December #bookspin is ready!

Can‘t believe it‘s the last one of the year. I spent way too long figuring which reads I wanted to end the year with. Thanks to the long weekend, I now have most of the library books sitting on my digital shelf in preparation.

Final list of 2021 @TheAromaofBooks 😊

Photo from unsplash by Aaron Burden

Thanks for a great #newyearwhodis list @MatchlessMarie 😁

As a fan of mystery novels I‘m embarrassed to admit I‘ve never read any Agatha Christie though it‘s always on my classic reading TBR. With that in mind, I think my first read will be A.C..

Thanks for setting everything up @monalyisha

3.75 ⭐️

This book tells the tale of war crossed lovers from multiple viewpoints including that of a fig tree. To my surprise I quite enjoyed this RBC pick. I enjoyed the all the different angles that were used to gently build up to the big reveal. As a biologist, I soaked up all the chapters describing Cyprus‘ landscape. The author‘s writing style is beautifully evocative. I could almost feel the air on my skin.

“Part 1: Because that is what migrations and relocations do to us: when you leave your home for unknown shores, you don‘t simply carry on as before; a part of you dies inside so that another part can start all over again.”

I relocated last year for a job and I really felt this quote. I‘m glad I took a chance and moved, but sometimes I miss being back in my hometown.

It‘s a slow, steady read but perfect for a lazy day.

4.5 ⭐️

This gem popped up on my instagram feed in a stack by one of my favorite bookstagrammers. I immediately borrowed it. I was not disappointed. Naya, the heroine, picks up a guy at a bar in attempt to find herself again. The nerdy humor is adorable and I loved the slow build of her self confidence returning after an abusive relationship. It was a relationship that felt genuine to me. Full of real life messy.

TW: domestic abuse

#thoughtfulthursday

🍁My co-workers/friends are the best entertainment on a daily basis. I‘m always amazed how well we all multitask through ridiculous discussions.

📚Plot inaccuracies drive me nuts. I cannot stand when an author makes rules for their world then later break them.

Thanks for the tag @MoonWitch94 😊

Wanna play? @damselsgotballs @BookDadGirlDad @Nute

4 ⭐️

Quite a testament to the strength one finds when there are no other options. My favorite takeaway was the concept that though people may not remember us, the ideas formed in our company will linger long after we‘re gone. A fleeting moment that lasts forever.

#doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

Another bingo in October! This may have been one of the easiest bingos so far. All my library holds were available and all nicely grouped together. I finally finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue thanks to it being my #doublespin. Sorry for the late post but the end of October got a little hectic. I did read The Perfect Find this week but wanted to include it anyways.

@TheAromaofBooks

This book hit all the feels for me. The science jokes were on point. Grad student reality was almost too real. As a science nerd this book was the perfect romance novel that I didn‘t know I needed. (Second only to A Princess in Theory.) The only part I had an issue with was Dr. Carlsen‘s insistence he was criticizing his grad students‘ science not them personally. When you live and breathe school there is often little separation between the two.

Forgot to post my #bookspinbingo card! Here it is in all its glory. I‘m excited about my spins this month because they‘re books I started months ago, really liked, then never finished. I have no doubt I got distracted by a shiny new read. Anyway, this is a great incentive to finally complete them. Wish me luck!

Final September #bookspinbingo with another bingo! I finished Where the Crawdads Sing in the final hours (will post thoughts another time) and I was so happy I completely forgot to post my bingo card 😅. I had an additional read that couldn‘t fit since I used all my free spaces: Witch Please by Ann Aguirre. Another solid month of reading topping out at 15 books.

@TheAromaofBooks

A slightly spooky themed October #bookspin. A couple of the books are not yet available at my library (14 & 15) but putting them on the list anyway in the hopes they‘ll appear soon. Added a few magical reads for the month that I‘ve been saving for Halloween season.

Will post September #bookspinbingo results soon. 3 hours of Where the Crawdads Sing stand between me and bingo.

Thank you for hosting the book spin fun @TheAromaofBooks

Sweetness of Water: 3.75 stars

I‘m always a touch wary of the emotional toll that is sometimes exacted when a story deals with slavery. This one had some unexpected champions battling the predictable foes. A constant theme in this book was understanding what defines bravery. Should it be determined by whether you stand your ground or concede defeat? There is often strength in both.

Thanks for the tag @damselsgotballs 😊

1. Love cerulean blue. Even painted a bookshelf that color.

2. The cover doesn‘t affect my decision to read but it will entice me to at least check out the blurb.

@TheSpineView

Library book haul! It was nice to wander around the library without a book goal. Just being among the shelves is incredibly relaxing. I‘m Excited to read Redemptor (I squealed when I saw it on the shelf), curious about the Ruin of Kings (a random selection), and hoping Good Luck Charm is a cute, light read.

Since it‘s midway through September thought I‘d post a #bookspinbingo update. If the trend continues this will be another big reading month!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Two sisters are pitted against each other in an episode of Food Wars. This book was like reading a terrible reality tv show. I wanted to like this book because I enjoy those terrible, predictable reality tv shows but I could not stay invested in the storyline. The behind the scenes of recording parts were great. Drama between the sisters was genuine and frustrating. The social issues the author tried to squeezed in were a turn off.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I loved the relationship between Anna and Quan. Amid chaos they built a solid foundation for themselves. The biggest takeaway for me was the nod to the struggles of caregivers. The emotional toll exacted to provide round the clock care. As someone who has been a caregiver, I appreciated how Helen Hoang handled describing a tough situation. Highly recommend. Make sure to grab some tissues though.

#bookspin done! @TheAromaofBooks

September #bookspinbingo is ready to go! Still a little giddy that the book I have been eagerly awaiting all summer is my #bookspin this month. Happy reading everyone!

Thank you for setting up @TheAromaofBooks

Ready for September #bookspin! As a #borrownotbuy reader, sometimes it‘s a challenge to have access to the books on my list. This month will be when a lot of my holds finally become available and I cannot wait to get to some long awaited reads.

@TheAromaofBooks

BINGO! Bingo bingo bingo. I had my best reading month of the year. Rather proud that I almost had two bingos. Already looking forward to September @TheAromaofBooks #bookspinbingo #bookspin

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 The plot was great and I was consistently wrong guessing who the perpetrator was. I didn‘t give more stars just because I‘m not a huge fan of fragile female characters. I struggle to relate to them and fully engage with the story. Still would highly recommend if you‘re in the mood for solid thriller.

Books read: 72/60

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely loved this book. I will always love a heroine who can, quite literally, defend herself. The constant tension between heroine and hero always had me guessing what was going to happen next. Already cannot wait to reread this epic story of adventure and self discovery.

Books read: 71/60

Thanks for the tag @damselsgotballs 😊

1. 3 books (2 favorites for a late night reread and 1 current read)
2. All the books
3. Jacqueline Carey and Talia Hibbert
4. A job that lets me make my own hours

Wanna play? @Chelleo @BacklistReader @Graciouswarriorprincess

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

My first tag! Thanks, @damselsgotballs

1. Nope and I love that I‘m always in for a surprise.
2. The All Souls Trilogy and Kushiel‘s Universe
3. Love triangles, enemies to lovers
4. The thunderstorm rolling through so I don‘t have to worry about watering the garden

Wanna play? @TheAromaofBooks @EvieBee @BookDadGirlDad

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

A fantastic thriller full of twists and turns. Very glad I listened to the audiobook for this one since it kept me from speed reading through the tense moments. Also, my co-workers probably think I‘m a little bit crazy now because I would offer random out of context updates when I got too excited about a plot twist (because of course I was listening at work) 😅

#doublespin complete @TheAromaofBooks

This book was everything. A young woman determined to create her own path despite being caught in the middle of long-standing feud. Raybearer not only presented a strong Black woman as the heroine but had her surrounded by characters of all races. What a powerful and inclusive read. Truly a book I wish existed when I was a teen.

Finally got my hands on this book from the library. I‘ve loved the previous two books and Act Your Age, Eve Brown did not disappoint. Talia Hibbert does a great job of slipping in real moments among the banter and sexy fun.

Ready for August #bookspinbingo

#bookspin is The Ten Thousand Doors of January

#doublebookspin We Were Never Here

Thanks @TheAromaofBooks

Ready for August @TheAromaofBooks #bookspin #doublespin

EDIT: Ended up finishing Paper Palace. Pulling another option of my TBR list to take its place.

July has been a great reading month. I didn‘t achieve bingo but loved the challenge. Already looking forward to next month @TheAromaofBooks

What a fun, sexy ride. I always enjoy when the heroine can kick butt. The constant tension between her and her guard only added to the plot instead of being distracting. The humor was solid and even had me laughing aloud sometimes (who doesn‘t love a healthy dose of sarcasm?). Highly recommend.

The first half of the book really pulled me in but as more details emerged I began to disengage. The author created a unique premise that speaks directly to Black culture. I loved that part. The reasons behind the manipulation, not so much.

And my non-fiction streak continues with a past @litsybookclub monthly pick.

Stevenson walks you through the inherent racial biases present in the US legal system. Though the story of Walter McMillan opens the book, it is not the only story that Stevenson brings to the forefront to as an example of what injustice looks like when there is no longer mercy.

This completes my #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks :)

Wow. Just wow. Clint Smith takes you on a journey as he visits places whose legacies are tangled with slavery. A master of words, Smith describes each interview in such evocative detail you can almost feel the breeze on your own skin. Highly recommend to all.

Already a couple books on my #bookspinbingo card

Bingo card is all filled out and ready for a winning combo. #bookspin #bookspinbingo

The perfect read to get back into my reading journal. Only a couple chapters in but would already recommend!

Ready for #bookspin! Thanks for letting me join the fun @TheAromaofBooks

I couldn‘t put this book down. The heroine was an engaging combination of innocence and strength. She acknowledged how accepting her place in the monarchy would change her life but was willing to take the chance instead of playing it safe. I am not of AAPI descent, but the truths about being a minority among the majority really resonated as a Black person.