Tag: amreading

January Reading Wrap-Up + February TBR

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January came and went, and I’m happy to say I actually got some decent reading done!

This month, I read 2 books that I really enjoyed. One was a re-read and the other was one I’d never read before. But we’ll get into that in a moment.

I’m also going to go over my TBR for February too, so let’s dive in!

January Reading Wrap Up

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

This was a re-read for me and is a book I try to re-read every year around the new year. Big Magic is a personal development book on creativity that I highly recommend for every writer or just any person too.

It’s inspiring and motivating and gets me in the right mindset for the year with my own writing and work.

About Big Magic

Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Gilbert offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.

5/5 Stars

The Guest List by Lucy Folley

The Guest List

I am a sucker for mysteries and The Guest List is a classic, so I used one of my Christmas gift cards to finally get it. It started off slow and took almost 200 full pages to finally get to the reveals and the action. However, I did enjoy the build-up because the character dynamics are really interesting.

When I finally got into the action, I almost finished the last 150 pages in one sitting. Every time I flipped the page, something else was revealed and there was another twist that I would audibly gasp at.

I highly recommend The Guest List if you love an engaging thriller, and make sure to give me some recommendations of your favourite thrillers!

About The Guest List

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

3.5/stars

February TBR

Since I easily read 2 books in January, I’m hoping to keep up that same momentum of reading one non-fiction and one fiction.

However, just in case I finish one more quickly than anticipated, I’m going to add a third book to my TBR.

Here’s what I plan to read in February:

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles

This book is blowing up all over TikTok and I just can’t escape it! Not that I want to. I’ve been meaning to read it for a while, so I am determined to read it in February. Finally!

About The Song of Achilles

Achilles, “the best of all the Greeks,” son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods’ wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

How I Built This by Guy Raz

How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs

If you’re familiar with the podcast, How I Built This, I’m pretty sure this book is similar to what the podcast’s like because it wraps up a bunch of short talks with entrepreneurs.

I have loved reading non-fiction in the morning that is centred around entrepreneurship, self-help, creativity, etc., so I can see this being a great morning read for me.

About How I Built This

Great ideas often come from a simple spark: A soccer player on the New Zealand national team notices all the unused wool his country produces and figures out a way to turn them into shoes (Allbirds). A former Buddhist monk decides the very best way to spread his mindfulness teachings is by launching an app (Headspace). A sandwich cart vendor finds a way to reuse leftover pita bread and turns it into a multimillion-dollar business (Stacy’s Pita Chips).
 
Award-winning journalist and NPR host Guy Raz has interviewed more than 200 highly successful entrepreneurs to uncover amazing true stories like these. In How I Built This, he shares tips for every entrepreneur’s journey: from the early days of formulating your idea, to raising money and recruiting employees, to fending off competitors, to finally paying yourself a real salary. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business or wondered how trailblazing entrepreneurs made their own dreams a reality.

Inanna’s Bargain by Clarie Sulos

Inanna's Bargain (Inanna’s Bargain Trilogy #1)

Inanna’s Bargain has been on my TBR for a while now, but I haven’t been in the fantasy mood as much as I usually am, so I’ve put off reading. However, I was kindly given this book for review a while ago, and really want to get to it, especially since I am in the mood for a good mythical fantasy.

This book is based on Mesopotamian mythology, which right off the bat, sounds super interesting to me. It also includes a high-stakes quest and I’m a huge fan of the quest trope! So, I have high hopes that I’ll enjoy this.

About Inanna’s Bargain

The Inanna’s Bargain Trilogy is a work of historical fantasy fiction set in the Akkadian Empire of ancient Mesopotamia during the reign of Sargon the Great, circa 2,284 BCE. The two protagonists are completely fictional: Samri is a priestess of Inanna, and Kianu is a gala priest and an acclaimed dancer. However, some of the other characters are based on historical and mythological figures. Sumerian and Akkadian deities play major roles, especially Inanna, goddess of love and war, who has made a special bargain with King Sharrukin (a.k.a. Sargon) to support his reign.

The story begins when the goddess Inanna sends Samri and Kianu on a mission to help King Sharrukin meet a dire threat from the north. The trilogy chronicles the journey of the half-siblings through alternating first-person accounts, as they leave their home city of Uruk and travel upriver with a small group of companions. In the first book of the series, Inanna’s Bargain, they journey to Nippur, the holy city of Enlil. In Akkadian Nights, they continue north to Kish, then travel overland to the capital city of Akkad. Finally, in Waters of Enki, they journey with an elite military unit to Mari and Ebla, in advance of the king’s army.

Over the course of their mission, the protagonists confront thieves and kidnappers, foil attacks by hybrid beasts and human assailants, and tackle a winged demon sent by evil gods trying to stop them. They come to know and understand one another better, and they meet others who spur conversations about life, death, and the making of legends. While Samri and Kianu develop close friendships with others during their journey, the story highlights their abiding love for one another, and the strength of family bonds.

Those are the books I read in January and the ones I plan to read in February!

Let me know how your January went reading-wise, as well as what you have on your TBR in the comments below. I’d love to know 🙂

Check out my latest blog post: My Reading & Writing Goals for 2022

8 Awesome Books on Kindle Unlimited You Need to Binge Read Today

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Happy Monday!

I love reading on my Kindle, not only because of its convenience but it’s a more sustainable way to do what I love. Another reason I love Kindle is because it has Kindle Unlimited! Kindle Unlimited has so many amazing books, but it can sometimes be hard to sift through them all and find the ones perfect for you.

That’s why I wanted to put together this list of 8 Kindle Unlimited books that you should read today! These books will be a mixture of young adult books and new adult books, so hopefully, there is something on this list for everyone. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Here are 8 Awesome Kindle Unlimited Books You Should Binge Read Today.

1. The Marionettes by Katie Wismer

The Marionettes by [Katie Wismer]

The Marionettes is my current read, written by indie author Katie Wismer, and is a paranormal fantasy romance filled with vampires and witches. It’s been a while since I’ve read a good paranormal romance that isn’t the classic Vampire Academy, but I am really enjoying my time with The Marionettes!

And since it’s on this list, that means it’s on Kindle Unlimited! If you love paranormal romance, I guarantee you’ll enjoy this book. I am over halfway through and I just fly through the chapters. Also, the sequel is coming out THIS week, so what better of a time to pick up the first book?

Here’s the full synopsis:

Valerie Darkmore’s entire life has been building up to this moment—her initiation into the Marionettes, the prestigious league of witches sworn to serve the vampires. As one of the last remaining blood witches, her spot is almost guaranteed. At least, so she’d thought.

The academy is full of sabotage and secrets as the tasks begin, and Valerie quickly realizes she has more than her spot on the line. Her survival seems just as uncertain.

The closer she gets to the final trial, the more she learns everything—and everyone—around her isn’t quite what it seems.

Buy it here!

2. Wicked Souls by Katie Wismer

This is the sequel to the book above, and since it’s releasing this week (tomorrow!), I thought what better time to add it to this list. I have high hopes for this book, as it will be the second book in a series of a few more, if not several more books. I only have a little more left of the first book and like I mentioned, it is so addicting! Fingers crossed this book is the same.

Here’s what the sequel is all about:

She may have made it through her initiation into the Marionettes, but she’s quickly learning that was only the beginning. Everything she used to know has changed, including maybe herself.

Adjusting to her new reality proves to be the least of her worries when bodies appear all over the city, and the death toll continues to rise. She can’t count on her partnership with a dangerous vampire prince to be enough to save her. Because while they’re investigating the attacks, the killer might just be looking for her too.

Pre-order it here!

3. Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas

Punk 57 by [Penelope Douglas]

While this isn’t one I have read yet, it’s on my list because EVERYONE has recommended it. I have no doubt I’ll like it though because it’s a college romance, and as a college student, this highly appeals to me. Especially since it’s on Kindle Unlimited, so even if I don’t like it, no harm, no foul!

Here’s the synopsis/snippet from the book:

“We were perfect together. Until we met.”

Misha

I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.

In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.

It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…

And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.

Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.

We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?

Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?

F*ck it. I need to meet her.

I just don’t expect to hate what I find.

Ryen

He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.

Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his number or picture or something.

He could be gone forever.

Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.

Buy it here!

4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by [J.K. Rowling]

If you do an annual re-read of Harry Potter during the holiday season, you’re in luck because the entire season is on Kindle Unlimited! I don’t usually do a re-read, but I do re-watch the movies because they always put me in a cozy and festive spirit.

I’m sure most of you know the synopsis of this series, but just in case, I’ll add it below!

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Buy it here!

5. The After Party by A.C. Arthur

The After Party by [A.C. Arthur]

This new release is all about sisterhood and female empowerment with a murderous twist. I am also in the middle of reading this one and have to shout it out on this Kindle Unlimited list because 1) It’s such a captivating read, and 2) I create content for this author! Well, for her pen name, Lacey Baker, who also has a book on KU: The Sweetest Valentine. If you enjoy clean romance, check that one out. However, if you like more sexy and steamy romances, you will love The After Party.

Here’s what it’s all about:

Venus McGee, Draya Carter, and Jackie Benson are coworkers with a lot in common. They’re smart, independent, driven, and deserving of recognition—certainly more than they’ve been handed by a demoralizing boss. He’s the topic of conversation at their impromptu get-together after the company holiday party, where the threesome fantasizes about a life without him. There has to be an alternative to taking a deep breath and sucking it up. There is. It’s just not the one they expected.

When morning comes, Venus, Draya, and Jackie are blindsided by murder—a twist of fate that brings a startling new challenge to the table and forces them to navigate a hair-raising detour they never saw coming. For better and (unless they can help it) for worse, it’s going to turn their world upside down. What starts as a necessary bond of mutual trust soon morphs into an empowering and galvanizing friendship that Venus, Draya, and Jackie need now more than ever.

Buy it here!

6. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Scythe is an excellent YA dystopian novel about a society where humans have conquered everything, even death. To keep the population in check, there are scythes that select a certain amount of people to die every year.

I love this book and have for many years, which is why I was so excited to see it on Kindle Unlimited! If you haven’t had the chance to pick up Scythe yet, I highly recommend it. It’s one of my favourite books ever, and everyone I have recommended it to has also enjoyed it. I will warn you, the trilogy goes downhill after the second book, but it is still worth a read.

Here’s a bit more detail about Scythe:

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Buy it here!

7. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Lightning Thief, The (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by [Rick Riordan]

Do you feel like you’re reading one of my blog posts from 2016? Well, surprise! It’s 5 years later and I’m still raving about Percy Jackson. I was so excited to see that this book was on Kindle Unlimited because it means more people can read it. For me, it was such an influential book in my childhood about 8 or 9 years ago, and I still love talking about it today.

If you have no idea what Percy Jackson is, it’s a middle-grade urban fantasy inspired by Greek mythology, and it is epic!

Here’s what it’s about:

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him.

Buy it here!

8. The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by [Kiera Cass]

Once again, you probably think you’re reading a blog post from 2016, but no, I am still discussing The Selection in 2021. The Selection is honestly still one of my go-to books when I want to just unwind and read a mind-numbing book. And I mean that in the best way. I love this novel. It’s nowhere near a masterpiece, but if you want a fun, fast-paced novel, this is should be next on your TBR.

It’s always described as The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games, and I totally stand by that description.

Here’s what it’s about:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape a rigid caste system, live in a palace, and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her, and competing for a crown she doesn’t want.

Then America meets Prince Maxon—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Buy it here!

Those are the 8 awesome books on Kindle Unlimited that I recommend you read today! Let me know what your favourite books are on Kindle Unlimited because I would love to add more books to my TBR 🙂

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Author Interview with Alicia Dean

Join me for an interview with mystery, thriller, and paranormal romance author, Alicia Dean!

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Happy Monday!

Today I have an exciting post and it is an author interview with mystery, thriller, and paranormal romance author, Alicia Dean! I asked Alicia a series of questions about her writing process and her books, so I hope you enjoy 🙂

1. How did you first fall in love with writing?

When I was a child, I loved to read. And my own stories started forming in my mind, and I knew at an early age that I wanted to be a writer.

2. Is there a book or series that has shaped your writing?

There are many books that stuck with me and shaped my writing. Over the years, there have been different influences. One of my earliest influences, other than Pippi Longstockings and Amelia Bedelia, LOL, were Harlequins, then Sweet Savage Love. Although, I oddly have never written a Historical and don’t really read them now. I discovered Stephen King and Michael Connelly and my interest morphed to murder. 😀 

3. What does your current writing process look like?

A haphazard mess. 🙂 I have difficulty being creative in the evenings, so my goal is to rise earlier than normal and spend at least an hour writing. But, as of late, I haven’t been able to stick to my goal. I at least try to write a minimum of 10 minutes a day, no matter what else is going on so that I at least accomplish something and stay connected to my story.

4. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

Traveling, watching MLB and NFL, reading, watching TV, hanging with my kids, friends, and family.

5. What is your favourite genre to write in?

Suspense/police procedurals. Though I also enjoy paranormal.

6. Do you have a favourite book of yours that you have written? Or at least, a current favourite?

I think Without Mercy might be my all-time favorite of my own books. Though I enjoyed writing Soul Seducer a great deal too.

7. You have several books being re-released. What inspired this decision?

I self-published them originally, because, at the time I wrote them, they didn’t fit in with what The Wild Rose Press was publishing. And, for some of them, they were written with a group of other authors for a specific project. Since that time, TWRP has begun accepting a wider variety of genres. I love being an author for The Wild Rose Press and I thought releasing them through TWRP would breathe new life into them.

8. Soul Seducer is the first book of yours being re-released this week on April 14. Can you give a summary of this story?

My heroine, Audra, is a nurse who has a near-death experience, which opens a portal, more or less, between her world and the world of reapers. She is able to see and communicate with grim reapers after that. One of the reapers is beyond evil and he takes people ‘before their time’ which is painful for the person and damns them to an eternity of torment. Another reaper, who becomes my heroine’s love interest, is trying to stop him. Everyone in Audra’s life is in peril, from her patients to her friends and family. 

9. Your re-releases are getting brand new covers. Out of the ones that have been revealed, do you have a favourite?

It would either be Soul Seducer or Once Upon a Gothic. But it’s difficult, because I love them all.

10. Where can we find the re-releases of your books?

You can find them at Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3wNIpjg or on my website: https://aliciadean.com/books/

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#StayHome Reading Rush Wrap Up

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Happy Monday!

Yesterday was the last day of the #StayHome Reading Rush, so I thought it was fitting to share all I got read during the last four days. I also wanted to include a reading update with everything I plan on reading from now until the end of the month. So, onto the wrap up!

Spoiler alert, I did not win the readathon.

Last week, I posted my TBR for the readathon and it had three books on it: The Magician by Lisa Maxwell, An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, and The Selection by Kiera Cass.

The one book I did finish reading was The Last Magician and I loved it! It took me around 150 pages to really get into it, but once I did, I was deep in the world and in love with some of the characters. At several times, the story made me pause and step back from it with my jaw wide open. While the story caught me off guard with its twist and turns, the characters just stepped right off the page. They were flawed and interesting, and I couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Esta and Harte. Overall I gave this book a 4.5/5 stars and highly recommend it.

That was the only book I completed during the readathon. Things got busy with school because I had two final essays due Saturday afternoon and kind of left them until the last minute…so Friday and Saturday were not great reading days. Neither was Sunday, to be honest, but I blame that on work and the Netflix TV show, The Elite (which I’ve been LOVING by the way). I did make progress in the other two books on my TBR though. As of today, I am 270 pages into An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. This is another book that takes me a bit to get into, but once Laia goes to Blackcliff, I am sucked in for good. I am so happy I decided to start my re-read of this series now because it is just making me anticipate the fourth book even more.

As for The Selection, I only got 30 pages read during the readathon. I am not too sure if I am going to continue on with it this month or just re-read it some other time. The beginning is also slow, but I do not know if I am in the mood for this contemporary-dystopian type of novel. Right now, my heart is with fantasy. Whether that is urban/historical fantasy like The Last Magician or high fantasy like An Ember in the Ashes (I think it is qualified as high fantasy). All I want is far-off worlds and magic.

So, as of now, I will be continuing on with my re-read of An Ember in the Ashes before moving on to my final two books for the O.W.Ls readathon. I decided to change one of those books though. Instead of reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, I want to pick up Clockword Prince by Cassandra Clare. After reading Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, I have been dying to pick up the sequel, and it also fits with the prompt of reading a book with a shapeshifter because one of the characters is a Eidolon…but I won’t say which one because spoilers. However, I do still plan on reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, which I am very curious to see if I like or not.

That is all for my Reading Rush wrap up and mini reading update. I had a lot of fun participating in this surprise readathon, and cannot wait to continue on with the O.W.Ls readathon for the rest of April. Let me know if you participated in the #StayHome Reading Rush, and if you did, how your reading went because I would love to know.

Thanks for reading!

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COVID-19: 5 Ways to Support Books during a Crisis

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Happy Friday!

During these trying times, you can feel a little helpless at times. Especially since we are all staying indoors, which is, however, the best way we can help. But there are ways to help out others from the comfort of your own home. Local businesses have had to close which can lead to devastating effects but slowly, they have been adapting to offer their products and services in various ways.

Today, I wanted to share five easy ways to help out authors, bookstores, and the publishing industry when you can’t physically go into a bookstore and buy something. Some of these ways are free while others are not, but overall, they will help keep our favourite authors and bookstores afloat until this is all over.

1. Buy Books Online from Local Bookstores

This is the easiest way to help out authors and bookstores at the same time. Rather than buying your books on Amazon, I recommend ordering them from your local bookstore. I know the ones near me have recently began online orders, something they only occasionally did before. While I have been trying to save money during quarantine, I have decided to treat myself once a week. Since I had a couple projects due this past week, I thought it be nice to buy a book from my favourite local bookstore through their online orders. It was a bit more expensive, but honestly worth it since it will help the bookstore stay open. I ended up buying House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig which I am incredibly excited to dive into!

2. Purchase a Gift Card from a Local Bookstore

This is another great way to support a bookstore, especially if they are not doing online orders. This way, they are still receiving money and when this is over, you can treat yourself to a book from there. I also recommend doing this if you want to buy a book but have no idea which one to choose. Rather than wasting money and going through the process of ordering a book you only kind of want, buy a gift card and buy it later instead.

3. Open Up Your Own Free Little Library

I do not take any credit for this idea because I saw it a lot online and thought it was such a great idea. With libraries and bookstore shut down, it is harder for some people to get access to books. If you have a lot of books you do not want (like me), or even just a few, whether you donate to a nearby free little library or create your own, it would make a huge difference to share them with others.

4. Use Library Apps or Buy E-Books

Most libraries have online apps where you can borrow audiobooks and e-books which can be a great free way to support them and authors, while also keeping up with your reading. If not, you can still buy e-books and audiobooks online. I personally do not like reading e-books, but I do like audiobooks so I have been using my CloudLibrary app (used through my local library) to do so. Currently, I am listening to Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare because it is one of my books for the O.W.Ls Readathon.

5. Discuss Your Current Reads Online

Even now, it is important for books to get exposure. So, if you are reading a book that you like, share some of your thoughts about it on Instagram, Twitter, or on your own blog. It will help others choose what to read next and if you tag the author in your post about it (only do that if you write nice things though!), then it can make their day. Reviewing books is also a great activity to keep you busy. I highly recommend it!

Those are five easy ways to support books and reading during the COVID-19 crisis. I hope these tips were helpful and inspired you to offer support to some of your favourite authors and bookstores. Let me know if you do and how you do it!

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Thanks for reading 🙂

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My Classes Are Almost Over…Now What?

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Happy Monday!

Today marks the first day of me posting twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) which you would know if you checked out my last blog post…which you definitely should right here!

Anyways, I wanted to do another update type blog post because like the world right now, my plans for the next month seem to change constantly. My online classes are coming to an end on Friday this week, which means most of my school projects will be over then too. However, I do have two more final essays that will be due later on in April. Other than, I will have a lot more time on my hands. I plan on filling it up, of course, and here is what I have on the agenda!

Camp NaNoWriMo

Remember when I said I was going to do a short story collection? Well, that still sounds fun but for all of March, I worked on my Aztec mythology story. I want to spend April turning it into a novel (it is a novella right now) because I am in the mindset to write for it, and also because when I wrote the first draft of the novella, I wrote 5,000 words over my goal of 17,000. I ended up cutting a lot (and still am), but there are so many more obstacles I can add to the story and overall, just more content that I think the story would benefit from. So yes, I am now attempting to have my manuscript reach at least 50,000 words. This means I will need to add around 33,000 more words to it. Being the overwriter I am, I do not think this will be a challenge.

Reading

I decided to participate in the O.W.LS month long, Harry Potter inpsired readathon that happens every year, organized and created by Book Roast on YouTube. I have never participated in this readathon before but I am so excited to give it a go because it looks like a lot of fun. It is a really complicated and complex readathon so I won’t try to explain it here, but you can go check out her YouTube channel where she gives an in-depth explanation on how it all works. If you have took part in it before and know what it all means, I am “studying” to be a ministry worker. I have to read 5 books during April which should not be too hard, but also not that easy. I will tell you all the books I plan on reading for the prompts this Friday!

School

This is something I’ve considered since the beginning of the school year, but I decided to take on online class this summer through my university. Since schools closed early due to COVID-19 and had to transfer online, my school has been adapting to this change for their summer courses as well. This means, I have a lot more options. Sadly, there are not many English courses offered this summer and the ones that are available do not interest me. However, I decided it might be the perfect time to take a language course through my school so as of now, I really want to take an intensive Spanish course. I chose against taking one during the fall and winter semesters because I knew I would not prioritize it and therefore, not get what I wanted out of it. Since it will be the only class I take this summer though, I will be able to give it the time and effort it needs. It is intensive which means it will take more hours and days than a “normal” course and is also only a month and a half long. I have to see if it works with my work schedule first, but if it does, that is my plan!

Anyways, that is a little update on what I plan on doing once my classes finish up this week. I hope you enjoyed and don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts linked down below!

Thanks for reading 🙂

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Books I Am Bringing to Hawaii!

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Happy Wednesday!

Back from the dead (once again) because I am finally nearing the end of my exam season with only one more exam tomorrow. After that, I am basically free except for work and then am off to Hawaii starting December 20th! While away on vacation, I am hoping to get some reading done since I have failed to really finish anything for myself since school started…as I have complained about many times.

Anyways, here are the three books I plan on bringing with me to Hawaii and I cannot wait to give them a read!

1984 by George Orwell

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After being recommended this book a fair amount of times (you know who you are), I picked this book up and will be bringing it with me to Hawaii. Luckily, it’s pretty small so this will become my plane read for the way there and hopefully, I will finish it within the first few days of my trip. I’ve mentioned a lot this past year that it has been a goal of mine to read more classics, so this is a perfect way for me to continue doing that. Honestly, I don’t know too much about this book but I’m hoping it will start my winter break off well!

Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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This book comes with a funny story because I ended up getting it for free by complaining about being a broke student. I was with my friend at the bookstore, admiring this hyped-up book that I’ve wanted for a while. One of the cashiers overheard me gushing about the book and told me I could have it because each cashier gets to give away one free book. Lucky for me, he hadn’t used his yet and I walked out with a brand new, free book! I have been saving this book for my trip and am sooo excited to see if all the hype is worth it. I think it will be.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman 

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Currently, I am re-reading Scythe in preparation for The Toll which is the third (and final?) book in this series! I recently ordered The Toll online but decided I should re-visit the world before diving into it since my memory of the story is a little hazy. This is a YA dystopian series that takes place in our future where humanity has conquered death and disease. However, to keep the population in check, there are scythes who “glean” people at random. I really love this story and Neal Shusterman’s writing style, so I am very happy to be re-reading these books!

Those are the three books I plan on reading over my winter break and I cannot wait to get back into reading after four months of just…not. I hope you all also have a good reading month, and that 2019 was a good reading year overall! I will be posting a yearly wrap up discussing some of my favourite and least favourite books of the year so stay tuned for that!

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to check out my last blog post from…over a month ago! Everything is linked down below 🙂

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It Begins With the Book by Zoe Mathers

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It begins with the book.

You started reading it the week before school. Your very first week of university. You made it to page seventy-two and are already both knees deep in the world and best friends with the characters. The night before school starts you read twenty more pages before placing it on the nightstand next to your bed and turning out the light.

The first day of school is a blur of racing from concrete building to concrete building and trying to remember that the concrete building with the blue door is where you history class is. The concrete building with the orange door is where your philosophy class is. After hearing the drone of your philosophy prof’s voice though, you hope you forget that your philosophy class is in the concrete building with the orange door and discover the coffee shop next to it instead.

The first day of school is a blur of faces. Some stick out more than the rest. Mostly the ones with bright smiles and who said hello to you first. You meet Michael. Michael is also a first year in history. He has floppy dark curls and a big grin that makes you smile back even though you’re so nervous your knees are bouncing. Michael makes you forget that your book is in your bag, the one you were going to read before class started and the one you read twenty pages of last night. He is the reason you forget to pick it up when you’re sitting on the grass during your fifty minute break. Instead, you stare out at the trees and the students walking by. The ones that dart past like bees narrowing in on a flower are all visibly first years. Their shoes are shiny, their coats aren’t missing any of their buttons, and their faces are slathered in makeup. The second, third, and fourth years all languidly stroll past you.

A lot of them have cracked, leather satchels and glasses sliding down the bridge of their nose.

That night you sit in bed on your phone. The book is still in your bag and the bookmark is still stuck between pages seventy-one and seventy-two. You found Michael’s Instagram after approximately fifteen minutes of scrolling through boys named Michael with floppy dark curls. He is from somewhere in Vancouver. He has, or had, a lot of friends. Lots of them are pretty, blonde girls all holding cups probably filled with beer or vodka or some other drink that would make your stomach twist. One boy with dark skin and short hair comes up in a lot of Michael’s pictures. Their arms are wrapped around each other. Their cheeks are pressed together.

You guess Michael and you will only ever be friends.

You put your phone down and turn off the light. The book still sits in your bag and it sits in your bag for the next night, and the night after that. Soon, its home becomes the bag.

It begins with the book but it moves on to other things too.

It’s almost October. School is three weeks deep into your life and already, its claws have torn it up into a shredded mess. You are struggling to keep the pieces from flying away. You are chasing and shoving them in your bag where your book still sits. When it fills up, you stuff them under your arms and even in your mouth.

In the second week of school, you lost your soccer ball. You thought you left it underneath the deck of your parents house, where it always is, but when you checked, it vanished. You miss kicking it down the field. You miss the wind against your face, in your hair and cushioning you as you bring the ball to the net.

It begins with the book, but it took your soccer ball too.

You don’t look for your soccer ball again. All the time spent busing to your parents house and then looking for it took away time from your history paper. The five page one on Canadian women in the second World War. It was due at midnight that night and you barely finished it because you spent all that time looking for your soccer ball. When you get your paper back, the mark makes you cringe and think about the soccer ball.

You could just buy a new one, but you don’t.

It’s a couple days into October now. The leaves are brown and their corpses stick to the soles of your shoes. The wind is blocked by your sweater as you hurry home, but you still shiver because you’re always cold now.

There is a bookstore on the walk home from the bus stop. You used to stare in the windows and then go in when you couldn’t hold yourself back. You would browse the shelves slowly and carefully, your eyes not leaving a single book behind. You would sit in the designated reading chair hidden between the young adult and children’s section and devour the first chapter of a book before buying it. Or decide it was bad and choose another.

But now you walk past the bookstore and stare into its empty, dark abyss cradled by the window. It’s closed and your reflected face is the only thing you see.

You walk away.

In your room there is a stack of unread books that you made for yourself at the beginning of the year. Before school started. You had plans to get through that stack of five books before the end of the semester. Your bookmark is still wedged between page seventy-one and seventy-two in the book that is still hiding in your bag and has been since the first day.

There is a brand new soccer ball that sits in the shadows underneath your bed. Your uncle got it for you because the reason you couldn’t find your ball is because his dog chewed it up. You haven’t touched it or even taken off the wrapping.

When you get home, you either pull out your laptop and binge YouTube or go over your lecture notes on Canadian history, or you just sit there. You sit there and think about things that don’t mean anything. You think about Michael who you haven’t spoken to since the second day of school when you sat next to him but he was already talking to the boy with sandy hair and glasses. You think about all the parties on campus you missed because you were nose deep in a book. Not your books, but the books they make you read for school. The ones where when you open them and the words seem to run together into blots of ink that make absolutely no sense. You think about your kind-of-friends. The ones who you see on only on Friday nights. Even then, all you guys do is sit around, drink beer (which doesn’t make your stomach twist anymore) and watch “Friends”. Occasionally you all laugh at something or complain about homework. Usually the only talking between friends is the conversations of the two-dimensional ones on the TV.

And then finally, you think about the book you still haven’t finished. The one lying in your bag. The part you read was good. You wanted to know what would happen next. You still do.

You pull your bag into your lap and yank it out. A corner is creased and the cover feels a little damp.

You peel open the first page and then to where your bookmark is. You read the first word and then the second word. Soon you’re done the page and you’re sprawled out on your bed. The world in the story rises up around you and devours you without warning. But you don’t mind. The characters reach out for you, hands grabbing yours before pulling you in headfirst. But you wanted them to.

You are pretty sure you had an assignment due about an hour ago, but you don’t care. The book is better. The story brings you back alive as if you’ve been Frankensteined after years of being dead. Something flickers inside of you. It’s warm and faint, but as the pages fly by it grows hotter and brighter.

It begins with the book and then the soccer ball.

It took them both from you. It took the things that lit your spirit with brilliant colour but now you have enlightened the cold, empty space it left behind.

You need this book.

You need this soccer ball.

You were lost without the things that gave you life. You lost your way along the walkway with a dozen different paths all heading into a grey haze. You lost your way among the anxious crowd of other students all stumbling in every direction. You aren’t sure which ones to follow. You aren’t sure who knows where they are going. It takes you a while to realize that no one knows that yet.

But finally, a light has flickered in the distance.

 

Well, that was my random short story that kind of sums up the basic idea of what I have been feeling lately…It has been a struggle trying to find myself again and reconnect with the things that I love to do and make me, well, me. Without them, I’ve felt a little lost but I am slowly reconnecting with them again.

I hope you enjoyed, and don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are all linked down below. Thanks for reading! 🙂

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Am I Participating in NaNoWriMo?

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Happy Thanksgiving for all you other Canadians!

I thought it was time to give a little update on where I’m at with my writing and if I am going to be participating in NaNoWriMo this year since it’s only been recently that I’ve gotten back into blogging. I’ve been going back and forth about it a lot because it’s only been recently since I managed to get a grasp on managing my time and passions. However, I decided that I do really want to try NaNoWriMo this year and just see how it goes. Honestly, even last year when I had more time to write I struggled with it, so I am a little skeptical about me getting anywhere near 50,000 words this November. Might as well try though because me attempting NaNoWriMo this year is all about trying to get back into the routine of writing.

But yes! I am participating, or at least attempting to participate, in NaNoWriMo 2019. I am not 100% sure which story I am going to be focusing on, but I’ve been slowly planning out both so either I’ll decide right before Novemeber, or I will switch between them during the month. One is a fun, “trying-to-get-back-into-writing” story while the other is the Aztec mythology one I’ve been working on for over two years. I am really excited to get back into writing, and hopefully this will push me to write a little bit every day even amongst the rest of life going on because that is something I haven’t done in a while! I miss writing constantly and having it be a prominent aspect of my life. It is the same with reading. I read a lot for my degree but it isn’t the same as reading for my own enjoyment. Once again, once I get a better grasp on managing my time, I will be able to easily fit both into my schedule which I cannot wait for.

Oh! Another writing-related update is that I have decided to become a double major (this could change, but as of now, I am pretty set on the idea) in English AND writing. I did not want to just major in writing, but I really enjoy the idea of having to make time for my own writing. Even if it is an assignment, once you get past the first year level of writing courses which I have, you get a lot more freedom with your stories that you hand in and share with your critique groups. You are also supposed to pick to genres to specialize in at first, so I’ve decided to choose fiction and creative non-fiction. Let’s see if I actually follow through with this, but I hope I do because it would bring creative writing back into my life for the rest of my school years which is really important to me. I never realized how much I needed writing until I stopped for an entire month.

Anyways, that was a little, rambly update for you all on my writing and thoughts about NaNoWriMo this year! Stay tuned because the next blog post should be a random short story I wrote which I think will be a lot of fun to share as it is the first short story I’ve written since I’ve slowly gotten back into writing.

Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are all linked down below.

Last Blog Post: 5 Writing Prompts for Fall!

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5 Writing Prompts for Fall!

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Happy Friday!

Fall is in the air! The days are shorter, nights are darker, and the air is cooler – all meaning my favourite time of the year is fast-approaching. In honour of that, I decided it would be fun to share 10 fall writing prompts to get your creativity flowing this fall. I have done a lot of reading and book related posts these past few weeks, so it is time for a writing-related post anyways!

Here are five writing prompts from me to you 🙂

  1. You turn the corner onto your empty and quiet street only to find it covered in the thick shadows of the night. The streetlights remain unlit and shadows seem to dance in the small pockets of moonlight. You grip your backpack straps and begin walking down the sidewalk but the sound of dry leaves crunching under feet echoes from somewhere down the dark street. You pause and squint through the darkness. The sound continues, suddenly appearing right behind you and you whirl around to find…
  2. Orange flames crackle and hiss from the red brick fireplace as you snuggle deep into the couch  with a cup of hot tea steaming in your hands. Just as you raise the cup to your lips, banging erupts at the door. Each knock is hard and followed by another. You freeze, slowly setting the cup down and rising to your feet. You knew this day would come, but you didn’t know it would be so soon.
  3. Where you’re from, Halloween is the day where monsters and creatures alike can infiltrate the mortal world without consequence. Although this year is different. This year they plan on taking over and elect you as their leader. What they don’t know is, is that you’re half-human and you’re family lives in the mortal world.
  4. The trail is littered with the colours of fall and the sky is hazy with grey clouds. You shiver but he offers you his sweater. You shrug it on and smile, but he suddenly looks pale. “You okay?” You ask and he nods, lips forming soundless words. “I love you,” he says suddenly and you freeze. He watches you expectantly for an answer, eyes hopeful, but you can’t say it back. You still haven’t told him the whole truth.
  5. The bus comes in five minutes but you’re only tugging on your shoes. You yank on your jacket and fish around in the pockets for your bus pass, but your fingers find a slip of paper instead. Its delicately folded and inside, a message is written in pretty cursive. The words make your heart drop: You have 3 days.

Those are all the writing prompts I have for you today, and I hope you enjoyed! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are all linked down below. Also, if you want to support me and my blog, buy me a coffee with the link down below and get early access to my blog posts!

Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: September 2019 Wrap Up

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