#mounting the tbr

[televinita]

I have now officially only read 3 books in the last 3 weeks. Two of them were less than 200 pages.

I have only been to the library three times in the last nine weeks. I keep looking at my checkout list like “that can’t be right. I can’t be running out my second renewal on almost everything except the stuff I picked up 2 weeks ago” but IT’S TRUE.

I want to believe that when I am free of both the crushing work schedule and the more crushing dread of writing evaluations I will read again, but also WILL I???

#reading slump #I have sooo much self advice about how to get out of reading slumps and I'm taking none of it #I have a lot of exciting options at the moment but when I pick them up my brain is like 'simply don't. :) ' #sometimes with a little "it's not Time :) :) ' #and the thing is I'm not even really THAT upset by the not reading #it's just annoying 2 me that Not Reading gets in the way of my larger goals like #Know For Certain I Won't Regret Donating This Book and #Win the Mount TBR Challenge and the 23 Books in 2023 list (I read 4 in Jan. and then immediately pivoted away lol) #the problem is I secretly still have More Crushing Things to think about after this like scheduling all kinds of appointments

[dargeereads]

The Mount Trilogy by Meghan March

 4 stars

The best way to read these three books is all together. There is a lot in the first to books that is extra, but the third has the meat of the story. There is great chemistry between the mains, interesting side characters, and some problems that need to be solved on various levels. Overall, a lot of skimming in books one and two, and really got the story in the third book.

#Meghan March #The Mount Trilogy #Ruthless King #Defiant Queen #Sinful Empire #TBR reads #am reading #reader #romance #romance books #bibliophile #book love #book blogger #read romance #romance reader #read #books

[bensbooks]

TBR Highlight: Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms

Roger not only had to prove himself to the Council, he also had to prove himself to Wyndham Wrenwhistle. Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores. Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow humans. But when he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a dashing fae who has disliked him since childhood, the project seems destined to fail. Even after reaching a tentative truce, their fragile partnership crumbles due to malicious lies. Adding to the disarray, a popular gossip column unexpectedly announces that Roger and Wyn are engaged. Obliged to go along with the falsehood to save their families from scandal, they are forced to reconcile their differences for the sake of the rubric — and for their impending marriage. As the project bleeds into their wedding plans, the pressure to flawlessly execute both mounts even higher. Together, they have the chance to solve a crisis decades in the making — but they'll need more than magic to succeed.

#books #booklr #bookblr #tbr highlight

[haveyoureadthispoll]

First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a little private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion: "Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none." When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.

#book: and then there were none #author: agatha christie #genre: classics #genre: mystery #genre: thriller #genre: crime #year: 1930s

[npdclaraoswald]

Asexual books! 💜🤍🩶🖤

Books I've already read and loved:

• Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger: In a magical world, a young girl who has the ability to raise the ghosts of animals receives a dream from her recently deceased cousin telling her he was murdered and he needs her to investigate

• A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger: A snake person from the parallel world of animal spirits journeys to Earth and works with a young girl to try and find out what real world circumstances are wiping out the species of his frog friend

• Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire: a series focusing on a school for kids who return from portal fantasies and can't readjust to life back on Earth. *We follow a different character every book, but the first book focuses on a young ace girl

• Dread Nation duology by Justina Ireland: when zombies rise during the Civil War, the war ends and black and Indigenous people are instead forcibly conscripted to fight the zombies while also waiting on wealthy white people. Jane, one such fighter begins investigating missing people and unearths a conspiracy. *Jane herself is bi, but the second book has a split POV with her friend Katherine who doesn't use the word aroace because it's the 1800s, but does clearly state that she is not and has never been interested in sex or romance

• Sidekick Squad series by CB Lee: in a world of superheroes and villians, a group of teens discover that the superheroics are just bread and circuses to distract from the corrupt government and begin to mount a rebellion. *Each book follows a different member of the group and book 3 follows Emma, who is questioning and thinks she might be aroace

• Connor Hawke's Green Arrow comics by various authors. Unfortunately, Connor doesn't really have any easy collections I can recommend, but he's a great character and has two stories focusing specifically on his asexuality in DC's 2022 and 2023 pride issues

On my TBR:

• Cute Mutants series by SJ Whitby

• A Queerplatonic New Year by Katie Foulks

• Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie

• Learning Curves by Ceillie Simkiss

• Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

• The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

• The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann

• You Don't Have a Shot by Raquel Marie

• Love Letters for Joy by Melissa See

• The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

#bookblr #asexual books #asexual

[richincolor]

We have a ton of books on our calendar for July, so I thought it would be fun to highlight a few that caught my eye. Are any of these on your TBR list?

All the Yellow Suns by Malavika Kannan

A coming-of-age story about a queer Indian American girl exploring activism and identity through art, perfect for fans of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Sixteen-year-old Maya Krishnan is fiercely protective of her friends, immigrant community, and single mother, but she knows better than to rock the boat in her conservative Florida suburb. Her classmate Juneau Zale is the polar opposite: she’s a wealthy white heartbreaker who won’t think twice before capsizing that boat. When Juneau invites Maya to join the Pugilists—a secret society of artists, vandals, and mischief-makers who fight for justice at their school—Maya descends into the world of change-making and resistance. Soon, she and Juneau forge a friendship that inspires Maya to confront the challenges in her own life. But as their relationship grows romantic, painful, and twisted, Maya begins to suspect that there’s a whole different person beneath Juneau’s painted-on facade. Now Maya must learn to speak her truth in this mysterious, mixed-up world—even if it results in heartbreak.

What a Desi Girl Wants Sabina Khan

The romance of Becky Albertalli meets the nuanced family dynamics of Darius the Great is Not Okay in this YA novel from acclaimed author Sabina Khan. Mehar hasn't been back to India since she and her mother moved away when she was only four. Hasn't visited her father, her grandmother, her family, or the home where she grew up. Why would she? Her father made it clear that she's not his priority when he chose not to come to the US with them. But when her father announces his engagement to socialite Naz, Mehar reluctantly agrees to return for the wedding. Maybe she and her father can heal their broken relationship. And after all, her father is Indian royalty, and his home is a palace--the wedding is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime affair. While her father still doesn't make the time for her, Mehar barely cares once she meets Sufiya, her grandmother's assistant, and one of the most grounded, thoughtful, kind people she's ever met! Though they come from totally different worlds, their friendship slowly starts to blossom into something more . . . Mehar thinks. Meanwhile, Mehar's dislike for Naz and her social media influencer daughter, Aleena, deepens. She can tell that the two of them are just using her father for his money. Mehar's starting to think that putting a stop to this wedding might be the best thing for everyone involved. But what happens when telling her father the truth about Naz and Aleena means putting her relationship with Sufiya at risk . . .

Firebird by Sunmi HarperCollins

Caroline Kim is feeling the weight of sophomore year. When she starts tutoring infamous senior Kimberly Park-Ocampo--a charismatic lesbian, friend to rich kids and punks alike--Caroline is flustered . . . but intrigued Their friendship kindles and before they know it, the two are sneaking out for late-night drives, bonding beneath the stars over music, dreams, and a shared desire of getting away from it all. A connection begins to smolder . . . but will feelings of guilt and the mounting pressure of life outside of these adventures extinguish their spark before it catches fire? -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui Henry Holt

You can check out of Room 9, but you can never leave. The Haunting of Hill House meets Nina LaCour in this paranormal mystery YA about the ghosts we carry with us. Something is building, simmering just out of reach. The room is watching. But Mira and Layla don't know this yet. When the two best friends are stranded on their spring break college tour road trip, they find themselves at the Wildwood Motel, located in the middle of nowhere, Indiana. Mira can't shake the feeling that there is something wrong and rotten about their room. Inside, she's haunted by nightmares of her dead brother. When she wakes up, he's still there. Layla doesn't see him. Or notice anything suspicious about Room 9. The place may be a little run down, but it has a certain charm she can’t wait to capture on camera. If Layla is being honest, she’s too preoccupied with confusing feelings for Mira to see much else. But when they learn eight people died in that same room, they realize there must be a connection between the deaths and the unexplainable things that keep happening inside it. They just have to find the connection before Mira becomes the ninth.

Rana Joon and the One and Only Now by Shideh Etaat

This lyrical coming-of-age novel for fans of Darius the Great Is Not Okay and On the Come Up, set in southern California in 1996, follows a teen who wants to honor her deceased friend’s legacy by entering a rap contest. Perfect Iranian girls are straight A students, always polite, and grow up to marry respectable Iranian boys. But it’s the San Fernando Valley in 1996, and Rana Joon is far from perfect—she smokes weed and loves Tupac, and she has a secret: she likes girls. As if that weren’t enough, her best friend, Louie—the one who knew her secret and encouraged her to live in the moment—died almost a year ago, and she’s still having trouble processing her grief. To honor him, Rana enters the rap battle he dreamed of competing in, even though she’s terrified of public speaking. But the clock is ticking. With the battle getting closer every day, she can’t decide whether to use one of Louie’s pieces or her own poetry, her family is coming apart, and she might even be falling in love. To get herself to the stage and fulfill her promise before her senior year ends, Rana will have to learn to speak her truth and live in the one and only now.

#all the yellow suns #what a desi girl wants #firebird #a guide to the dark #rana joon and the one and only now #book lists

[sleeplittleearth]

rules: list 9 favorite books of 2023 or 9 books on your TBR list for 2024

thanks for the tag @occasionaloverboy !

I'm a notorious book starter, and not so much of a book finisher, so here are six books I hope to finish in 2024, and three more I'll probably start before that happens:

1. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

2. Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin

3. Perfume by Patrick Süskind

4. Men, Women, and Chain Saws by Carol J. Clover

5. The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing

6. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

7. The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan

8. Capitalism: A Horror Story by Jon Greenaway

9. Removable Type: Histories of the Book in Indian Country 1663-1880 by Philip H. Round

no pressure tags @thirrith @sarumans @cranberrymoons @aquilathefighter @likemmmcookies

#tag games

[kamreadsandrecs]

Title: Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country

Author: Patricia Evangelista

Genre/s: nonfiction, history, politics, crime, journalism

Content/Trigger Warning/s: journalistic depictions and discussions of crimes such as murder, kidnapping, and rape, as well as natural disasters, including the effects of Typhoon Haiyan (PH name Yolanda)

Summary (from publisher's page): “My job is to go to places where people die. I pack my bags, talk to the survivors, write my stories, then go home to wait for the next catastrophe. I don’t wait very long.” Journalist Patricia Evangelista came of age in the aftermath of a street revolution that forged a new future for the Philippines. Three decades later, in the face of mounting inequality, the nation discovered the fragility of its democratic institutions under the regime of strongman Rodrigo Duterte. Some People Need Killing is Evangelista’s meticulously reported and deeply human chronicle of the Philippines’ drug war. For six years, Evangelista chronicled the killings carried out by police and vigilantes in the name of Duterte’s war on drugs—a war that has led to the slaughter of thousands—immersing herself in the world of killers and survivors and capturing the atmosphere of fear created when an elected president decides that some lives are worth less than others. The book takes its title from a vigilante whose words seemed to reflect the psychological accommodation that most of the country had made: “I’m really not a bad guy,” he said. “I’m not all bad. Some people need killing.” A profound act of witness and a tour de force of literary journalism, Some People Need Killing is also a brilliant dissection of the grammar of violence and an important investigation of the human impulses to dominate and resist.

Buy Here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/some-people-need-killing-a-memoir-of-murder-in-my-country-patricia-evangelista/19968748

Spoiler-Free Review: Okay, so. I already had this in my TBR and was planning to read it in some vague point in the future, but a close friend of mine picked it up and mentioned it in a tweet. Since I was midway through Mona Awad’s Rouge at the time, I promised to give it a shot once I was done with that. The finishing of THAT book got further delayed because Paladin’s Faith got released and I had to read THAT, then continued with Rouge to finish it. When it was all said and done though I picked this up and got stuck in.

Now just to be clear: I am Filipino, have lived in the Philippines all my life, and am lucky enough to live a privileged life by the standards of my country. I didn’t vote for Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 elections because I liked neither his politics nor his values, and I certainly didn’t like the stories I’d read in the news about the Davao Death Squad, and so was one of many people who felt that sucking wave of dread when it was announced he’d won.

What followed was a nightmare I was lucky enough to view from a distance (afforded to me by my aforementioned privilege), and through the hazy fog of slow-rolling grief because of my mother’s cancer diagnosis, treatment, and death in the following years. I didn’t see all the news reports, but I did see the reactions on social media. One of the earliest ones was #CardboardJustice, which was started by my friend Hope Swann, and then popularized by Adrienne Onday. It was a response to how many murder victims had been turning up with a piece of cardboard attached to them with the statement “Pusher ako” (”I am a [drug] pusher”), as if that would justify their slaughter to those who came upon the victim’s body, as if all that was needed to pronounce one guilty of drug pushing was to have a cardboard sign saying so on one’s person. #CardboardJustice was one of the first grassroots movements pushing back against the drug war, and it was adopted quite widely in the latter end of 2016 and early into 2017.

Another one that sticks out in my mind is #Tumindig (”Stand Up”), which was inspired by the artwork of the same name by Kevin Eric “Tarantadong Kalbo” Raymundo. That artwork, released in 2021, was in response to Duterte’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to his government’s half-dozen years of murder, red-tagging, and censorship. Like #CardboardJustice, #Tumindig inspired a movement, especially among other artists - and it was still popular enough by the time the 2022 national elections rolled around to be used by those supporting Leni Robredo’s presidential campaign. #CardboardJustice and #Tumindig - one emerging from the first year of the Duterte presidency, the other from its last - bookend six years of continuous pushback against him and his government.

But what’s puzzling is, there wasn’t any mention of this in Evangelista’s book. And even if she was unaware of those specific movements, surely she was aware of the many other grassroots movements that emerged throughout Duterte’s presidency? People from all walks of life protested against Duterte from before the beginning of his regime, all the way to the end, and even beyond. Why was no mention made of these efforts to push back? My assumption, of course, would be that any mention of these movements was left out for the sake of keeping the book’s narrative and subject matter focused, but if there was room for Evangelista’s personal stories, why was there no room to tell, even in brief, the stories of those who protested and fought back? The concepts of “lumaban” and “nanlaban” are key themes in this book, so why didn’t Evangelista even nod to the protests and protesters?

I would hope that readers, especially foreign readers, will know better than to assume that ALL Filipinos approved of what Duterte was doing, but a part of me is too cynical (especially where white Westerners are concerned) to believe that will be the case. Worse, they might assume that the masa (”the masses”) were uniformly duped into voting for him. So let me say, here and now: many Filipinos from all walks of life saw through Duterte and knew him for what he was. We didn’t vote for him, and we fought back, each in our own way, all throughout his presidency. Some of us - students, activists, social workers, journalists, and many more - were killed, or disappeared, becoming the desaparecidos (”the disappeared”) of the Duterte regime. Many were not directly targeted, but fled due to the dire circumstances both economic and social produced by his regime, looking for better and safer work and living conditions elsewhere. And many of us continue to fight back today.

As for Evangelista herself, her personal stories are scattered all throughout this book, though they are most present at the beginning. While I don’t think there’s really anything wrong with the inclusion of such stories (not least because “memoir” is right there in the book’s subtitle), I kind of found myself sliding through them more quickly as I sought out the more journalistic material on the drug war. It’s not that Evangelista’s personal story isn’t INTERESTING, per se, but I think it would be more interesting to foreigners, who didn’t witness the drug war in real time like most Filipinos did.

Overall I think this is a pretty important read - or, at least, for foreigners: for anyone who, as I said, didn’t see the drug war happening in real time, in front and all around them. And for the most part, it certainly reads like it's aimed at that specific audience, shining a light on events that the rest of the world probably didn’t know about, or only understood peripherally. It’s timely too, considering the ICC case against Duterte plus who the current President and Vice President are. But for those of us who WERE here to witness the drug war, who had to live with Duterte running the country for six entire years and feared he’d declare martial law and rule us for much longer - this book might feel a bit lacking in some areas, not least the coverage of the many protests across those six years. Many people did what they could to fight back - some even disappeared, or were killed, or had to go into hiding or flee to protect themselves and/or those closest to them. It would have been nice to see them get even some coverage in this book.

Rating: four bullets

#book review #book reviews #some people need killing #patricia evangelista #nonfiction #journalism #history #politics #crime #books #filipino history #filipino politics #filipino literature #filipino author

[friendly-neighbourhood-librarian]

Princess Academy - Shannon Hale

This was a reread, and I loved it just as much this second time around as I did when my much younger self read it the first time.

Fourteen-year-old Miri lives on a mountain where her people quarry a special stone that they supply to the rest of the kingdom. In their isolated village, they have little knowledge or care about what goes on in the lowlands. So the last thing anyone expects is for a royal messenger to arrive and announce that the next princess will be chosen from Mount Eskel.

An academy is established to train the rough mountain girls in everything they need to know to be princesses; in one year the prince will come and select his bride. But as Miri and the others know, the mountain is unpredictable. A lot can change in a year.

I love how this book subverted my expectations by taking a rather cliché premise and turning it into a story about the value of education and the power that comes from knowing your worth and banding together as a group. Everything about this book is perfect and you should read it!

And I've recently discovered it's a series?! So those are going straight to the top of my TBR!

Princess Academy series: Princess Academy | Palace of Stone | The Forgotten Sisters

#princess academy #shannon hale #princess academy series #fiction #fantasy #middle grade #bookrecs

[televinita]

Library Triage

WHAT, it’s been... almost a month since the last one... and I found myself with a whole bunch of duos all of a sudden.

(I am absolutely not going to finish all of these without getting distracted, because I just kinda went hog-wild with checkouts last time, but you know what’s fun? OPTIONS.)

The Pink House - Louise Platt Hauck: An r/whatwasthatbook post described this as “cottagecore ASMR” and “a book about when you set up your own household for the first time,” and that is MY DREAM. I’ve never heard of this 1930s author, but everything I looked up about her books made me instantly thrilled, so I also requested...

Family Matters - Louise Platt Hauck: setting up a household, but make it about getting married and starting a family. These ILL loans should be at the library in a few more days and I am PUMPED.

The Siren of Sussex and/or The Belle of Belgrave Square - Mimi Matthews: Historical heroines who love horses!! Bring them 2 me. I can’t decide which one I want to start with, as the former appears more heavily focused on working with horses and features a half-Indian love interest who OBVIOUSLY will be Dev Patel in my head, while the latter is the one I originally went to get, a Beauty and the Beast retelling with a more beautiful horse, except she’s a stepmother in this one.

Happily Ever Afters and/or One True Loves - Elise Bryant: much like the above, I went to pick up the 2nd book and was surprised to find it was the second book in a series, and now they both look awesome and I don’t know which girl’s story I want to dive into ifrst.

The Arctic Curry Club - Dani Redd: IDK, this just feels like the right time of year to read a women’s fiction book set in Alaska.

Texas Gothic - Rosemary Clement-Moore: “but what if I just tossed over everything on my TBR for this random magical-realism YA novel I found while trying to hunt out what turned out to be a different book for someone on the r/whatsthatbook sub.” Because this one kind of reminds me of the amount of magic in Spellbook of the Lost and Found, but also there’s ghosts, and ALSO this one starts with farm-sitting and I am immediately in love with the description of trying to keep goats in their pen. AND, if I like this one, it has a sequel. ...that my library doesn’t have of course, rrr.

Gizelle’s Bucket List: My Life with a Very Large Dog - Lauren Watt: I am probably not going to read this yet, but my library didn’t have it when I added it to my TBR years ago, and on my last visit I walked right past a large-type version on display, so SWIPE! (they do not have a regular-type version, I checked) And I’ll probably keep it until I hit the checkout limit, juuust in case.

Now I just have to figure out which one I’m actually most excited to read next. It’s been two full days without cracking open a cover and I’ve gotten very “I can’t read suddenly, I don’t know.” I’m thinking Texas Gothic or Arctic Curry Club...we’ll see which one grabs me faster after three test pages.

[update: the answer is Texas Gothic. Halfway through and actively forcing myself to slow down because I am enjoying it so much; might even give it 5 stars for the hell of it]

[also, hilariously, Gizelle’s Bucket List ended up being my 2nd read from this set]

#*bounce bounce bounce* BOOKS! #library triage #that said oof I knew I was making A Mistake going for the 24-book level on the Mount TBR challenge just because I read 4 in January #I can't imagine when I'll be lured back to books I own... #also oh my lord I have nearly 30 items checked #out right now. MUST ORGANIZE AND ACTUALLY TRIAGE

[bookaddict24-7]

Reviews of the Week!

Books I’ve read so far in 2023!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

___

76. The Haunted Mask by R.L. Stine--⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fun little spooky read for kids who are sick and tired of always being the butt of every joke. THE HAUNTED MASK was one of those episodes of GOOSEBUMPS that I remember really being creeped out by back in the day.

As I read this book, I could imagine the scenes from that episode as the MC started to realize how dire her situation was.

These books may not be award winners, but I do enjoy that they have life lessons thrown in there with the creeptastic fun!

___

77. Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT was such a pure joy to read. Yes, there were instances where I thought the story was going to go one way, but it went in a direction that genuinely had me saying "whattttt" out loud.

I had a mother come into the bookstore I work at about a year ago looking for a specific kind of book. She told me that her middle grade daughter had come out to her and she was looking for sapphic books. She was surprised and overjoyed when she saw that there was a steadily growing collection of sapphic titles in the middle grade section. Her reaction and the fact that her daughter will be able to read a book with characters she can relate to is why I love seeing books like DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT on our bookshelves.

This gem of a book follows a young girl as she learns who she is as she befriends the new student in her small town school. Her and her small class face several levels of discrimination and opposition when one of the parents vehemently fights against the "threat" of an LGBTQ+ event the kids want to put on and the progressive suggestions from the teacher regarding their sixth grade curriculum. Not only is this incredibly disheartening, it's painfully timely.

I loved the relationships in this, not just the friendship between the mc and her new friend. The parental relationships were incredible--sometimes even raw. There was just so much heart behind this book and I think it's a shame that it hasn't been hyped up more (if not for the representation, but for the relationships and connections alone.)

I think another important aspect of this book was the MC's journey to understanding who she is and who she wants to be. I wish younger me had a book with a character like her, because she was so honest and aware of what was happening around her. She fought alongside what she believed to be right and I think that while that is very clearly the sign of an adult writing a middle grade character, a younger reader may see her actions as that of a person that they might want to be like when they encounter similar or other levels of discrimination and abuse of power (adults wise).

This book offers a lot and I loved how educational it was and how it presented situations where it's okay to want to learn about a topic previously unknown to you, and how it might look when you see the different generations of the LGBTQ+ community and appreciating the different struggles and blockades the various generations faced.

I highly encourage you add this one to your TBR, you won't regret it!

___

78. When it All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy via the publisher because I was the panel host for an event with the author. This did not affect my review at all.

WHEN IT ALL SYNCS UP was a beautiful portrayal of a young Black dancer who not only faces the difficult challenge of being a fantastically gifted dancer, but also the racism from her co-dancers, and the stresses of looking the "perfect" part and achieving it in a very dangerous way.

Aisha, the main character, is a girl who is living on the literal edge of her mental health. She decides she needs a change in her life when she is passed over another opportunity because of how she looks, and when a certain numbness crawls over her as the mounting stress threatens to overwhelm her. As a result, her new life change has her confronting some of the ghosts in her past, a best friend who wears his happy mask very well until he doesn't, and a gifted musician who may be the biggest support Aisha didn't know she needed.

I loved this one. From the descriptions of the gorgeous dances, to the emotional depth of all of these characters, I felt like I was watching Aisha dance through her character growth on the stage that was her book. I deeply enjoyed it, including the incredibly flawed and at-times dangerous relationships she has with a parent.

I think this book will be perfect for the teen bipoc readers who are either in dance themselves, or in an artistic field that has always catered to white people. I think it will also be a super important read for those with mental health concerns that want to see characters they might be able to relate to. I think this book is a beautiful reminder that you aren't as alone as you think and that sometimes, when done in a safe way, you just have to let yourself feel your emotions and the pain you're bottling inside.

___

79. The Werewolf of Fever Swamp by R.L. Stine--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm trying to read the GOOSEBUMPS I've collected so far and this one is probably one of my favourites so far. I enjoyed the little twists and that ending! This one also felt more atmospheric and other books I've read in this series.

It was a simple read, but it was fun!

___

80. The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If I were to simplify this, I would say that THE SUNBEARER TRIALS is like an LGBTQ+ HUNGER GAMES. If I weren't going to simplify it, I would say that this book is:

Incredible. This book is an adventure filled romp of a good ass time. There's tension, mystery, danger, and friendship so strong that it'll put hair on your chest. I'm kidding, but seriously, the MC's relationship with his best friend was so freaking pure. Even though they were put in a situation where one of them could die, they didn't even THINK about screwing the other over. It was such a pure thing that it was honestly one of my favourite things in this book.

Another thing was the tension between the MC and his ex-friend/obvious love interest. I love how Thomas handled their relationship and the slow build up of the trust that was broken years before. Watching them rebuild that connection was a joy, even if it was full of moments where I wanted to strangle one or the other for being so oblivious. I also appreciated the realistic idea of how one relationship is treated alongside this budding rebuild of an old and broken relationship.

Full of some pretty cool moments, a badass MC who is strong af in character, and a really neat world full of Spanish words that had my Latina heart giggling with joy, THE SUNBEARER TRIALS is a great adventure for those who already loved CEMETERY BOYS. Jump in and enjoy! I immediately need the sequel.....

___

81. Ghost 19 by Simone St. James--⭐️⭐️.5

I really enjoyed other works by this author but was surprised to find that this one was just...okay? I don't know if it's because it's so short, or if it started in such a chaotic way that it didn't have the most likely intended effect of making me feel intrigued. Instead, it left me feeling confused and disoriented (although in writing this review, perhaps that was the intention?)

I did enjoy the atmospheric tension of horror and the heartbreaking ending, but I think I just wish this was longer. I would have loved to see the build up of terror in more than just a bite sized portion.

Also, this is set in the past, so some of the decisions this mc has made in her life is seen as morally questionable. This, I think, makes her character incredibly unreliable--and I actually LOVE that, but again, not enough of a build up for us to question her reliability.

Read this if you want a bite-sized bit of terror or if you need a quick read in October!

___

Have you read any of these books? Let me know your thoughts!

___

Happy reading!

#books #booklr #bookish #features #bookworm #bookaholic #review #reviews #my writing #my opinion #on books #on reading #reading update #book list #books read #books read in 2023 #long text post

[bensbooks]

TBR Highlight: Squire

Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program. It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined. Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire.

#books #booklr #bookblr #tbr highlight #palestine

[haveyoureadthispoll]

In this smart and intense literary suspense novel, Iain Reid explores the depths of the human psyche, questioning consciousness, free will, the value of relationships, fear, and the limitations of solitude. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago’s early work, Michel Faber’s cult classic Under the Skin, and Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk about Kevin, *“*your dread and unease will mount with every passing page” (Entertainment Weekly) of this edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, I’m Thinking of Ending Things pulls you in from the very first page…and never lets you go.

#polls #book: i'm thinking of ending things #author: iain reid #genre: horror #year: 2010s

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Blurb:

Home is where the books are. This inspiring home decor book is brimming with photos of cozy places to read and creative ways to display books at home.

For stylish bookworms and bookish stylists, this covetable home décor book merges the literary appeal of Jane Mount’s bestselling Bibliophile with the aspirational allure of Emily Henderson’s bestselling Styled. Discover beautiful bookshelves adorned with lovely objets d’art, handsome home libraries with snug armchairs, reading areas for kids that ignite the imagination, and cookbook corners in quaint kitchens—and learn to replicate these in your own space.

From bedside tables to bar carts, leather-bound collections to color-coded shelves, here are book nooks and styling techniques for every room and aesthetic. Reading lists from Gillian Flynn, Jasmine Guillory, Alex Elle, Joanna Goddard, Nik Sharma, and more offer plenty of recommendations for stocking your shelves (and your TBR list).

In a stunning package with a tasteful hint of gold foil on the case, this sumptuous book is perfect for browsing, displaying on a coffee table, or gifting to the reader, book lover, designer, or creative in your life. Filled with clever design ideas and dreamy spaces, Book Nooks is an irresistible invitation to curl up with a book, whether this one or another.

Review:

A beautiful collection of home decor and book nooks. This is the perfect book for bookworms. This showcases all the various ways you could decorate your books around your house and the different book nooks and potential book cases you could design and have. It even includes reading lists from popular authors! This is seriously such a fun book to have and I would absolutely recommend it for bookworms!

*thanks Netgalley and Chronicle Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

#book review #bookish #book #book nooks

[goldenhourhimbo]

Tagged by @karlmarxverstappen to talk about BOOKS!!

an estimate of how many physical books I own: less than 100, I'm largely a kindle girlie. I keep a running wish list of what I want to read and wait for sales. And not needing a light to read by is so nice.

favorite author: what kind of impossible question is this?! I'm going to say David Sedaris though. We put one of his essays in our wedding ceremony and he's the nicest person - gave me chocolate on my birthday once!

a popular book I've never read and never intend to read: call me by your name. there is absolutely no way this book lives up to the hype so I'm going to pass.

a popular book I thought was just meh: the girl on the (motherfucking) train. I also blame this book for the influx of garbage "thrillers." Either they all suck and are not thrilling at all or I'm psychologically damaged and easily bored.

longest book I own: due to aforementioned kindle girlie status I have no idea.

longest series I own all the books to: Harry Potter, A Song of Ice and Fire (rest in rip), Red Rising.

prettiest book I own: again, I am so boring. I'm trying to start buying more physical books again, but I'm really excited to start building our collection of children's books.

a book or series I wish more people knew about: The Library at Mount Char for the single book. It is FUCKED UP but so good; I should re-read. Series: Red Rising by Pierce Brown, The Great Library by Rachel Caine, The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir (I feel like this one is sort of popular on tumblr but I never encounter it in the real world!).

book I'm reading now: Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro.

book that's been on my TBR list for a while but I still haven't got around to it: I've picked up so many recently, I'm hoping this winter I can knock some out I've been looking forward to like Babel, Our Share of Night, Nightbitch, Mary, the new Locked Tomb, and the new Red Rising to name a few.

do you have any books in a language other than english: no because I'm a lousy American who only knows one language.

paperback, hardcover, or ebook?: ebook!

tagging @ricstappen @toastandvegemite @beerin @eff41 @onboardsorasora and anyone else who wants to play!

#seriously please do this so I can get some recs #tag game #a reads

[mulderscully]

If you're looking for book recs for spooky season, I feel like you'd really enjoy Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison. It's got a really interesting premise, and mixes comedy and mounting dread well in my opinion. One reviewer described it as "The Princess Diaries meets Dante's Inferno." Here's the Goodreads link, if you're interested! https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/69704909-black-sheep&ved=2ahUKEwj0spuTyZmCAxUqj-4BHQwGBo8QFnoECBcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1f2_yTX1954Kpx65Fodxzp

oh, awesome! i'm probably not gonna get to any more spooky books this year but i'll add it to my tbr 💗

#reply