Mini Reviews Round 5: Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter, Suitors and Sabotage, and Leah on the Offbeat

Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick (4 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Scarlett Hart, orphaned daughter of two legendary monster hunters, is determined to carry on in her parents’ footsteps—even if the Royal Academy for the Pursuit and Eradication of Zoological Eccentricities says she’s too young to fight perilous horrors. But whether it's creepy mummies or a horrid hound, Scarlett won’t back down, and with the help of her loyal butler and a lot of monster-mashing gadgets, she’s on the case.

With her parent’s archrival, Count Stankovic, ratting her out to T.R.A.P.E.Z.E. and taking all the monster-catching rewards for himself, it’s getting hard for Scarlett to do what she was born to do. And when more monsters start mysteriously manifesting than ever before, Scarlett knows she has to get to the bottom of it and save the city... whatever the danger!

In his first adventure for middle-grade readers, acclaimed YA author Marcus Sedgwick teams up with Thomas Taylor (illustrator of the original edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) to create a rip-roaring romp full of hairy horrors, villainous villains, and introducing the world’s toughest monster hunter—Scarlett Hart!

Mini Review:

I really enjoyed this one. I read it in one sitting.

Really, the only thing that would make it better is more background. More background on the world filled with monsters. More background on the characters. I don’t even know the main character that well. However, I loved her. Young girl fighting monsters, despite fears, underage laws, and bad guys? Yes, I’m in.

On the other hand, it felt like I was kinda reading a comic book, versus a graphic novel. A comic book actually designed for girls. Scarlett was a young Bruce Wayne, for sure. She even had her Alfred. And I guess comic books get background within many installments -not all in the beginning. I hope this gets more installments.

It was just so much fun watching Scarlett take down monsters.

Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey (5 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother.

Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural apprentice, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother's intended.

But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm. And as their affection for each other grows—despite their efforts to remain just friends—so does the danger. . .

Mini Review:

This book was just delightful. It was Jane Austen-light. Reading it was like going to high tea and finding all your favorite desserts waiting for you.

I loved the romance. I loved the friendship. I loved the family drama. I loved the witty banter. I loved the drawing lessons. And I loved the mini mystery.

This was a fluffy, entertaining book. And I’m so glad this author keeps writing these wonderful historical romances.

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli (5 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

Mini Review:

All honesty here: I was super worried about this one. I love where everything ended in Simon, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to read all the stuff that happened afterward. And I wasn’t sure I’d like a book about Leah.

I loved this book about Leah! She’s so much more cynical, sarcastic, and awkward than Simon is. I read the whole thing in two sittings. It moves super fast.

I loved getting to see Simon and Bram and their adorable relationship. I loved the Harry Potter references. I loved the musical bits. I loved the characters. And I’m so ecstatically happy that I got to be in Leah’s head here because I loved her way more than I was expecting to.

I had such a ship in this book too. This is a book for those who love having ships.

I guess after 3 wonderful books, it’s safe to say Becky Albertalli knows what she’s doing. And I sincerely hope she writes more.

Mini Reviews Round 4: The Case for Jamie, Thornhill, and The Astonishing Color of After

The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro (5 stars)
 

Summary from Goodreads:

The hotly anticipated and explosive third book in the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes series.

It’s been a year since the shocking death of August Moriarty, and Jamie and Charlotte haven’t spoken.

Jamie is going through the motions at Sherringford, trying to finish his senior year without incident, with a nice girlfriend he can’t seem to fall for.

Charlotte is on the run, from Lucien Moriarty and from her own mistakes. No one has seen her since that fateful night on the lawn in Sussex—and Charlotte wants it that way. She knows she isn’t safe to be around. She knows her Watson can’t forgive her.

Holmes and Watson may not be looking to reconcile, but when strange things start happening, it’s clear that someone wants the team back together. Someone who has been quietly observing them both. Making plans. Biding their time.

Someone who wants to see one of them suffer and the other one dead.

Mini Review:

This book was impossible to put down. It’s so good I might have even brought it up in discussion a few times at work-possibly entirely out of context of everything.

Mostly, this book is amazing because the characters are amazing. I loved getting so much more into Charlotte’s head. I loved the mystery and suspense entirely being based off of the events of book 2. I loved the connections to classic Holmes stories and the show, Sherlock.

I shipped these two characters so fiercely. And I seriously had a crazy book crush on Jamie.

I sincerely hope this author keeps writing.

 

Thornhill by Pam Smy (4 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Parallel stories set in different times, one told in prose and one in pictures, converge as Ella unravels the mystery of the girl next door.

1982: Mary is a lonely orphan at the Thornhill Institute For Children at the very moment that it's shutting its doors. When her few friends are all adopted or re-homed and she's left to face a volatile bully alone, her revenge will have a lasting effect on the bully, on Mary, and on Thornhill itself.

2016: Ella has just moved to a new town where she knows no one. From her room on the top floor of her new home, she has a perfect view of the dilapidated, abandoned Thornhill Institute across the way, where she glimpses a girl in the window. Determined to befriend the girl, Ella resolves to unravel Thornhill's shadowy past.

Mini Review:

So, this was way more emotional and depressing then expected. It was less creepy than I wanted, but definitely haunting in an emotional sense. I’m not used to graphic novels making me cry. But the bullying in here was torture.

It was also kinda genius how the illustrated story corresponded to the diary entries. The pictures were moving and emotional also. It kind of read like a super dark Brian Selznick book. I’m not sure I’d recommend this to all middle grade readers.

I was genuinely surprised by the ending, which had me appreciating the story even more. The artwork was insanely good. All in all, I was quite impressed. It wasn’t what I was expecting. But I still really appreciated what it accomplished.

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X R Pan (4 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.

Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.

Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love.

Mini Review:

This was a strange one. I almost stopped my reading several times because I wasn’t feeling it. But, I’m glad I kept going. The ending was everything.

I tend to like strange books, but the strangeness of this one kept pulling me out of the overall story. I think it might have been too long. Not all of the memories seemed to need to be there. It also awakened thoughts I haven’t had in a long time about someone I knew, who committed suicide. So the harsh reality of my own memories mixing with the harsh memories of the main character and her family didn’t necessarily keep me involved, as much as making me want to not think about it.

I loved the setting. I got to see a part of the world I know little to nothing about. And it was fascinating. And I loved the love story too. think I kept reading because I wanted an outcome to be there. My shipping kept me involved. And the setting kept my curiosity at an all time high. The story of grief and everything with the bird (the point of the book) just felt kinda lacking. Something was missing, something that might have made it powerful.

Parts of it were still powerful, like the ending. A surprise twist really did surprise me. I don’t think I’d recommend this to everyone, maybe just to those who like strange, who like magical realism. The story does stick with you, way after you finish. And I appreciate that too.

Mini Reviews Round 3: Stalking Jack the Ripper, The Sky is Everywhere, and Obsidio

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (3 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Presented by James Patterson's new children's imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

Mini Review:

A little disappointing.

Loved the concept. Loved the science. And the forensics.

Not a big fan of the mystery. I called it from the beginning, and kept reading hoping it would be different. It was all so predictable and done before. Also, the main character didn’t seem that believable to me. Her dress, attitude, and mind all seemed too modern for the time -and not in a good way.

Still, it worked as an easy plane book.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (5 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey.

But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to centre stage of her own life - and suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two boys. One boy takes Lennie out of her sorrow; the other comforts her in it. But the two can't collide without Lennie's world exploding...

Mini Review:

Why did it take me so long to read this one?

I absolutely adored "I'll Give you the sun." That along with the fact that this paperback is all blue, probably were my inspirations for purchasing this book on my last trip to England. I guess I can blame my late-to-the-game reading of it on my lack of vacations. I like to take paperbacks with me on vacation, and I just went to Florida and needed some good ones. I'm so glad I took this with me.

Basically the whole book reads like poetry. It's beautiful. The writing is pure beauty. And more than that, this author knows what grief feels like. I was so beyond connected to the main character and her grief. I've never read a book that tackles grief so well. All the random moments it hits you that you won't get to experience this ever again with this person....Ah... I cried throughout.

I loved the Bronte-esque love story too. There were definite similarities here to the book the Lennie was always reading: Wuthering Heights. I feel like a younger version of myself would not have appreciated this book as much as I do now. Teen me would not have forgiven Lennie for her actions with one boy. But, adult me gets it.

And the side characters and setting were just amazing. I want to go to Gram's garden. I want to see see the bedroom in the woods. I want to talk feminism with her best friend. Even Bailey felt real. They were all real people with real flaws and real love. I feel like I know them all.

I want to re-read this now. And get lost in the beauty of it. Lost in the music of what the characters are feeling. I hope this author writes more. I can't sing this enough praises. 

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (5 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion?

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.

Mini Review:

What a crazy thrill ride that was! This book is so good, that all my time away from it, was spent thinking about it...

Plot twists galore!

More action than even the past books in the series. More sadness. More crazy AI. More violence. All our favorite characters interacting with each other.

Wow, this book was good.

Mini Reivews Round 2: This Heart of Mine, Honor Among Thieves, and Tess of the Road

This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter (3 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

A new heart saved her life—but will it help her find out what really happened to its donor?

Seventeen-year-old Leah MacKenzie is heartless. An artificial heart in a backpack is keeping her alive. However, this route only offers her a few years. And with her rare blood type, a transplant isn’t likely. Living like you are dying isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But when a heart becomes available, she’s given a second chance at life. Except Leah discovers who the donor was — a boy from her school — and they’re saying he killed himself. Plagued with dreams since the transplant, she realizes she may hold the clues to what really happened.

Matt refuses to believe his twin killed himself. When Leah seeks him out, he learns they are both having similar dreams and he’s certain it means something. While unraveling the secrets of his brother’s final moments, Leah and Matt find each other, and a love they are terrified to lose. But life and even new hearts don’t come with guarantees. Who knew living took more courage than dying?

Mini Reivew:

This is not my favorite book by this author.

And I called the whole mystery by the very beginning. As will everyone who watches police shows/procedurals.

That being said, I still read most of it in one sitting. I love this author’s quick suspense mixed with romance.

I don’t think fans will be disappointed. Though no one will be surprised either...I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre (5 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead of moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.

Mini Reivew:

Favorite book of the year, so far. And I have been reading some amazing books. Bring it, 2018!

Seriously though, I have never read a story like this one before, and I can’t think of a higher compliment.

The characters, the concept, the suspense, the worlds, the ending! Everything was top notch. YA sci-fi at its absolute best. I highly recommend this one to fans of the genre.

In trying to explain it to friends, I called it the love child of Illuminae, Mistborn, and the tv show, Firefly. I can’t wait for more folks to read it.

 

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman (5 stars)

Summary From Goodreads:

In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can't make a scene at your sister's wedding and break a relative's nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.

Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it's a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl--a subspecies of dragon--who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she's tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.

Mini Review:

I can see a lot of people not liking this book. It’s slow-paced. And it follows a lot of classic old school fantasy plots: aka: the big quest, the inner quest, and plenty of side adventures. Also, there are some serious spiritual/almost religious moments. And a girl dressing as a boy, to survive a sexist society.

This is not a book for plot readers. It’s a fantasy book for character readers. Especially readers who appreciate good writing. It’s written beautifully.

It’s a friendship story and also a story about learning to love yourself. You only learn about why the main character hates herself in bits and pieces, and I didn’t guess it all in the beginning. I was genuinely surprised by all of it ( and some of it you don’t learn till the very end).

I loved this book for so many reasons. I don’t want to spoil what happened, but know it was beautifully executed, spot-on feminist, and full of interesting creatures. I loved it.

 

Mini Reivews (round 1): Unearthed, That Inevitable Victorian Thing, and American Panda

Unearthed by Amie Kaufman (4 stars)

Summary on Goodreads:

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.

In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...

Mini Review:

This book had some serious ups and downs for me.

The ups:
The crazier then all getup ending.
The Indiana Jones style traps
The twists and turns
The suspense
The puzzles

The downs:
The kinda cliche characters
The similarities between this and the Starbound trilogy
The repetition

The ups definitely outweigh the downs. I thought I'd give up on this a couple of times, but my curiosity kept me going. I wanted to know what they characters would find. Super class suspense here.

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston (4 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

Set in a near-future world where the British Empire was preserved, not by the cost of blood and theft but by effort of repatriation and promises kept, That Inevitable Victorian Thing is a novel of love, duty, and the small moments that can change people and the world.

Victoria-Margaret is the crown princess of the empire, a direct descendant of Victoria I, the queen who changed the course of history two centuries earlier. The imperial practice of genetically arranged matchmaking will soon guide Margaret into a politically advantageous marriage like her mother before her, but before she does her duty, she'll have one summer incognito in a far corner of empire. In Toronto, she meets Helena Marcus, daughter of one of the empire's greatest placement geneticists, and August Callaghan, the heir apparent to a powerful shipping firm currently besieged by American pirates. In a summer of high-society debutante balls, politically charged tea parties, and romantic country dances, Margaret, Helena, and August discover they share an unusual bond and maybe a one in a million chance to have what they want and to change the world in the process —just like the first Queen Victoria.

Mini Reivew:

I loved this. Reading it felt reminiscent of Jane Austen and regency romances. The world it takes place in was fascinating. The characters were very lovable.

I was not a fan of the random notes and news articles between chapters. I know it’s how the author developed her extraordinarily unique world. But, I kinda wish the world was developed more in the actual narrative. They took me out of the story in a bad way.

The only reason I didn’t give this five stars was the super rushed ending. Not enough time passed for the three main characters to come to the decision they did. I loved their decision; it just didn’t seem very plausible/believable. I wish that was flushed out more.

All in all though, this was a lot of fun. 

American Panda by Gloria Chao (5 stars)

Summary from Goodreads:

At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents' master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?

Mini Review:

I really loved this one. It was both super fluffy, and super emotional. I had a few tears at one point for Mei (who I just loved). It was sarcastic, witty, and dramatic. All things I love. I love that the focus was on family and being a Taiwanese American balancing two very different worlds. The romance was just a little added side dish. I sincerely hope this author writes more books.

Catch Up Part 2

So, I mentioned that I have read 26 books, while on my little blog vacation.  I thought I’d list them all here (and then maybe go through some posts with my mini reviews for them). Technically, I’ve read 24 books. Two books were DNF’ed.

I’ve also had some great weeks in books. I have continued to receive books for review. I’ve continued to purchase books. I went on a mini vacation to Florida and bought some books while I was there. And of course I keep checking out many, many books from the library.

Books read since January 31 (and the ratings I gave them on Goodreads):

1) The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 6: Who Run the World? Squirrels by Ryan North (4 stars)
2) Truly Devious  by Maureen Johnson (5 stars)
3) Wires and Nerve: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer (3 stars)
4) Unearthed by Amie Kaufman (4 stars)
5) Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce (5 stars)
6) That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston (4 stars)
7) American Panda by Gloria Chao (5 stars)
8) This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter (3 stars)
9) Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre (5 stars)
10) The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (5 stars)
11) Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman (5 stars)
12) Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (3 stars)
13) The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (5 stars)
14) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling –reread (5 stars)
15) Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (5 stars)
16) The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro (5 stars)
17) Unspoken by C.C. Hunter (4 stars)
18) Thornhill by Pam Smy (4 stars)
19) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rolwing –reread (5 stars)
20) The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X R Pan (4 stars)
21) Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick (4 stars)
22) The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott (4 stars)
23) Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey (5 stars)
24) Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli (5 stars)

And I DNF’ed 2 books:
1) The Reader by Traci Chee
2) Nothing by Annie Barrows

Some mini reviews to come!

Catch Up

Hello, everyone! I know I have been MIA for a while now. I just took a look at the date of my last blog post and freaked out a little bit. It’s been 3 months!

I needed a little vacation from my blog for lots of reasons. Mostly, my work life/schedule had gotten a lot heavier. I filled in as Director for a few weeks. Then, an Interim Director was hired (thank goodness), but she was only working for 25 hours a week. And while I’m so grateful to have had some directorial help, my job duties still increased and my responsibilities seemed to quadruple. My limited free time was spent relaxing, watching cooking shows, writing, and reading. I both missed blogging and didn’t miss it. I missed the routine, and the comfortableness of it all. But, I didn’t miss all the guilt/deadline stress I put on myself. So, I decided to be kinder to myself this year. I might not be posting as much as you’re used to, but I’m still here.

I have definitely still been reading a lot. I’ve read 26 books since my last blog post. I’ve been attempting mini reviews for all the books I read (almost) on Goodreads. I might go ahead and do a few posts soon (filled with my mini Goodreads reviews).

I also started writing a new book. I know you don’t necessarily think more work stress and book-writing go hand in hand. But, it weirdly does for me. Writing has always kind of been my therapy. And also weirdly, it’s the first book I’m working on that is not YA….It’s middle grade (older middle grade/maybe younger side of YA). My main character is 12. And it takes place a couple of towns away from where I live, on Cape Cod. And it’s a ghost story/mystery…and I actually love it. I’m still in the beginning stages of writing, but I hope to spend more time year writing creatively and finishing it. So, wish me luck?

The picture above is of (believe it or not) what I refer to as my TBR bookshelf. It’s also my nightstand, right next to my bed. Next to my hot pink alarm clock and reading lamp, are the books the I’m in the middle of reading. My black lab coaster is for all the coffee and seltzer I drink while reading. And the shelves below aren’t really in any particular order. I do try to keep the top shelf as the books I plan on getting to next, but it doesn’t always work that way. They are all the books I have yet to read. When I get a new book, this is where it goes.

Anyway, happy reading everyone!