This book is the feel-good happy ending story I needed to read. You get drama, solid friendship, an international romance with a Prince, and characters figuring themselves out. What‘s not to love?

This is foster kitty Freyja‘s “sure you‘ve read all of these” look. I did read 3/4 and found them excellent, thank you very much judgmental reading buddy!

The Last Sun was a particular surprise: an urban fantasy featuring not only an m/m romance but also a really wonderful male-male friendship where they aren‘t afraid to tell each other things like “don‘t die because you mean a lot to me”. Yay for non-alpha males!

Me: “No more book buying“
The Universe: Here, have some deals.
Guess who bought books?

I knew e-material was expensive for libraries but these numbers 🤯🤯🤯 Kudos to all the librarians juggling budgets to make sure we readers get our ebook and audiobook fix!

The premise of the book intrigued me: an alternate version of 1906 SF where Japan and the US are allies and elemental magic exists. However, I felt the execution to be a little choppy and the characters occasionally felt inconsistent. I do have to give props to the author for bringing in discussions of sexism, racism, etc. and trying to be mindful of those elements. Incorporating myths/folklore from other cultures was also a nice touch.

I did all the challenges for #booked2019 winter edition! Squeezed in The Witch Elm with just a few days before March ended :) I loved this book, which is typical Tana French: more focused on the effects of crime than on the crime itself. There are twists and turns to the story, but the focus is always on the people and how they affect the story.

I read the Maisie Dobbs series because I find the historical details fascinating and I‘m always down for stories featuring female sleuths. I do like that Maisie is not always perfect - she has her moments of falling apart, of snapping at people, and of not doing enough. Sometimes I roll my eyes at some of the “Maisie figures things out by instinct” moments, but overall, I do enjoy the series. The audiobooks have been great so far!

If you‘re a fan of John Scalzi, or if you want to try science fiction that is full of snarky characters and interesting ideas, try this book! Tor is giving away free ebook copies as part of their monthly book club. You just have to sign up (or already be signed up). As someone who hates spam mail, I can attest that they don‘t go overboard with sending you unwanted email. https://ebookclub.tor.com

The story behind this case is chilling on so many levels; from the killer‘s motivation (or maybe the lack of a clear motivation) to the fact that hospitals were more focused on not being involved than in reporting suspicious behavior... 🤬🤯 would probably be accurate representations of my face while reading the book. I think the book could have been edited slightly better, but it was still a very engrossing read. #booked2019 (podcast related)

After trying (and failing) at buddy reading several books with my best bookish friend, we have finally figured out works: anthologies and short story collections! We‘re starting with this collection, one story a day, and I already anticipate adding several authors to my TBR.

Clearly I need to take pill bottle opening lessons from octopuses! (I can‘t open one of those bottles without a whole lot of cursing 😂)

Recent Middle Grade reads that made me jealous of how lucky younger readers are nowadays. These are beautiful stories with important messages and characters who deal with difficult problems and then grow as a result. I wish I had these stories while growing up, but am so glad to read them now as an adult. If anyone needs me, I‘ll be at the bookstore buying them for the young readers in my life.

Don‘t mind me, I‘m just starting my week with a crew of murdering 🧜‍♀️

I can‘t stop going back to this book because a) the art is amazing and b) I feel like Debbie Tung and I are kindred spirits. Pretty much every page of this book has me going THAT IS SO ME (the only thing missing would be my cats). Perfect for a rainy Sunday read.

Best email I got today! The library purchased one of my most anticipated fantasy books. It‘s a an 800 page chunked but this book has been hyped so much that I‘m so excited to read it.

From the synopsis: a world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens.

(And it sounds like there might be dragons, so I‘m extra excited).

By this point, Lt. Eve Dallas and her world feels familiar and we are reassured that at the end of the day, a murder will be solved and Eve and Roarke will have sexy times, and there will be snark. Personally, this felt like a weaker book since the plot wasn‘t as engaging and some of the characters felt more like caricatures. But those familiar with the world will get through it fairly quickly! #booked2019 female detective prompt

I‘m taking some liberties with the #booked2019 challenge of reading a book that reminds you of a happy place. Fairy tales in general make me happy - adventures, heroes/heroines, talking animals, and happily ever afters make my cynical heart happy. Valente‘s fairyland is darker but her writing is gorgeous and whimsical; she‘s one of my favorite authors and I would definitely love to visit her Fairyland if I could.

Ed Yong has fast become one of my favorite science writers (right up there with Mary Roach). He doesn‘t just give you scientific facts until your brain hurts - he tells you a story of the science and never forgets to highlight the people behind the science. And he is writing a second book! If you enjoy science writing, definitely give him a try.

This series sounds like Steampunk Sherlock Holmes with a kickass female as the “Watson” role - so basically everything I thought I would love. Unfortunately I‘m just not getting into the book at this moment, so I‘ve decided to put it down and try again some other time.

My first Lisa Jewell and I really liked it! The basic plot revolves around a missing man, a wife desperate to find her husband, a man with amnesia, and a crime in the past. The plot kept me guessing and the characters were complex and intriguing. Hoopla had these audiobooks with music in the background; as someone who enjoys listening to music while reading, I find that the soundtrack added an extra dimension to the story.

Thank you to @WilliamMorrowBooks for the surprise #BookMail! I have not read Tara Conklin‘s previous book The House Girl, but I did have it on my TBR. The Last Romantic is described as a family saga full of love, betrayal, and forgiveness. It‘s out 2/19/19 and fingers crossed I can finish it this weekend!

Avery, a graduate student of magic, makes a Very Big Mistake and has to correct it and save a world. Except he‘s just a graduate student and not really cut out to save the world. Throw in tongue in cheek humor and riffing on tropes familiar to those who play role playing games like DnD, and you‘ve got a fast and surprisingly delightful read full of adventure (maybe misadventure would be more appropriate) and nods to fantasy literature.

Being sick turns me into a whiny ball of snot - I‘ve lacked the energy to read for the last week and finally realized it‘s because I‘ve been sick 😂 But audiobooks to the rescue! Listening to this makes me really angry at the system but so grateful that I‘ve never had to worry about having a roof over my head or food in my belly.

As someone who has a hard time keeping track of all the imprints and how they relate to each other, this resource is beyond cool. https://almossawi.com/big-five-publishers/

The pacing of the book was really good - engaging and page turning. But the use of the lonely evil genius scientist trope made me cringe; plus the science concept was only executed so-so. Overall, I felt like this was just your average thriller. To be honest, I think this would make a better movie.

I ❤️ my local library - two of my most anticipated books are now mine for the next 21 days!

This book was a lot deeper and emotional than I expected. Are some of the plot events unrealistic? Sure. But then again this book starts off with a teenage Wiccan reanimating her dead classmates. But between the crazy shenanigans there was some good discussion on how things aren‘t always what you think they are.

Maya Angelou, without a doubt, has a way with words and gift for story telling. She draws you in to her life and shares it with you; every memory she chooses to tell is infused with meaning. I did listen to this on audiobook and thaf added a personal touch to the story as well.

(fulfills #booked2019 new to you author challenge)

By this book, I feel Aaronovitch has found his groove and struck the right balance between character development and plot development. This series is typically described as “CSI meets Harry Potter”, which I totally see. A very quick and entertaining read.

Such a powerful and intimate look at someone who was traumatized herself and deals with other people‘s trauma on a daily basis. There are horrifying details (TW: sexual violence among others) but there is courage and compassion as well. A hard read at times, but ultimately one that it‘s okay to be imperfect and to be a WIP.

I really enjoy Cressida Cowell‘s books - they manage to be full of action, entertainment, and also lessons to be learned. This is the first book in a new series, following two characters as they figure out the world and their role in it. Bonus: David Tennant narrates it and he does a wonderful job! Double bonus: I could pretend it was Hiccup telling me the story since Tennant also did the audio for How to Train Your Dragon series 😂

One of the many reasons I love Terry Pratchett‘s writing and the Discworld series in particular. Death is such an amazing character!

Call Them by Their True Names is Solnit‘s response to the current administration and political climate. I found this collection of essays less polished than her previous ones, but definitely still thought provoking and eloquent. She brings up some interesting discussions, particularly about voting - should we aim to focus on known supporters or try to change the minds of naysayers?

As a huge fan of Mulan and Project Runway, I am beyond excited for this East Asian inspired YA fantasy. Also, the cover stole my heart 😍😍😍 It‘s coming out at the end of July and I don‘t know how I‘m going to wait that long!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book about amazing women who played such a key role during WWII. The book has a good balance between detailed descriptions and broad generalizations, which kept me interested and invested in finding out what happened to some of the women.

I ended up returning this book with about 120 pages left to go. The premise sounded promising and the prose was fine so I think it just wasn‘t the right time for this book. For a book that has the woman-saves-herself plot line (according to the synopsis), there seems to be a lot of male POVs. I guess this is one of those “I was expecting it to be something different” situations. Off to find something else for #Booked2019!

If you‘ve read the book and enjoyed it, check out the BBC radio drama! https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001rjt

Spending this evening with Nicole Chung as she explores what adoption means to her; so far, I find her story both straightforward and nuanced. This is totally a #blamelitsy read, since I wouldn‘t have known about this book without The Reading Women shouting about it.
Also, anyone else‘s kitty seem to magically appear when they settle down to read?

My family may not celebrate Christmas, but I can‘t think of a better way to celebrate the season of joy/love/giving than by learning about Mr.Rogers. Plus LeVar Burton narrates this and that‘s basically a present for my ears.

By the end of the first story, I knew I wasn‘t going to be smitten with this book. While he does have a way with stories and I did laugh out loud on a few occasions, I found his opinions and “wit” to be mean and very Eurocentric most times. Part of that may be him trying to stay true to his reputation/voice, but I don‘t think Bryson and I are going to be best buds in the future. He‘s probably an author I would read in very small doses.

Ummmm.... @HarperVoyagerUS just made my day! I still can‘t get over the fact that I now have an ARC of one of my most anticipated releases. Read these books because a) they have incredible world building, b) you‘ll love the characters, c) Robin Hobb blurbed them, and d) how can you resist the covers????

It looks like Ms Marvel is getting a new writer! Wilson has passed the torch to Saladin Ahmed. I‘m equally exited and nervous. I‘ve never read any Saladin Ahmed but I think it‘s time to remedy that.

I‘m listening to Cassandra Morris read the book. If I hadn‘t looked her up on Wikipedia, I could have sworn she was a young girl just like Alice. This made me think about how much I should thank and appreciate all the people who help make audiobooks amazing.

Ooh this looks fun! #in2018 I read a lot and stuck to my buying ban so I‘m pretty proud of myself. Thanks @RealLifeReading for making this graphic!

So.. I think I have a book problem 😂 I keep adding books to my TBR and NOT reading them. Some of those books have been on my radar for years and it‘s time to get them off the TBR one way or another. So for 2019 I‘m going to #clearthestack and try to reduce my TBR. Hopefully it‘ll be by reading, but I‘m also hoping to do things like Try A Chapter and ditching books that don‘t grab me from the beginning.

I went to Goodreads to add this book about the First Son and the Prince of Wales falling in love while trying to avoid an international diplomacy disaster... and Goodreads decided these were my 3 options. Granted, it did give me the right book but the other two options are just 😂😂😂

I love the focus on friendship, diversity, and inclusion in this novel. The plot is fairly straightforward (since it‘s targeted at a younger audience) but the language is not dumbed down at all. The narrators were excellent; would definitely recommend the audiobook.

I just learned about this. Tried it on my iPhone and while it got some locations wrong, it was still pretty eye opening to see exactly how much my phone tracked my locations. Probably also a testament of how attached to my phone I am... maybe time to try and detach myself from it.

How come I‘ve never heard of these books before?! My bookworm mind is panicking just thinking of all the delicious nonfiction books I‘ve missed this year 😖😱

I didn‘t think a story about zombies could make me emotional but reading San Diego 2014 is like cutting all the onions in my fridge and then sticking them directly on my eyeballs.