Mid-Year Freak Out

Lauren2 Comments

So I’m not freaking out about the middle of the year? Are you?

Best Book I’ve Read So Far

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

This book was the easiest pick for this post I think I made. I laughed, I cried (I ugly cried people!). Lenny lost her best friend to cancer and is not doing well. At all. She takes a nanny job for a little girl who recently lost her grandfather and meets the little girl’s estranged uncle, Miles. The journey through grief here can be triggering, so be forewarned before you read. Also, this is a romance, but it’s a heavy one. For some reason, I love books that deal with grief, and I will be revisiting this book again and again. This also happens to be the best audiobook I’ve listened to so far this year.

Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far

The Path to Loving Him by Meghan Quinn

Another book that deals with grief. I promise this isn’t a trend. Ryland is raising his late sister’s little girl. He also happens to be the coach of the local high school baseball team. Imagine his surprise when the one night stand he can’t stop thinking about ends up being not only his new assistant coach, but she’s also the new tenant in his garage apartment. This is the third book in the series, and, in my opinion, it’s also the best one.

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

I’m going to be completely honest with you, I have no clue what this book is even about, I just saw that one of my favorite authors wrote another book and I snatched it up from my friendly local book store. This is her second book and I’m hopeful it will be a good one.

Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year

I don’t have one? I was looking through my pre-orders and while there is some good stuff there, nothing has me going “I need this now I can’t wait for it to come out”.

Biggest Disappointment

I got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t DNF this book, I was just disappointed that it didn’t live up to the potential of the author’s previous works. And by potential, I mean laugh out loud funny. It still had some silly moments, but it was like the author was trying too hard to live up to that potential. It does get bonus points for the talking lion.

Biggest Surprise

I was told this book was going to be weird, and it absolutely was. But it was also beautiful. I read both the physical and audiobook versions of this, as the book has such a unique writing style. My heart broke for a few of the characters too. But this one really surprised me.

New Favorite Author

Is it possible to have a few cemented in your brain this year? Abby Jimenez really positioned herself as a favorite with Say You’ll Remember Me. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her, but this title really hit home for me and now I’m obsessed.

I’m also making my way through Meghan Quinn’s back catalog. Her newer stuff is better, and she is a very prolific author. But she also never forgets to include emotion in her stories. Till Summer Do Us Part was her most recent release and the audiobook was amazing.

I just finished reading my way through Chloe Liese’s back catalog. At least one character in her main couple has a disability which no one seeks to cure or fix. She treats these disabilities with respect and care and I really appreciate it.

Newest Fictional Crush

Apparently my yearly answer of “no one compares to my Husband” is still true. Although Xavier from Say You’ll Remember Me is the definition of “if he wanted to he would” so…

Newest Favorite Character

I cannot tell you because it would give it away, but there is a roommate situation in this book for one of the characters. Love the roommate. The Roommate is the best!!!

Book That Made You Cry

See Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone…again. Look, lots of books have made me cry this year. This one made me cry the most. My own grief journey has been interesting, and for some weird reason, I love reading about other peoples journeys, as long as they have HEA’s!!!

Book That Made You Happy

For Whom The Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

Okay, not gonna lie, I am kind of obsessed with the author’s Hells Bells series on TikTok. And I normally don’t go out and by the “I’m an influencer and I wrote a book” books, but I read the version she posted to AO3 and knew I had to have this one. It’s such an interesting take on the afterlife and a fun romantasy to boot. It made me grin from ear to ear to read, and Bel is such a sweetie and Sharkie is the best.

Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation That You Have Seen So Far?

Superman got its start as a comic book (you have to read the words, so it counts!) and has a ton of iterations. David Corenswet is right up there with Christopher Reeves, in my humble opinion. If you haven’t seen this movie, what are you waiting for! This movie was perfectly cast, the music was fire (I still have Punkrocker in my head) and its message is more important than ever.

Favorite Review You’ve Written This Year

Hah! You’re funny. Asking this question when you know full well that I haven’t written a single review all year.

Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year

You can’t see me, but I am shrugging. I don’t think any of them are the most beautiful. They all have their art and are beautiful in their own way.

What Books Do You Really Need To Read By The End of The Year

My Libby and Cloud Library Holds. I have a lot of them and I can’t always get the first book finished before the next 13 become available. Or, I accidentally return a book before I’m done (looking at you Caught Up). Need to finish those Library Books.

Favorite Community Member

All of you. That’s not a cop out, I swear. Bloggers build their communities one member at a time, and to signal one person out is kinda rude. You all make a difference and I’m thankful for each and every one of you!

Hope you enjoyed my answers! Leave a comment of your favorite book and have a great Sunday!!!

A Bookish Return?

LaurenLeave a comment

How, exactly, does one start a blog when one has been missing from the blog scene for almost a year?

Surprise? Hey, I’m alive? Or, a tried and true “Hello there” followed by the obligatory Obi Wan Kenobi GIF?

How about Hi!

I fooled ya! It’s OG Stitch!

So, Where have I been? I promise I’ll keep it short.

In the fall I got promoted to full time, which killed all my extra free time. Then mom needed surgery, at which point I found myself jobless but still no free time. Mom’s okay, btw’s, she was just off her feet and needed care she couldn’t provide herself.

Now mom is mostly healed and I am back at work, but part time and with a different job title. All good things, I promise!

And on top of all that, I still managed to read 162 books last year and really focus on crochet as a relaxing hobby. Audiobooks are totally my jam now. I fully took advantage of my local library to be able to read a lot of those books.

So yeah, it’s been hectic. But good all at the same time.

So how’s my reading been going this year? Decent. I’m only at 37 books, but my goal is 80, so that’s not too bad. I’m sure I’m not going to hit 162 again. Pretty much ever. And that’s okay.

I just finished the Bergman Brothers series by Chloe Liese. It’s a very good romance series and deals heavily with real world disability issues.

As far as blog plans go, I’m going to post! I’m not yet what that means, but at least once a week for now. Possibly every Sunday for the first few months!

What about you, how have you been doing?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favorite Books from Ten Series

Lauren1 Comment

Well hello there!

So I am going to blame my extended absence on the fact that I am a librarian and it was summer. I now need a nap to recover from the Summer Reading Program.

A long nap.

That lasts a week.

But enough about that. I thought the perfect blog post to get me back into the swing of things would be a Top Ten Tuesday. What’s better than a list?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s TTT has a complicated title, Ten Favorite Books from Your Favorite Series. Basically, pick your favorite book from your top ten favorite book series. I love this prompt.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness-All Souls Book Two

I love every book in the All Souls series, but I’m a sucker for time-travel stories.

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez-Part Of Your World Book Two

I have read this book twice in the last year and a half. Twice! It may be a romance, but it pulls at your heart and the tears will flow.

Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn-The Dragon Prince Book One

This was my first book by Melanie Rawn, and I loved every minute of it. This series, and its follow-up, are magical to me.

The Black Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon, Valdemar: Mage Wars Trilogy Book One

This story was my introduction to the world of Valdemar, and I have been hooked ever since. It’s been over twenty years of reading this world, and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: Monk and Robot Book One

The Monk and Robot series is a gentle, cozy sci-fi series that guides you through some of life’s toughest questions, without giving you the answers. I loved it so much.

Spoiler Alert by Oliva Dade: Spoiler Alert Book One

My first romance series left an indelible mark on my soul and changed my perception of the genre forever. Also, a book about fanfic, how could I not read it?

Naked In Death by J.D. Robb: In Death Series Book One

If you have been here for a while, you know I have a major love for the In Death Series. I’ve read so many of these, but this first one really set the stage for the earlier books in this futuristic series.

Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca: The Well Met Series Book Four

This book has one of the best third-act breakups of any romance book I’ve ever read. It’s not an overly emotional one, it’s just good. If you love ren-faires and romances, read this series!

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lillian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who Series Book One

This first book in this cozy mystery series is a total nostalgia pick for me. I got my first Cat Who book when I was in the 4th grade. They have always held a special place in my heart.

The Last Dragonlord by Joanne Bertin: The Last Dragonlord Series Book One.

This one makes me sad, because this excellent book appears to be out of print. I love the idea of Dragonlords, a human/dragon hybrid that can change between one shape and the other. Like werewolves, but more complicated.

I could go on! Narrowing down my favorite series was difficult. This isn’t even all of them!

Reader problems.

WWW Wednesday-April 24

Lauren4 Comments

Well, it’s been a minute! Hello! I’m alive! Exclamation point! I have gotten lost in a couple of crochet projects. They have been consuming my every thought here recently.

On the flip side of that, I have been listening to an absurd amount of audiobooks as a result. It has been wonderful being able to combine the two things. So let’s do a WWW Wednesday!

WWW Wednesday is the day when we answer the three W’s: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next? It’s hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words but was previously hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm.

What are you currently reading?

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer is a library audiobook that I will not make it through before the loan expires. Thankfully I own the physical copy, so I can finish it that way! It’s, um, decent so far, but I am only on chapter four.

What did you recently finish reading?

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws had me howling with laughter at the chapter titles at the beginning of the book. It was a great listen if you like romance!

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer was whimsical and sweet. Just what I needed after I dnf’d a different book club’s pick. I had to utilize both the audiobook and the physical book to read this one. I regret nothing.

At First Spite by Olivia Dade was surprising. It touched on quite a few heavy topics for a romance, so please read trigger warnings before reading. That being said, I both laughed and cried at this book. She is now an auto-buy author for me.

What will you read next?

Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliot is a cozy mystery that I picked up for one of the many book clubs I am in! It looks really cute. I have to have it read by next Tuesday, so I need to get started now!

What does your WWW Wednesday look like?

St Patrick’s Day Tag 2024

LaurenLeave a comment

So I just saw that I was tagged in this by Alex at My Book World 24, and I, in my infinite wisdom, decided to do it. Even though St. Patrick’s Day was on Sunday.

It’s my blog I can do what I want. Insert GIF of a petulant child stomping their foot here.

By the by, Alex got this tag from Gems Book Nook.

End of the Rainbow: What Book Did You Have a Hard Time Tracking Down?

Illusion by Paula Volsky took me years (15!) to find. I read it back in the 90s at the library and loved it, but it went out of print pretty quickly. It’s a retelling of either the French or Russian Revolution but with magic.

Pot of Gold: When You Found That Book, Was It Worth the Quest?

Honestly? At the time yes. I rejoiced and was so happy. Now, it is just a trophy on my shelf, like so many of my past conquests. I need to re-read it soon to see if it holds up, or if I still like it.

Celebrating a Rich Heritage: Name a Book that Contains a Well-Developed Culture.

This Place: 150 Years Retold is an amazing graphic novel. It tells the story of Canada’s indigenous peoples throughout the history of modern colonization. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more, because it is filled with all kinds of facts.

Shamrock Shakes: What is Your Favorite Food to Snack on While Reading?

I like a nice cup of tea and some… whatever is in the house that day. I have really cut back on the snacks we keep in the house in recent months, so not a lot of snacking has been going on. But always tea!

Four Leaf Clover: Name a Book That You Thought would be “Just Another Generic Book” and Ended Up Being Something Great:

The Momcom Series by Various. So I saw this book series on TikTok and thought “Oh, just another one of those billionaire romances” (it’s a trope that I typically don’t like). It’s not. Alas, I listened to the audiobook, and given what is going on with one of the narrators, I can no longer recommend that version. I will be buying physical copies of all four of the books in the series to support the authors though.

Irish Whiskey: What is Your Favorite Tradition of St. Patrick’s Day?

I’m Irish, we eat. We also drink, but we went out for Mexican and decided to skip the Margaritas because it was a work night. Also, we kinda forgot it was St. Patrick’s Day until someone threatened to pinch me so…

As for who I tag, well, as always, I tag anyone who wants to do this. Want to wait until next year? Do so!

The Greek Gods Book Tag

Lauren4 Comments

Well hello! I haven’t done a book tag in a while and when I saw this one on Alison’s blog I knew I had to do it. It sparked within me childhood memories of my Greek mythology obsession. Ah, nostalgia.

There seem to be rules to the challenge!

  • Ping back to Zuky on her blog. I went down a rabbit hole trying to find her blog but it seems it no longer exists!
  • You can use her graphics if you like, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.
  • Tag as many people as you want, but please share the love.

Zeus, King of the Gods: Your Favorite Book

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt was one of my favorite books last year. The audiobook specifically was amazing. Now, do I have other favorite books? Yes, absolutely. But this is my favorite right now. That could change.

Hera, Queen of the Gods: A Badass Female Character

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher is not what you think of when someone says badass female character. But Mona was great. Her unique magical ability was super cute and she is amazing herself in addition to that ability. Yes, I know it’s a middle grade, but give it a chance!

Janus, God of Beginnings: Your Favorite Debut

The Martian by Andy Weir holds a special place in my heart for a lot of reasons, one of which is that it is the first audiobook I ever listened to. The other reason is that is genuinely a very good book. The movie adaptation is actually pretty good to so…yeah, favorite debut.

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom: Your Favorite Non-Fiction Book

All of Jenny Lawson’s books. I realize they are an acquired taste and her humor isn’t for everyone, but I love them very much and will continue to give her my hard-earned dollar bills.

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love: A Book You Adore and Recommend Everyone Read

Recursion by Blake Crouch was just one of those books. It captured my imagination and really had me engrossed in the story from page one. Also, it made me appreciate floppy paperbacks.

Hades, God of the Underworld, An Evil Book You Wished Didn’t Exist

Yes, I have one. It is actually evil. And was written by Hitler so…

Posiden, God of the Seas: A Beautiful, and Groundbreaking Book

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang was one of those books that changed my life. I read it in December of 2019 and it ended a years-long reading slump. Years long!!! I read 8 books in 2019 and 82 books the next year. Life changing!

Apollo, God of the Arts: A Beautiful Book Cover

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett is just one of those covers that you look at and it makes you happy.

Hypnos, God of Sleep: A Book So Boring You Almost Fell Asleep

I tend to DNF before it reaches that point. If a book is that boring, it doesn’t deserve my time.

Hermes, Messenger of the Gods: A Book You Sped Through

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez was one of those books I flew through. I listened to the audiobook in one sitting and absolutely adored it. It had me laughing and crying as I was driving down the interstate!! Not cool Abby Jimenez! It wrecked me. So of course I recommend it if you like romances.

As always I tag everyone who reads this blog!

Have a wonderful day!!!

WWW Wednesday-March 13

Lauren2 Comments

Hello there! How are y’all doing? I’m still crocheting the granny squares so the audiobooks have been my friends!

And since today is Wednesday, I thought I’d do WWW Wednesday for you!

WWW Wednesday is the day when we answer the three W’s: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next? It’s hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words but was previously hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm.

What Are You Currently Reading?

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson, read by Imani Jade Powers is my work audiobook. I only just started it but I am enjoying it. It’s contemporary fiction about a bookstore, and I tend to love stories about bookshops.

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston is a book club pick for the month. I am 20% through it and it is just kind eh so far. I’m hoping it gets better. I really want to finish a book for this book club this year, as I haven’t finished a lot of them in the past.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, read by Andy Serkis is my car audiobook. I’ve been enjoying the heck out of it. I have grabbed all of the Andy Serkis versions of the Tolkien audiobooks so I can enjoy them. This is how I am going to consume the LOTR trilogy for my reading goal, by the way.

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi was a great pick I discovered on TikTok. I picked it up through the Libby app and now want to grab a physical copy of it. It’s a short little novella but it packs a punch.

Out On a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young was fantastic. It was emotional and funny and had great disability rep (from an able-bodied person’s perspective). It’s also an indie darling, so naturally, it’s been picked up by a traditional publisher.

French Holiday by Sarah Ready, read by Kelsy Navarro was a cute audiobook. The characters were surprisingly complex and it had quite a few laugh-out-loud moments. This was a problem because I was at work while I was listening to it.

DNF: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Sorry y’all, this just wasn’t for me. It’s the first book I DNF’d in a while though, so that’s good.

What Do You Think You’ll Read Next?

Small Game by Blair Braverman is a book for my other book club. So I have to read that. It has some… let’s say interesting reviews.

What is on your WWW Wednesday?

Sundays in Bed With…February 25

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Sundays In Bed With… is a meme hosted by Midnight Book Girl. It’s an opportunity to share what book is by your bed (or by your current resting space) at the moment.

Happy Sunday everyone! It’s been a not-so-busy week here. Sorta. I’ve been teaching myself how to make granny squares. Granny squares do lend themselves to plenty of time with good audiobooks, by the way. Highly recommend.

But what am I reading now? Well, two things (I have a problem okay).

The Momcoms series has my whole heart. Mother Pucker by Swati M. H. is the volume I am currently on. I don’t usually read sports romances but this one is different. This whole series is different. A group of friends decide they need help parenting their kids so they move into the brownstone one of them has inherited. 4 women, 7 kids. It’s utter insanity. I love everything about it.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi is a humorous sci-fi tale that had me laughing out loud at my Silent Book Club meeting. Maybe not the best choice for a book club where all you do is sit and read quietly. But I am having the best time reading this. It is a shorter book, so I won’t be spending too much longer reading it…I hope.

I get distracted okay!

What are you reading this Sunday?

Top Ten Books I Love

Lauren5 Comments

Well hello everyone! How are y’all doing today? I’m great! The hubs and I just celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary by going to a cabin, playing board games, and reading books! Good times had by all! 

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is a Love Freebie, so I thought I would keep it simple and do the top ten books that I love. I might also include a series or two in there. Possibly. Definitely. 

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. If you love lists and books, this may be the prompt for you!

Remarkably Bright Creature by Shelby Van Pelt was a surprise to me. I did not expect to love a book about an Octopus, and yet here we are. I listened to the audiobook last year and it was fantastic. The narrators, Marin Ireland and Michael Urie, did a fantastic job. I’ve been itching to listen to it again, so that may happen soon. 

The Last Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey is a series I can re-read over and over and over again. Let’s be honest, I can read all of the Valdemar series over and over again, but I promised myself I would only pick one! This series is beautifully written and if you are a fantasy lover who wants a quick read, this is for you.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree took the world by storm and launched a genre of storytelling, the cozy fantasy, into the limelight. Rightfully so too. I have both listened to the audiobook and read the physical book and have loved both. The way he describes food and coffee…I don’t even like coffee and I wanted some! 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was one of those lightning-in-a-bottle books. It took a minute to capture my attention and once it did, it really did. I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time, just to get that feeling, but man, I still love reading it every time I pick it up. I have read both the physical book and the audiobook, both are fantastic. 

The Original All Soul Trilogy by Deborah Harkness captured my attention and never let it go. Time’s Convert was pretty good too, but there is something special about Matthew and Diana’s story. It’s the one I love the best. And she has another book focused on those two coming out later this year. I can’t wait!  

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade was my gateway into the romance genre, and for that reason alone it would hold a special place in my heart. That it’s actually really good on top of that, well, yes, I will read it again and again. 

The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs is a great urban fantasy series. Romance, action, a kick-butt female lead, it has it all. I love this series, and have kept up reading it throughout the years, and will keep reading it for as long as the author keeps writing them!

The In Death series by J.D. Robb has been a favorite of mine for over twenty years now. This futuristic mystery romance series has been one I have turned to for years. Though I will admit that I burned myself out on it when I tried to re-read the whole series a few years ago. I’m going to try to read the newer ones I haven’t picked up this year. I need to catch up!!

The Brown Sisters trilogy by Talia Hibbert is one that if you had asked me when I first read it if it would make it on this list, I would have said no. A subsequent re-read has changed my mind and here we are!

A Psalm for the Wild built by Becky Chambers was a fantastic novella. This first entry into the A Monk and Robot Series was a wonderfully sweet read that asks us what do we, as people, need. It was thought-provoking and heartwarming all at the same time. I did enjoy A Prayer for the Crown-Shy as well, but this one is better.

Okay, so that list has more than two series on it. Oh well. I was really tempted to add more than what you see there, but then it wouldn’t be a top ten list. It would be a top twenty list. Or a top thirty list. 

I like a lot of books.

What books do you love?

Reading Wrap-Up January 2024

Lauren2 Comments

Hello good folks! And how are we doing today? Me I’m doing great! It’s springtime! Okay, so technically it’s not springtime, but it sure feels like it outside! 

I thought I would do a reading wrap-up this month, as I read 10, count ’em 10, books last month! Six were short stories, but who cares! I read them!!!

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen was such a great book. I started off not so sure about it, and my affection for it has only grown since I finished reading it. Sometimes a book just sits with you.

The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco by Talia Hibbert was so cute! I am determined to read her back catalog since I loved the Brown Sisters Trilogy so much. Apparently, this is part of a series, even though Amazon doesn’t say as much.

In the Weed by B.K. Borison was a solid follow-up to Lovelight Farms and I really enjoyed it. This was my first read of the year, and I was happy to start off with something so good! 

Blind Date with a Book Boyfriend by Lucy Eden was a cute, quick, audiobook narrated in duet style (quickly becoming my new favorite type). It was adorable and had plenty of epilogues to make you smile.

Improbable Meet-Cute series by Various Authors. So this was a cute short story series. I read all 6 stories this month and can say that they were all pretty good. The one by Sally Thorne, Rosie and the Dreamboat, was my favorite. My second favorite was Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez. These books both dealt with some heavier topics, so check Storygraph for trigger warnings before reading them, but they were excellent.

I think I’m going to make an effort to read a good fantasy book this month. I have a lot to choose from. Maybe a Valdemar book. I have the Founding of Valdemar series to read in that universe.

What did you read in January? Anything good?