Looking for a cute&fluffy Christmas romance? You may enjoy this! I liked the inn setting, and a lot of the scenes, but this had all the features I hate about romances. My main gripe was gender expectations. For example: a discussion about how you get boys legos but all girls like makeup; the narrator reflecting on how she gave up being goth to be feminine for a boy, and again to be feminine for adulthood. #LittenListenBingo #ChristmasBooks

I finished my November book stack drawing on time (for once)! These are all of the books I read or listened to in November, minus picture books and comic issues.

#BookStack #BookStackDrawing #BookDrawing #ReadingWrapUp #LGBTQReads

November wrap up!
Hoopla had a bunch of bonus borrows this month, which influenced (and continues to impact) what I read this month. I read 20 items:
🎧11 audiobooks (1 nonfiction)
💥5 graphic novels/manga
🖼1 picture book, 1 board book
💫2 comic issues

My favorite was absolutely Black Sun, with A Sporting Chance as a runner up.
#MonthlyWrapUp #ReadingWrapUp #NovemberWrapUp

I didn't join any wintergames teams, but this sounds pretty fun, so I think I'll fill in a board too! I read a lot of audiobooks, so it'll be fun to see how many of these I am able to knock out by the end of the month. I'm looking forward to it. This will be one of two December challenges I'm doing.

@aperfectmjk #LittenListen

Wishing everyone a happy first night of Hanukkah!

#Hanukkah #WinterHolidays #Bookshelf

Admiring this amazing bookshelf at a local book-cafe-makermarket! 😍 this is such a perfect place to find work derful local art and interesting books.

I finally finished putting away my Halloween decorations this week (I had a good reason to leave them up at first, then I just didn't get around to taking them down). In October, I added googly eyes to this plastic skull for a book photo of Elatsoe, and decided to leave it for Halloween because it was so creepy! #Halloween

Very cute, but entirely substanceless! As always, Simpson's art is delightful and the joke at the end of this short picturebook is adorable. My favorite thing about this book is the focus on unleashed imagination (and the pizza-oriented limits of said imagination) #Unicorn #PictureBook

I realized this might be a board book, which excuses the lack of substance a bit. I read a digital copy, so I don't know what format this book is meant to be.

Book 2 is off to an exciting start in this issue. The king has set in motion a dangerous alliance that our refugees are unaware of. I really enjoyed seeing the origin story behind Wynd becoming part of Oakley's family. Looking forward to seeing what happens next! #comic #LGBTQ

So many exciting Revelations and happenings as our refugees try to make it to the shop! This was a really interesting and satisfying end to book 1. #comic #LGBTQ

(I'm trying to catch up on November reviews before December starts!)

Very cute, with super fun art! The author seems to compromise on the rhyme scheme and meter a lot, which might throw off your flow if you're reading out loud to children. #Picturebook

I didn't love this book, which is probably partly because I don't love thrillers. I listened to this because it was a Hoopla Bonus Borrow. It follows 5 strangers who think it's a good idea to brave a bad blizzard to drive home in a rental car so they can make it home by christmas. Some recations and assumptions felt weird, especially for strangers, and the characters felt kind of cookie cutter to me. Content warnings for stalking and drug use.

I felt more so-so on this book but have no doubt the target audience will treasure it (teens, especially LGBTQ teens & who love magic & excitable queer culture ). I liked the fantasy setting, the characters, & the #LGBTQ rep. Several things about this book didn't work for me because they felt too forced to be an organic element. My top complaint was how forced the Facebook/cellphone stuff felt. It seemed like a cool concept that wasn't ready yet.

Do you lose bookmarks because you leave them in books?

Today while arranging a shelf to accommodate my menorah, I rediscovered 2 of my missing magnetic bookmarks in books I sort of started but didn't get deep into. I recovered the bookmarks since I don't really remember starting the books at this point 😏

#Bookmark #Bookshelf

Absolutely wonderful! These comics are so sweet and so self-care oriented. They're incredibly charming and when they weren't making me feel warm and fuzzy, they had me grinning and giggling. If you've been having a hard time recently or just need a break, treat yourself to this sweet collection. #Comic #SelfCare #Cat #Coffee

This was a Hoopla Bonus Borrow, so I gave it a listen. I have no doubt that many kids will love it. It's a very formulaic book with horrible adults (every adult is horrible until the Seer school), an abusive sibling, bullies, a mysterious inventor, a mysterious secret magic/science school, a chosen one, a sudden crush, and a world-ending threat. It didn't feel very creative, though I did love the part with the Pearl, and the science feeling.

I'm going to participate in this book bingo from diversifyyourshelvesbc on Instagram in December! I'm looking forward to it. So far, this is my first time joining in on any Instagram-originated book challenges. #BookBingo #DiversifyYourBookshelf #DiversifyYourDecember #ReadingChallenge #Readathon

I loved this charming comic. The characters were fun, and I liked the dynamic between Annie and Beebee. The way this book handles the situation where characters treat B special so that they themselves look good for their charity felt powerful as well. #Comic #Transgender #LGBTQ

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. The world building is amazing and the characters are so much fun. It was super fun reading from several characters' perspectives and anticipating their paths colliding cataclysmically! Who do you root for when one of your POV characters is out to kill another? It was also great having an a-spec protagonist, bipoc mcs, an Indigenous cultural setting, and background non-binary and trans characters.

I did quite well in this month‘s #NovelNovember choose your own goal #Readathon from @Andrew65 !
❌Finish Sorcery of Thorns📖 82%
✅Start a graphic novel💥
✅Finish Ace of Spades 🎧
✅Start new audiobook🎧
✅Catch up on 5 reviews 📝

Bonus:
🟩Start The Girl from the Sea 💥
✅Start+finish The Sprite & the Gardener💥
🟩Read 3 Nat Geo articles 📄
✅Reach 50% in Cinderella is Dead 📖
✅start Wicked Things issue 2
✅Finish I'll be the One

Yesterday was the Transgender Day of Rememberance, commemorating 46 people killed by anti-trans violence this year & raising awareness on how you can be an ally to the trans & nonbinary community. Here are some ideas:
1. Find, follow, & talk about the work of trans artists (including authors!)
3. Stop giving transphobic rhetoric a pass by talking about JK's HP series
5. Be aware of & responsive to proposed local & national anti-trans bills

I read omnibus 3 & 4 together, so I'm combining reviews! I love this adorable manga about friendship, overcoming adversity, fashion, otakus, passion, & preventing redevelopment projects. As much as I love it, I feel icky about some aspects: forcing beauty standards on girls, unaddressed mild transohobia, old men oggling (mostly) young women's bodies, not respecting body autonomy, and a few other cringy things you frequently find in anime & manga.

It's Thursday in #NovelNovember, which means it's time for another update!

🟩Finish Sorcery of Thorns📖 79%
🟩Start a graphic novel💥
✅Finish Ace of Spades 🎧
✅Start a new audiobook🎧(I'll Be the One)
🟩Catch up on 5 reviews 📝 4/5

Bonus:
🟩Start The Girl from the Sea 💥
🟩Start The Sprite and the Gardener💥
🟩Read 3 Nat Geo articles 📄
🟩Reach 50% in Cinderella is Dead 📖 (35%)
✅start Wicked Things issue 2
✅Finish I'll be the One

This wasn't the right book for me, but it's not so-so. It has strong writing and a solid, interesting world. I thought the characters were well portrayed, especially Sigourney who isn't loveable but she's a compelling character. There was a lot of political intrigue and murder in this book, which isn't usually my thing, and there were a few things I didn't feel worked well but wouldn't have detracted from my enjoyment if I'd liked the book more.

I love finding exactly what I came for at my local comic shop. I saw Maia Kobabe talking about ir involvement in this comic a while ago, which sparked me to look it up and I've been anticipating its release earlier this month for quite some time! What an amazing project funding organizations focused on climate action and environmental protection!

#comic #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #EnvironmentalProtection #Nonfiction

Here we have another book I picked up partly because of #RainbowCrateBookBox. I don't always enjoy retellings of Greek myths (I'm not sure why, since I love Greek mythology), but I really enjoyed this one. I liked the characters and narration throughout. This book also wins in a category it invented: most romantic, sweet, passionate, lyrical, and surprisingly non-explicit sex scene.

#GreekMythology #Mythology #LGBTQ #QueerBooks #LGBTQBooks

The #RainbowCrateBookBox is running their photo challenge for the October Dark Academia box, so I thought I'd pop over from Instagram land to share a photo of everything in October's box. I'm very excited to read the book of the month (tagged), and can't decide whether the mug or the notebook are my favorite items from October. #BookBox #SubscriptionBox #RainbowCrate

Thanks for the tag, @wanderinglynn !
1. Yes. I've been finishing a bunch of fun challenges on Storygraph, finished my LGBTQ2021 book bingo, and just finished my reading goal on Goodreads.
2. I really need to finish Sorcery of Thorns before the end of the year! 😆

I guess it's not Tuesday anymore, so I won't tag anyone, but please play if you are intrigued!
#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

I finished my reading goal on Goodreads! I usually set this goal high because Goodreads counts every individual comic issue and picture book as a whole book read and because I listen to a lot of audiobooks. I'd never be able to read 200 books otherwise.

Here's my day 4 update for #NovelNovember:

🟩Finish Sorcery of Thorns📖 79%
🟩Start a graphic novel💥
✅Finish Ace of Spades 🎧
✅Start a new audiobook🎧(I'll Be the One)
🟩Catch up on 5 reviews 📝 2/5

Bonus goals:
🟩Start and finish The Girl from the Sea 💥
🟩Start and finish The Sprite and the Gardener💥
🟩Read 3 Nat Geo articles 📄
🟩Reach 50% in Cinderella is Dead 📖 (35%)
✅start Wicked Things issue 2

I forgot to post my day 2 update for #NovelNovember yesterday!

🟩Finish Sorcery of Thorns 📖 76%
🟩Start a graphic novel💥
🟩 Finish Ace of Spades 🎧 84%
🟩Start a new audiobook🎧
🟩Catch up on 5 reviews 📝 2/5

Bonus goals:
🟩Start and finish The Girl from the Sea 💥
🟩Start and finish The Sprite and the Gardener💥
🟩Read 3 Nat Geo articles 📄
🟩Reach 50% in Cinderella is Dead 📖 21%
Extra:
Started Wicked Things issue 2

This comic is a cute concept and the art is pretty neat. I feel like the characters are well portrayed as well. I just wasn't feeling engaged by these one-off comics about two friends imagining what their life would be like if they were XYZ thing. It is a cute concept, but I think I would be more engaged if it had a central plot instead of being a collection of shorts like this.

I'm basing my second #SundayFunday answer on what @ozma.of.oz said about her own book group
1. I read too slow and have a unique taste in books
2. I'd say books that are warm, or books that challenge people and thus make them uncomfortable! The tagged might be fun if they like fantasy & you don't mind making them a little uncomfortable
3. I wouldn't want full approval, but debate might not be productive. How about discussion and engagement?

I'll consider myself tagged by @wanderinglynn

1. Most recently active are the tagged, Sorcery of Thorns, My Life In Transition, and White Trash Warlock
2. I Can Make This Promise
3. Yep, all audiobooks on Overdrive at the moment.

@coffees @Eggs @Bookzombie @WanderingBookaneer and anyone else who wants to play!
#WeekendReads @rachelsbrittain

I thought this was an absolutely charming collection of comics about life and love. I found myself connecting with way too many of these little one-shot comic strips. A few had me rolling my eyes for a few different reasons, but the overwhelming majority were sweet, funny, and relatable. #comic #WebComic

That moment when a major climatic moment is coming up and you realize it's not going to go well because you're not even close to the end of the book 😨

The Fae crave human crafts in exchange for perilous enchantments. Isobel succeeds in laying low until her unique paintings capture the eye of the Fae court.
I enjoyed this read even though I'm not the target audience. It had many of the characteristics of YA fantasy that made me roll my eyes as a teen, but it also had a lot of interest & charm that kept me reading even so. I really wished there was more about Isobel's family & her goat siblings.

It's time for another #Readathon from @Andrew65 ! Here are my goals for #NovelNovember:

🟩Finish Sorcery of Thorns📖
🟩Start a graphic novel💥
🟩 Finish Ace of Spades 🎧
🟩Start a new audiobook🎧
🟩Catch up on 5 reviews 📝

Bonus goals:
🟩Start and finish The Girl from the Sea 💥
🟩Start and finish The Sprite and the Gardener💥
🟩Read 3 Nat Geo articles 📄
🟩Reach 50% in Cinderella is Dead 📖

1. I'm always reading several books at a time, but the tagged is the book I'm deepest into right now. It's lots of fun and takes place in Colorado!
2. Storygraph (love the stats, options, challenges, and independent site), Goodreads, and a book journal I'm keeping.
3. Looks like I recently googled something about the Mamo comic issue I just posted about!
#WeekendReads @rachelsbrittain

Every chapter makes me wish I was there enjoying the camping and food, and I don't even like winter camping! I also adored the scenes in the gear shop because I love being in gear shops and also seeing drawings of gear. #Camp #SliceOfLife #Iyashikei #Manga

These camping adventures are so wholesome and fun! I love the focus on friendship, experiences, gear, and food in these books. I never imagined I'd enjoy a book with no real plot quite so much. I watched the anime last year and it quickly popped into my top 10, and the manga is no different! #Camp #Manga #Iyashikei #SliceOfLife

So much fun! I loved seeing the ladies work on the bone problem in this issue, and thought the crow was a really interesting element of this issue. I also loved the sheep problem. #magic #comic #witch #sheep

I'm continuing to love this comic! The art is beautiful and it's fun getting to know the characters. I also absolutely loved Jo's family and the little spirit living in the hearth 🥰 #comic #witch #magic

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather to read outside! #Outdoors #ReadingOutside #Cat

I finally finished my August book stack drawing! These are most of the books I read in August, minus comic issues and picture books. The stack also combined all of the Shortcake volumes. My favorite from this month would have to be Let‘s Talk About Love.

I think I‘ll skip September and October for now so that I can start my November stack and hopefully not fall as far behind this time!

#Bookstack #BookDrawing

Aiden‘s experiences with bullies making it hard to just be himself are unfortunately not uncommon. I liked the way this book tackles tough topics without flinching. We get to see Aiden‘s personality really clearly in these pages and feel his pain. I felt like this book might make someone else going through similar things feel less lonely. Content warnings for body shaming, bullying, suicide, and homophobia. #Comic #LGBTQ #SummerCamp #Camp

I think this has been my favorite issue so far! I loved meeting the fairy guard, and really liked what she said about magic and stories. I also couldn‘t help laughing loudly when Wynd laid out some excellent verbal smackdowns for the bratty prince. Such a satisfying issue! #Comic #LGBTQ #magic

I‘m loving this series more and more with each issue. It was interesting getting to see more Weirdbloods in this issue, and seeing the characters we‘ve been following so far finally crossing paths. The art depicting the legend we hear in this issue was a treat as well! #LGBTQ #Comic #Magic

Mary Shelley dreams up a monster novel in the 1810s, and a man two hundred years later ponders over what constitutes life and death. This wasn't the right book for me, but it is a good book. I didn't enjoy the ongoing existential conversations about whether life was still life if you were in a new body. I also didn't appreciate the sex robot guy (but I think that's the point). I really liked the dual timeline element! #Adaptation #Scifi #LGBTQ

The A to Z challenge has a monthly mini challenge, which is all I have left of this challenge this year. The October prompt (new to me author) felt like cheating for me because of the way I randomly choose books. The same will happen with November's prompt (I just won't pick fantasy because that's what I would call my "usual genre"). #ReadingChallenge #2021AToZReadingChallenge