monday morning as I type this, which is the only free hour I’ve probably got this entire week. Either my recovering body is just slower than it used to be…

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#24in48: Summer readathon time!

#24in48: Summer readathon time!

Summer readathon season is upon us, and we’re kicking it off with #24in48 this weekend. It’s pretty straightforward: Read for 24 hours of a 48 hour weekend. 

I was travelling during the last round of #24in48 a few months ago, and while I read for 24 hours, I didn’t really get to engage in readathon mode (books, social media, beverages, snacks, etc ). I haven’t effectively done a reading marathon…

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack.

Hello friends!

It’s been a couple of weeks since we last chatted, and I am FINALLY reading again! Cue the confetti, pop the champagne, it would seem I am back on the bandwagon. Basically, me @ all my books right now: 

What helped, you ask? I really don’t know. I’ve been in the mood for primarily nonfiction in the last two weeks, so I’m leaning into that. I’m also not forcing myself to read anything that’s not getting me excited, so galleys will have to wait for a bit. I finished reading Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook (super informative), Sick (absolutely devastating), A Wizard of Earthsea (entertaining), Alex and Eliza (quick and sweet), Bruja Born ( thrilling and as good as the first; I love Lula), and So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know (has its funny moments, not memorable).

I can’t tell you what a relief it is to be reading again- people often snort at my stress about not reading or not wanting to read (“Oh you’ve still read more than most people”, “watch something instead”, “you read enough” are just some of the reactions I get), largely because they underestimate not just how much it ties into my identity but the role it plays in my mental health as well. Books anchor me, sustain me. In the middle of depression, anxiety, dysphoria, it’s the thing that holds me together.

Anyway, now that I’m back to it, here’s what I’m reading this week:

Like I said, all nonfiction. I’m not questioning it. Fiction will be waiting for me when I’m ready. 

Talk to me about your reading lives, friends. What’s new in your world?

-J

  July 16, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date…

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack.

Hey friends, 

A new week, new month, and a new half of the year is upon us – and I am slightly panicking. Where oh where does the time go? I haven’t scratched the surface of the things I meant to accomplish this year, and somehow I’ve just taken on more. 

We’re still knee deep in the slump here. It’s super frustrating. It’s been months. I can’t seem to focus on a book. It feels like a chore, which is deeply upsetting. Help me out friends. Here’s what’s on the roster: 

Traction and Jab Jab Jab are for work things; the content is really interesting, I’m just having trouble focusing. Sick is so intense and her story is riveting, but again, I’m not actively plugging away at it. I’m nearly done with Retta’s book on audio, and her book is fine and it’s got humorous moments, but again, I’m not invested.

I’m sitting in my sister’s apartment as I type this, and I have the whole house to myself, presenting the most ideal reading condition, and yet. 

That’s all I’ve got. None of my usual break-the-slump tricks are working, so I’m open to anything you’ve got. Thanks!

-J

July 2, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date…

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June 25, 2018: It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

June 25, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

Hi friends,

Wow, it’s been a while. Yes, yes, you may roll your eyes, I am too. One day y’all, I will get a handle on this blogging thing. One day. Meanwhile, let me get you up to speed on the life things.

First, I did promise y’all a picture of the shiny new shelves and never delivered, so here they are.

I still tear up sometimes when I look at this to be honest. 

Updates since my last It’s…

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Asian Lit Bingo 2018

Asian Lit Bingo 2018

Hello friends,

It is that time of the year again! Asian Lit Bingo is organized by a bunch of us over at Lit CelebrAsian to celebrate Asian authors from May 1-May 31. There’s a reading challenge with a bingo card, a bunch of author interviews, features, discussions, etc. and we’ll be using the hashtag #AsianLitBingoacross a variety of social media platforms to share these. Lit CelebrAsian is an…

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack.

Holy cow, friends. When I typed up my last post, I had absolutely no idea I wouldn’t be blogging or reading for this many weeks after. Wow. I’m thinking of calling myself The Chaotic Bookworm or The Neglectful Reader or something. Chaos is my middle name. Chaos is my state my mind. Chaos is my new best friend. You get the idea. 

Since this still is a book blog, let’s talk books. I feel like I haven’t been reading at all, but I just checked my Goodreads, and since my last blog post, I have actually read fourteen books. Primarily romance, YA, and middle grade novels. Mostly audiobooks. Still, way more than I thought I did. Some really good books too- I highly recommend The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, A Princess In Theory, Wanna Bet?, A Girl Like Her, and Sunny. It’s so interesting, because you wouldn’t be able to tell I’d been doing any reading based on any of my social media updates, rather lack thereof. Hell, I couldn’t tell I’d been doing any reading. That’s something to think about. 

I’ve also been a bit off social media. Not intentionally, I just can’t seem to hold space for it, besides tweeting when I’m overwhelmed and promptly disappearing. Which is mostly fine. I do feel guilty about being so out of the loop with friends and book news and aro/ace activism, and I’m just choosing to sit with it for now.

Life- let’s see. So much going on. We’ve moved again, and this will be my parents’ permanent home. It’s a gorgeous place though it’s far away from the city. BUT I HAZ SHINY NEW BOOKSHELVES AND ALL MY BOOKS ARE OUT SO CITY, SCHMITY AMIRITE?! Pictures will happen when my room doesn’t look like a cardboard box infestation. 

I am traveling to the States in two weeks for a work conference and seeing friends and I am excited, stressed, and terrified about traveling. I will be among folx who are incredibly supportive, so my anxiety is no longer at vomit-y, just nausea. I’m choosing to focus on the being able to see dear hearts, and that’s keeping me going.

Rehab- This is the one thing that has been going really, really well. It’s so great to see and feel progress and improvements in strength. I had a follow-up with my surgeon a few days ago, while he’s not very happy with my foot still being weak, he’s cleared me for travel and is generally happy with how my sessions with my trainer have been going. 

I guess we should come back to books, eh? Here’s what I’m planning to read this week:

I am laughably behind on reviews. They will happen. Soon. 

Meanwhile, what have y’all been upto? Read anything good lately?

-J

  May 7, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date…

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A look back at Maya Angelou’s life, on what would have been her 90th birthday.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you,” Maya Angelou wrote, in her memoir “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” The poet and civil-rights activist, who was born ninety years ago today, lived a public life that spanned decades and received the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. Click the link in our bio to look back at her life in pictures. 

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack.

How, how is it the end of March already? Where did the last week go? I woke up this morning and it felt like I had this particular Black Books moment with Monday:

Let’s tackle books first. First, my streak continues- I read three out of the four books I’d mentioned in last week’s post! The fourth one is work-related reading and therefore I’m not counting it as a thing that needed to get read in a week, so yay! Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao was really heavy and dealt with a LOT of trauma (my review this week will come with a lot of trigger warnings for sure). Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala was another heavy one, and I did enjoy the audiobook narrated by the author (trigger warnings for police brutality resulting in death, anti-queer rhetoric, anti-queer hate, and religious intervention for gay character). Both so good, but definitely not happy books by any means. The Radical Element by Jessica Spotswood I really did enjoy, and featured some of my favorite YA women of color. Historical fiction stories of badass women, here for it. 

Keeping this week’s roster light, as I’m travelling this weekend to hang out with my sister. I’m not planning for any additional reading, but I’m sure I’ll pack an extra book or three for fear of running out of reading material. 

Meanwhile, my semi-hiatus from Twitter continues to work well. I’m pleasantly surprised by how little I’m actually checking the website itself, without feeling antsy or any other form of FOMO. Keeping this going for as long as I can. 

I’m still losing more chunks of time than I like, so I’m doing another experiment where I account for 30 minute chunks of my day as they happen (so reverse-planning, essentially). I’m curious to see if any patterns emerge from this. This is not from a “I must be productive every minute of every hour of everyday” headspace, but more of “I have deadlines that I need to keep up with” standpoint. I’ll keep you posted on what I learn.

On the health front, my mental health is pretty much in limbo- I’m functional, and in a mostly okay headspace. Physically, this new trainer is super paying off. I really like her approach to our sessions, she forces me to acknowledge every small milestone, and it feels really good to see my progress, slow as it is. 

ALSO, it is FINALLY mango season here. So. Many. Mangoes. Oh joy. India has the best mangoes, don’t @ me. 

That’s all I’ve got for today. I’m looking forward to seeing some friends and hanging with my sister this weekend, we have a running list of food spots we plan to hit around town while I’m there. It’ll also be the first time I’m travelling alone since last June, and I’m definitely excited about that.

In the meantime, what are y’all reading?

-J

March 26, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date…

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack

Hey there!

I did myself a favor this past week and deleted both the Twitter and Facebook apps from my phone, and I have actually been checking both platforms much less frequently. It has definitely done wonders for me. I actually got shit done. Read books, and reviewed one. Starting prepping for a new part-time gig I’m taking on soon. Made measureable progress with physical training. I even took the first steps towards finding a queer-friendly therapist (which is hard in this city). I’m not flying, but I’m feeling better. 

So, reading! I finished five books this past week which I felt really good about. Slump averted! I finished reading Speak by Louisa Hall in print ( I wanted to love it so much, but I think there were a few missed opportunities to really push the book into weird and cool territories, and there were places in the second half that over-explained connections to the reader). On audio, listened to Call Me Zebra by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi (witty, acerbic, and touching narrator) as well as The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (so fierce, punched me in the gut). I finally read my first Ursula K. Le Guin book, No Time To Spare (totally understand why she’s so beloved, an amazing writer and clearly so badass). I also read Piecing Me Together by Reneé Watson in one sitting (it is an utterly gorgeous book) which has given me the idea for a blog post, stay tuned. 

I’m hoping to keep the pace up this week, and here’s what I’d like to finish: 

Before I wrap up, I do have an ask- if you have any favorite literary criticism books, please drop your recommendations in the comments. Need it for the new gig. Thanks!

Until next time, I hope you all have a wonderful week of reading ahead of you. 

–J

March 19, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date…

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ARC Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

ARC Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone (Legend of Orïsha #1) Pub. date: March 6, 2018 Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers   Format: Print ISBN: 9781250170972 Source: Publisher Thanks so much to MacMillan and Fierce Reads for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Content warnings: Attempted rape, physical abuse, death, murder, gore, torture, war themes, loss of parent, racism,…

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ARC Review: The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

ARC Review: The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk Pub. date: March 6, 2018 Publisher: Delacorte Press   Format: E-galley ISBN: 9781524715878 Source: Netgalley Thanks so much to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Trigger Warnings: Death of a sibling, death of a best friend, death of an ex-boyfriend, suicide, leukemia, alcoholism, mentions of drug…

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date. It’s a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week, and add to that ever-growing TBR stack.

Hey there!

I WATCHED BLACK PANTHER AND IT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE. PLEASE GO WATCH IT IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY. SHURI, NAKIA, AND OKOYE ARE THE LITERAL BEST I’M GONNA NEED MORE SCREEN-TIME AND PRINT TIME AND ALL KINDS OF FORMAT-TIME ABOUT THEM. 

Okay, I know that wasn’t necessarily book related (unless you haven’t already read the Black Panther and World of Wakanda comics in which case, please read them), but I had to put it out there.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming- books! I read some. Let’s see, quite a bit of romance in the last couple of weeks. First, The Lust Diaries series by Tasha L. Harrison (I liked the first book, had some issues with the second and third. Iffy consent, and cis men who think they can make decisions for women “because they know what’s best for them” is a trope that makes me want to smash things), and the first two books of the Cyclone series by Courtney Milan, Trade Me and Hold Me (both of which I loved).

Backlist: I finally finished Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (absolutely phenomenal, I really think it got swept under the radar during awards season) and Blue Nights by Joan Didion (thoughtful written and so cathartic). 

Frontlist: I devoured An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (brilliant writing and character development) as well as This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins (tightly crafted and eviscerating).

On audio: I listened to Bright Lines by Tanwi Nandini Islam (character-led plot, well-rounded, engrossing story) and Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot (brutal account of an Indigenous writer on motherhood, mental illness, loss, among other things). 

I am going to take a moment to acknowledge that on Saturday night, for a whole ten minutes, my Goodreads “Currently Reading” shelf was empty because I didn’t have any partially-read books left in it. *insert GIF of shedding a single tear*

That of course, did not last long, so let me show you what I plan to read this week:

If you are trying to recover from the shock of only seeing three titles on this week’s TBR instead of the usual obnoxious number, it’s because I’ve actually got things I need to get done this week, which includes watching Black Panther again tomorrow. 

These past two weeks have been a little hazy because of a general spike in my anxiety as well as not feeling great physically. Here’s hoping for a more productive week.

Also, Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week starts today! I’m hoping to write a post about it for this week, but I’ll definitely be talking about it over on Twitter. Feel free to direct your questions there, in public or private. I’m happy to talk about this stuff with you. 

So tell me friends, what have you been reading?

      February 19, 2018: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme currently hosted by The Book Date…