7 New Book Releases I Can’t Wait to Read in 2022

I know we’re already a month into 2022 but I still wanted to share the 7 new book releases I’m excited to read this new year because there are SO many!

I’ve been off my reading game for the last couple of years, so this year, I want to prioritize getting back into reading. My goal is to read at least 2 books a month, so if that’s the case, I’m going to need some new books to add to my TBR. (Not that it’s not already overflowing.)

Don’t forget to let me know what books you’re looking forward to reading this year in the comments because I’d love to know!

Okay! Let’s get into this list.

Here are the 7 new book releases I can’t wait to read in 2022.

The Maid by Nita Prose

As a fan of mysteries and thrillers, it’s impossible to not have heard of this book that has taken the thriller community by storm. The Maid came out on January 4th, 2022, so thankfully, it’s already out because I cannot wait to get my hands on it!

It’s described as a traditional detective story and a cozy mystery, which I love, so I have no doubts I’ll fly through it and enjoy every second reading it.

About The Maid

Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

When I read the synopsis for this book, it reminded me of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, which I adore, and that’s exactly what I look for in a mystery/thriller. I love when detectives are involved and it has that true crime element to it. And that’s exactly what A Flicker in the Dark has.

This is another book that’s out already, it was published on January 11th, so you bet I’m getting into this one ASAP.

About A Flicker in the Dark

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren’t actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?

Real Easy by Marie Rutkoski

Like A Flicker in the Dark, Real Easy has the classic detective, true crime feel to it. It involves a missing person’s investigation, a strip club, and a deadly interest.

Thrillers are my perfect recipe for getting out of a reading slump, or just trying to finish another book before the month ends, so I know I will be reading this one soon.

About Real Easy

It’s 1999 and Samantha has danced for years at the Lovely Lady strip club. She’s not used to mixing work and friendship―after all, between her jealous boyfriend and his young daughter, she has enough on her plate. But the newest dancer is so clueless that Samantha feels compelled to help her learn the hustle and drama of the club: how to sweet-talk the boss, fit in with the other women, and make good money. One night, when the new girl needs a ride home, Samantha agrees to drive: a simple decision that turns deadly.

Georgia, another dancer drawn into the ensuing murder and missing person investigation, gathers information for Holly, a grieving detective determined to solve the case. Georgia just wants to help, but her involvement makes her a target. As Holly and Georgia round up their suspects, the story’s point of view shifts between dancers, detectives, children, club patrons―and the killer.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)

I’m a big fan of fantasy influenced by world mythologies, so when I learned that this book is inspired by a Chinese legend, it immediately piqued my interest.

Also, the cover is STUNNING! How could you not want this book??? It was released on January 11th, so it’s out and I am ready to get my hands on it to add this beautiful cover to my bookshelf.

About Daughter of the Moon Goddess

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

These Deadly Games by Diana Urban

These Deadly Games

This is a YA thriller that follows a deadly game (hence the title) that the main character has to participate in for 24 hours after her little sister is taken hostage.

Just from the title of the book, this book intrigued me because it gave me an idea of what it’s all about: an enthralling and mysterious game that you want to follow along with just to find out who’s behind it all.

I cannot wait to read this book since it just came out on February 1st!

About These Deadly Games

When Crystal Donavan gets a message on a mysterious app with a video of her little sister gagged and bound, she agrees to play the kidnapper’s game. At first, they make her complete bizarre tasks: steal a test and stuff it in a locker, bake brownies, make a prank call.

But then Crystal realizes each task is meant to hurt—and kill—her friends, one by one. But if she refuses to play, the kidnapper will kill her sister. Is someone trying to take her team out of the running for a gaming tournament? Or have they uncovered a secret from their past, and wants them to pay for what they did…

As Crystal makes the impossible choices between her friends and her sister, she must uncover the truth and find a way to outplay the kidnapper… before it’s too late.

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)

Like I said, I love fantasy inspired by mythology, and Tahereh Mafi’s new book is influenced by Persian mythology. I haven’t read much about Persian mythology, so I cannot wait to learn all about it in this book.

I haven’t read any of Tahereh Mafi’s books since the third or fourth Shatter Me series book, so I’m also curious to see how her writing has changed. I enjoyed the Shatter Me series, but by the time the fourth book or so was released, I wasn’t as invested. However, I do like her writing style and stories, so I am sure I will like The Woven Kingdom.

About The Woven Kingdom

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare

Last, but certainly not least, is Chain of Thorns. This is easily my most anticipated release of the year as I have been a Cassandra Clare fan for almost 10 years, and have been loving her new series, which this book is the third book in.

Unfortunately, I have to wait until November 2022 to read it! Especially with how book 2 ended. I can’t believe the release day is so far away still, but alas. That’s also why we don’t have a gorgeous cover yet. Clare teased a section of it the other day, which makes me somehow even more pumped to see the full and finished product.

Since this is the third book in the series, I’ll share the synopsis of the first book below because I don’t want to spoil any of you who haven’t read it yet…which you totally should!

About Chain of Gold

Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. Soon Cordelia encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms, secret assignations, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else.

But Cordelia’s new life is blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London. These monsters are nothing like those Shadowhunters have fought before—these demons walk in daylight, strike down the unwary with incurable poison, and seem impossible to kill. London is immediately quarantined. Trapped in the city, Cordelia and her friends discover that their own connection to a dark legacy has gifted them with incredible powers—and forced a brutal choice that will reveal the true cruel price of being a hero.


I hope you enjoyed reading all about the 7 books I cannot wait to read this year once they are all released.

Making these posts remind me why I love to read, and get me so excited to read. I hope this post also inspired some of you to check out a book or two from this list as well.

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

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My Reading & Writing Goals for 2022

It’s 2022!

Happy New Year! It’s that time of the year where I share my reading and writing goals for 2022.

These are some of my favourite posts to write. I love creating goals, especially ones surrounding reading and writing. And I love to share them!

Without further ado, let’s start by looking back to a year ago when I set my goals for 2021. What did I accomplish? What didn’t I accomplish? I will cross off each one I accomplished and then give a quick wrap-up at the end before diving into my 2022 goals.

My Goals for 2021

Writing

  • Finish writing The Obsidian Butterfly so it is ready for editing
  • Keep up blog schedule of posting once a week to each blog
  • Outline 2nd The Obsidian Butterfly novel

Freelancing

  • Have freelancing become my part-time job (get between 20-25 hours of work)
  • Create a social media/creative agency (make a website and new social media accounts)
  • Continue learning about digital marketing through online courses
  • Continue taking editing and writing classes (you can never stop improving!)

Reading

  • Read 30 books
  • Actually read all my assigned readings for school (I slacked a little last semester, I won’t lie)

Lifestyle

  • Travel locally more (if things get better, obviously)
  • Keep up my workout routine of going to the gym 2-3x per week
  • Get back on track with school (last semester, I only took 2/5 classes so I want to make sure I am doing full semesters from now on)
  • Prioritize my mental health (this means continuing counselling, focusing more on self-care, etc.)
  • Save more money
  • Develop a repeatable morning routine (it doesn’t have to be a crazy 1 hour routine, but it could just be reading first thing when I wake up)
  • Spend less time online (since it’s my job to be online, I want to cut down my screen time when I’m not working and spend more time outside or reading)
  • Meditate and journal almost every day

Overall, I did fairly good for 2022. Especially business and lifestyle-wise, however, in 2022, I want to re-centre my focuses on writing and reading, as well as lifestyle. These are the things that light me up from the inside yet I neglected them a lot this past year.

My 2022 Goals

Writing

  • Finish writing The Obsidian Butterfly draft 1
  • Finish writing The Obsidian Butterfly draft 2
  • Write every week

Freelancing

  • Gain 2 more clients
  • Keep up with sending one new email newsletter every month (If you’re an author, sign up for my newsletter HERE to get monthly social media marketing and book marketing tips AND 30 content ideas to grow your brand awareness)
  • Post 4x per week to Instagram
  • Post every day to TikTok
  • Launch my first digital project in August
  • Take a new marketing course once per month

Reading

  • Read 15 books
  • Read more about Aztec mythology

Blogging

  • Post twice a month to this blog
  • Post twice a month to my author marketing blog (check it out HERE!)
  • Post twice a month to my travel blog

Lifestyle

  • Meditate 5x a week
  • Workout 3x a week
  • Go on a walk 2x a week
  • Keep up my morning routine
  • Read 10 pages a day
  • Continue travelling locally
  • Plan Seattle trip
  • Prioritize mental health

I feel really confident in my goals for 2022. They are things that I am excited about and have already kept up in 2021, like working out consistently, getting back on track with writing (even though I didn’t accomplish a single writing goal from 2021), and keeping up a good morning routine.

When creating goals, it’s important to ensure they aren’t unrealistic. Otherwise, they are unproductive and damaging to your mental well-being. And that’s exactly what I’ve gone on to do.

Always, always set SMART goals!

What are your goals for 2022? Let me know in the comments below!

Check out my last blog post: My Top 4 Favourite Books of 2021

My Top 4 Favourite Books of 2021

It’s already that time of the year: The time where I reflect on the books I read and choose my favourite books.

My goal was to read 25 books this year but that didn’t work out…Instead, I read 16 books. I’m fine with this because it was a busy year! I did full-time school and part-time work, and I also had a really difficult year mentally. So, 16 books it is!

While I didn’t read a lot, what I did read was really good. For me, it was the year of thrillers as I discovered my love for them, so prepare yourself for many of those to make my list. Like I said, I didn’t read a lot, but I thoroughly enjoyed every single book I read.

That’s a successful reading year to me!

So, let’s dive into my top 4 favourite books of 2021.


1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder : Jackson, Holly: Amazon.ca: Books

This book took me one day to read, and it’s hard nowadays for me to read that quickly.

I bought it on my Kindle after hearing a BookTuber rave about it, and just absolutely devoured it. It was sooo good!

This is a thriller book following a teenage girl who is obsessed with true crime and solving a murder that happened a few years ago in her hometown. It’s technically solved but Pip is determined the alleged murderer is not the real murderer, and she has taken it upon herself to discover the true killer.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a fast-paced and addicting read that you will NOT be able to put down. If you are into true crime, you will love this book!

5/5 stars

2. Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

Chain of Iron (The Last Hours, #2) by Cassandra Clare

Who is surprised to see Chain of Iron on this list? Not me, that’s for sure.

I knew I would love this book, and I did. Even though like Clare’s last few books, it took a bit to get the plot moving, I enjoyed every second in this world surrounded by the characters.

That’s what really makes this series: The fantastic cast of characters that I just adore.

I cannot wait for the next book, and I am already itching to do a re-read of this book!

5/5 stars

3. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

Most thrillers don’t have a sequel because how many true crime-related events can happen to one person? Well, Holly Jackson can make a lot of bad things happen to Pip and have it be believable.

I was a little skeptical about this sequel, but it did not disappoint. The storyline in Good Girl, Bad Blood builds off of the first book and is so interesting. It had been on the edge of my seat and I had no idea who the culprit was or honestly, anything that was going to happen.

It felt like with every flip of the page I was being surprised.

If you read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and not the sequel, get on it now!

4.5/ stars

4. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid: 9781524798659 |  PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

I am a HUGE Taylor Jenkins Reid fan, so I had high expectations for this book. While it wasn’t my favourite of Reid’s books, I did really enjoy it. (Duh, it made it on my favourites list.)

Like many of her other books, I flew through this story. It gripped me from beginning to end, however, the end definitely wasn’t as strong as the first half of the book, which is why this book only gets a 4/5 from me. I noticed a lot of other readers mention this too. It just felt like Reid wanted to wrap up the story quickly, but other than that, I highly recommend this book.

4/5 stars


Those are my top 4 favourite books of 2021. I’m really happy with this list and cannot wait to get back into reading more this new year!

What books did you read this year, and which were your favourites? Let me know in the comments below!

Check out my last blog post: My Proofreading Services

Reading Update + November TBR

Hello! Long-time no blog, but as always, I’m back to share a reading update and my November TBR.

I am back full-time in school and working part-time, but finally, I am figuring out how to manage my time in order to get back into the swing of blogging.

Before I get into the reading update, I have been fairly active on my NEW blog where I chat about travel tips, share travel guides, etc. If that’s something you’re interested in, make sure you check it out: Travel and Tea Blog. (Right now, with everything going on, I’m focused on West Coast local travel.)

Reading Update

August was a great reading month for me. I did the bulk of my reading for the year that month (I’ve only read 12 books this year…) thanks to my amazing Kindle and the amazing thrillers I was picking up, such as One of Us Is Lying, Ace of Spades, and The Box in the Woods.

On the other hand, September was a super hectic month, but I did get one book read at least! That is, my millionth re-read of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I was in the mood for an easy and light read, and hadn’t visited this book and characters in a while. As expected, I flew through it in a matter of days.

Now it’s already October, which is crazy! But so far, it’s been pretty good reading-wise. I’m currently making my way through two books right now: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune and As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson. Since it’s spooky season, I’m focusing on As Good as Dead, since it is the third book in a thriller/murder-mystery series, but I am already over halfway through The House in the Cerulean Sea. (And loving it!)

The House in the Cerulean Sea: Klune, TJ: 9781250217288: Books - Amazon.ca

I was skeptical about As Good as Dead, but I am enjoying it just as much as the first two in the series. The plotline is vastly different and completely took me by surprise, which I can’t say happens too often. So, I have been flying through it, to say the least, which is why I am already 85% through… I’ll definitely be able to finish before the end of the month.

As Good as Dead: The Finale to A Good Girl's Guide to Murder eBook :  Jackson, Holly: Amazon.ca: Books

Looking forward into November though, I don’t have a rigid TBR, but there are a couple books I would like to get to. November will be insanely busy with school, but hopefully, by reading on my Kindle, I’ll be able to get through at least one or two. (Who else reads insanely fast on their Kindle?)

November TBR

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

I don’t know which Harry Potter book I will read, but come November, I would like to read some atmospheric books since winter is approaching. I’ll see which one I am feeling closer to the time, but I have a feeling it will be one of the first three since they are the shortest…

The Wicked King by Holly Black

Before diving into this sequel, I will need to watch or read a recap of the first book since it has been a hot minute since I read it. I’ve been meaning to read this book for a long time now and what better time than during chilly November? Fairy books always give me winter vibes and I have heard nothing but good things about this sequel.

There it is! My reading update and November TBR after rising from the dead.

What are you reading? Let me know down below in the comments ⬇️

Talk soon!

April + May TBR

An insight to my slightly ambitious TBR for April and May.

Once again, I have risen from the dead after three-and-a-half months of university and work to bring you my April and May TBR!

April is one of my favourite months because classes come to an end (finally! My last class is April 12th) and summer starts. While I will be working full-time all summer (life update to come!), I plan on spending a LOT of time reading and writing.

Around this time last year, I was in a horrible reading slump, but it is quite the opposite this year. I feel more inspired to read than ever lately, probably because I just finished Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare, which of course, I loved! Regardless, I have a fairly ambitious TBR for April and May and here are those books on it:

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer

Archenemies: Amazon.ca: Meyer, Marissa: Books

The sequel to one of my favourite recent reads, Renegades, Archenemies is a book I had meant to pick up earlier, but as always, life seems to get in the way! Now, two months after I finished Renegades, I am finally diving into this book and am already around 100 pages in–and so far, I’m liking it.

Renegades takes place in a world like ours where superheroes or “Renegades” are part of reality and have established peace and order after the chaos of villains. Nova, a prodigy with allegiance to the villains, is on a mission to seek vengeance for the death of her family–which takes her to the Renegades headquarters where she will pose as one of them. However, she can’t help but grow close to one of the Renegades, a boy named Adrian, which complicates Nova’s overarching plan to take them all down.

The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes

The Storm Runner (A Storm Runner Novel, Book 1): Cervantes, J.C.:  9781368016346: Books - Amazon.ca

One of my reading goals for this year is to read more Latinx-based books by Latinx authors (being part Mexican myself). The last few years, there has definitely been a surge in these books, which makes me SO happy. However, now I am just trying to keep up. The Storm Runner is inspired by Mayan mythology, but other than that I am going into it blind. The only other thing I know is that it’s published through Rick Riordan’s publishing house, so I’m sure it’s good!

Inanna’s Bargain by Claire Sulos

Another mythology-inspired book, Inanna’s Bargain has been on my reading list for around two months because it is inspired by Mesopotamian mythology, which is something I have never read before in YA. I am super intrigued to see what I think of it, and also learn about Mesopotamian mythology. The last time I read about Mesopotamia was in grade eight, so I don’t really remember much about it!

Inanna’s Bargain follows, Samri, a priestess of the goddess Inanna, and Kianu, a gala priest and an acclaimed dancer. The two are sent on a mission by Inanna to help the king intercept an evil that threatens them all before it is too late. This story is all about family love, as the two protagonists are half-siblings, dangerous quests, and magic.

After Hours (anthology) by AC Arthur

After Hours by A.C. Arthur

I have wanted to expand my reading taste lately, and since I have became an author assistant (more info in my life update!) for this romance author, it is the perfect time to do so. I know I will like romance, but with school and work, it has been hard to read more adventurously. However, I am a few chapters into this book already and I’ve been enjoying it. With summer around the corner, it is the perfect time to get into romance too!

After Hours includes multiple stories all following workplaces romances as well as sexual harassment, and how the strong female characters deal with it. I think this is really important to read about, especially with movements like Me Too coming into light, so I am looking forward to seeing how AC incorporates them into her stories.

The Sweetest Valentine by Lacey Baker

The Sweetest Valentine: A heartwarming, feel good holiday romance  (Sweetland Valley Book 1) - Kindle edition by Baker, Lacey. Literature &  Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Another romance book on the list, and this one takes place around Valentine’s Day, but hey, there’s no rules for reading holiday-themed books! This book takes place at a wine and chocolate festival (yum!), bringing together Hollywood actor, Kelan, and Sweetland-native, Sydni. However, while their relationship runs smoothly at first, the threat of Sydni losing her shop and an unbelievable career opportunity endanger their love story. I’ve been in the mood for romance lately, so this will hopefully be a satisfying and quick read!

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising: A Novel, Book by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Paperback) |  www.chapters.indigo.ca

This is by far my most anticipated release for the month of May and one of my most anticipated releases for the entire year. I am a huge fan of Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, as well as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so I am fairly certain I will absolutely adore this book.

This book takes place in Malibu in 1983 and follows the Rivas family, a fascination by everyone in Malibu being the family of famous singer, Mick Rivas. The story follows the children of this family: Nina, a talented surfer and supermodel; Jay and Hud, a championship surfer and a talented photographer; and baby sister, Kit. It is their annual end-of-summer party, however, by the end of the night, the party becomes completely out of control–leaving the Rivas mansion in flames and secrets slowly unravelling. (Did I mention how excited I am for this book…?)

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince: Amazon.ca: Black, Holly: Books

While I have read this book before (and really enjoyed it), I never got around to picking up the sequel, The Wicked King. Recently, I snagged the sequel at the bookstore, only to realize I barely remember anything from the first book. Before I can dive into The Wicked King, I am going to re-read this very popular and hyped up book, which lucky for me, lived up to the hype. I am not complaining though because like I said, I really enjoyed this story and flew through it.

If you didn’t know, this book follows Jude, who when she was seven, her and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the Court of Faerie after their parents were killed. Ten years later, Jude still struggles to fit in amongst the fey, yet she wants nothing more than to achieve this. To win her place in the Court, she must defy the faeries who despise her and her sisters for being human, and channel her own faerie-like trickery and mischief.

Those are the 7 books I want to read during April and May. Let me know if you have read any of these before, as well as what your thoughts were if you have, and also what’s on your TBR! As always, I would love to know 🙂

Last Blog Post: My Post-NaNoWriMo Plans

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6 Books I Want to Read This Summer

6 books on my summer reading list and 4 tips to help get out of a reading slump

Happy Friday!

***Before I get into today’s post, I wanted to shoutout my Patreon that I recently launched. You can check out all the goodies I am offering HERE, or scroll down and click on the Patreon icon at the very bottom of the page. Thanks 🙂

This summer has been a looong one for all of us. I mean, I was supposed to finish school at the end of April and have a 4 month summer (which is very long in itself) but because of COVID-19, summer will be almost 6 months! You think with all that time, I would have read dozens of books by now. It has been 3 1/2 months at this point, yet, how many books have I read? 9!

I have not finished a book since the beginning of May, but I am over halfway through Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron. I am happy to report that I will definitely finish this YA fantasy and I am hoping it will encourage me to get back into the swing of reading since the annual Reading Rush is coming up and I want to participate in that (I will be sharing my TBR on Instagram so follow me @zoeiswriting).

And since I have been doing so many writing and creative entrepreneur-related blog posts, I realized it is time to talk about books! Even if I am not reading a lot right now.

Here are 6 books I want to read this summer.

1. The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima | Fantasy books, Fantasy ...

I am in the mood for some good ol’ fantasy, so when I was at the bookstore, I decided to pick up The Demon King. I know this is a spinoff (?) series in the world that another one of her series takes place in but you can read this series without reading those other books. However, I realized I own The Warrior King (the first book in that other series)! Maybe I will give that a read after The Demon King because for whatever reason, The Demon King is calling out to me. Do I know what it is about? Nope! But nonetheless, I am excited to dive into it sometime this summer. Let me know if you have read this book, or any of her others books in this world, and what you thought about them.

2. Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Vengeful: Schwab, V. E.: 9780765387523: Books - Amazon.ca

One of my goals this summer is to find Vicious, the first book in this series, and buy it because that is one GOOD book. I also want to pick up the long awaited sequel, Vengeful because I know it will be just as good, if not better. When I think about Vicious, I get chills. It is one of those books that even none readers will love so if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.

In the first book, we follow Victor and Eli who are college roommates and both intelligent and ambitious characters. In their final year, they become fascinated with near-death experiences and supernatural events after experiencing some odd things in their own lives, and realize they have the power to give each other extraordinary abilities. But no one human should wield this type of power, and it is no surprise when things go extremely wrong. The book then jumps 10 years into the future and we follow the fight between Eli, who wants to be the only superhuman in the world, and Victor. Who will survive and whose ability will become their undoing?

3. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn: The Final Empire: Sanderson, Brandon: 8601419297900 ...

To be honest, I cannot even tell you how long this book has been on my shelf. I know it is time to finally read it, not only because I have heard nothing but good things about it, and also because I need to get around to reading a Brandon Sanderson book. One reason I have put off reading this book is because I own the mass market paperback edition (it was super cheap, okay!). However, I have glasses for a reason! It is time to buckle up and dive into this long book. Once again, I have no idea what it is about, but I am very excited for some classic high fantasy.

4. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: 9781524798642 ...

I know, I know. I’ve read this book two times already THIS year, but it is just so good. Also, I had no idea it was becoming a TV show! It already has a cast too and I am in love with it. Ever since I found out this exciting news, I have been itching to re-read it. I would have done it sooner, but I leant it to be boyfriend a few months ago and couldn’t get it back until I went and visited him 3 weeks ago. But now I have it back and it has been very tempting to re-read.

Daisy Jones and the Six is written in interview format and follows the rise and fall of a fictional band from the 70s (it is based off of Fleetwood Mac). If you are a music fan, especially a fan of rock from the 70s/80s, I highly recommend this book.

5. A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden

A Touch of Death (The Outlands Pentalogy #1) by Rebecca Crunden

This is a book I’ve spoken about in the past because I was given it for review about a month ago. Since I’ve been in a reading slump, I haven’t gotten around to it yet unfortunately, but I want to get to it sometime this summer. This is a dystopian YA novel and takes place a thousand years in the future where humanity lives behind the walls of a totalitarian Kingdom. This is a genre I haven’t read in a while. I hope I love this book and it gets me back into re-reading some of my dystopian favourites since there hasn’t been too much dystopian releasing lately!

6. The Devil’s Thief by Lisa Maxwell

The Devil's Thief (The Last Magician, #2) by Lisa Maxwell

Back in April I read the first book, The Last Magician and I loved it, so I am looking forward to finally reading the sequel, The Devil’s Thief. This series takes place in New York during the 1920s, which means the atmosphere is amazing. There is magic and morally grey characters and deception…some of my favourite things to read about. My local library is opening back up in August which is very exciting and I hope that they have this book for me to borrow!


Before I can dive into this books, however, I have to break out of my horrible reading slump. It is like I am rising out of it slowly, because I feel that desire to read deep down…but I am getting distracted by other things too easily.

Here are some things I am doing to get myself out of this reading slump:

  • Make time to read a little every day (15-30 pages)
  • Abandon books I don’t want to read and only reading what I want to
  • Not pressure myself to read
  • Do other things I enjoy like writing, working out, and listening to music

Those are all the books I want to read during these last 2 months of summer and before the school year begins in full swing. Let me know in the comments below what books you want to get read in July and August, because I would love to know!

Don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts and Patreon below. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: 5 Tips for Writing a Novel

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Writer Spotlight – Margaret Atwood

Happy Monday!

Today marks the first day of me finally sharing some of the ideas I had way back in February when I first said I planned on making different content…but then didn’t.

This “series” I guess you could say, will be focusing on various writers. The reason I wanted to make this series is that I love reading about writers. I enjoy hearing about how writing shaped their lives and the steps they wandered to become successful. So, mashing that all together in blog posts like this will not only educate me on some of my favourite writers but also give you guys quick access to this type of info! If you have any writer requests, make sure you let me know but for today, we will be discussing and exploring the life of Margaret Atwood. 

Who IS Margaret Atwood?

Image result for margaret atwoodImage result for margaret atwood books

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Margaret Atwood is a successful Canadian writer of both prose and poetry. Writing since the young age of 5, but becoming more serious at 15, she published her first book of poetry at the age of 21 called “Double Persephone” that contrasted life and death. She completed her degree in English Literature at Victoria College at the University of Toronto in the same year as the publication of “Dark Persephone”, even going on to complete a master’s degree the following year from Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In her 74 years of writing, Atwood has published 17 books of poetry, 16 novels, 10 books of non-fiction, 8 collections of short fiction, 8 children’s books, and 1 graphic novel. It is safe to say she has been busy, exploring role reversal, new beginnings, human behaviour, and celebrating the natural world in her writing. In all of her pieces, feminism is also a major theme. Basically, Atwood is an example of the success of someone due to not sitting still. She jumps for the type of writing to the genre, grabbing ever flicker of creativity and twisting it into something no reader ever expected.

My Conclusion: Why Is Margaret Atwood So Successful?

At the end of every one of these author “spotlights”, I really wanted to sit back after analyzing their lives and try to spot what it is they did that led them to a successful career in writing. For some, it is luck, but it is clear from Atwood’s life and story that she got where she is now because of hard work. That and trying everything. She didn’t confine herself to one mode of writing, or one genre, or one type of story. She wrote poems and short stories and novels. She tried everything and kept trying until things worked. In my opinion, that is an essential part of succeeding as a writer: not sitting still. Never waiting. Never wondering. Only thinking about writing and actually writing which is the only way you end up with 40+ books published.

Interviews with Margaret Atwood:

https://lithub.com/margaret-atwood-on-how-she-came-to-write-the-handmaids-tale/

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/17/margaret-atwood-the-prophet-of-dystopia

Atwood’s Writing Tips:

  • Explore outside
  • Read constantly
  • Don’t listen to the critics
  • Start writing any way you can
  • Write every day no matter how awful you feel

I know this was short, but this was really my intro to writing this type of “fun fact”, biography post. I do really hope you guys enjoyed it and even learned something new. I also hope you guys decide to give Margaret Atwood a look! Personally, I haven’t read too much Atwood because only lately, has her type of work been in my interests, but I have read some of her poetry books as well as her book on writing. Some of her popular books that you should all give a try (including myself) are The Handmaiden’s Tale and Hagseed!

Anyways, make sure you let me know what you thought of this blog post below, and also don’t forget to check out my last blog post. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: My Favourite Books of 2019…So Far

 

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Bibliography

http://margaretatwood.ca/biography/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Margaret-Atwood

https://www.standoutbooks.com/margaret-atwood-writing-advice/

https://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/7-tips-writers-margaret-atwood

Anthem by Ayn Rand – Book Review

Happy Thursday!

In the next few weeks, I am going to be putting out more book reviews than usual so I thought I would reacquaint myself with them by reviewing the last book I finished…which was Anthem by Ayn Rand. Why was I reading this book you ask?? Well, it was for an essay scholarship that I shrugged to and said why not? I know there is controversy surrounding this writer, but I am going to be putting that aside for the moment and instead, focusing on the actual story of Anthem. There WILL be spoilers so if you don’t mind, then keep reading!

Anthem by Ayn Rand is described as a dystopian novel set in a world where society has erased the individuality of the word “I” and has replaced it with a collective “w”, however, our main character Equality 7-2521 dares to defy society in order to regain his individual freedom stolen from him. While at first, this book was confusing characterwise because the narrative of this story is told by “we”, “our”, “they” so I thought Equality 7-2521 and all the other strange names, were collective groups of people. However, I reached the end and realized that was not the case but in reality, society had gone as far to strip people of saying “I” so Equality was only one person. This book will get you thinking about where society has been in the past and even right now, with socialism countries and all, but it also offers you the opportunity to value your individuality that we carry so easily and effortlessly without fathoming its disappearance.

While this book is very short (105 pages), I thought Rand managed to tell a story that ended satisfactorily. Anthem begins with Equality 7-2521 standing in front of the Council with dreams of being allowed into the Home of the Scholars, however, instead, they are placed in the Home of the Street Sweepers. When they tumble into a strange hole in the ground that leads to a cave full of forbidden manuscripts, later on, they read and discover all the things their society has stolen from them: the overall thing being each person’s individuality and freedom of choice. What I found interesting about the first part of the plot, is that once Equality found the cave, his goal didn’t immediately switch to the idea of “fixing the world” that they end with. The plot switched to him realizing that with all this knowledge, he might be able to stand before the World Council of Scholars and be allowed into the Home of the Scholars. It isn’t until the Council cowers at his re-invention of lightning, does he realize that will never happen. Also, by this point, he has fallen in love with the Golden One so he doesn’t need the Home of the Scholars, right? No! He can just run into the forest with her and tell himself that when his son is born, he will be a man who knows of the word and meaning of “I” while the rest of society is a massive dependent group of “we’s”.

I enjoyed this book but I do not have any plans of re-reading it…ever. I have read a bit of Fountainhead by Ayn Rand in the past, so I kind of knew what I was getting myself into with this one and I was spot on. All of her books continuously feature male characters with women being faint characters in the background that pop up every so often with no real meaning. Also, whenever she refers to being successful, Rand will write about winning the minds of men or in Anthem towards the end when Equality is ranting about his newfound discovery of individuality, it goes a little something like this:

  • “Many men in the Homes of the Scholars have had strange new ideas in the past…” – pg. 73
  • “And man will go on. Man, not men.” – pg. 104

Yes, so this book is about regaining individual freedom BUT Equality only ever refers to men as the ones who deserve and need it. Never women or generalizing to people. I guess I understand why it is like this to a point, as Ayn Rand is a writer from the 1950s and equality (haha, how contradictory since the main character’s name is Equality) wasn’t super “in” back then. (Wow, that sounded dumb when I re-read it and really sad.) But still! Jane Austen wrote female characters who were strong, independent, and intelligent, not just flimsy things meant to aid the men in the book. So actually, I take that back! I do not understand Ayn Rand’s words at all!

One thing I really wanted to touch on is Equality 7-2521 as a character. Since Equality is unable to have personal likes and dislikes and whatnot, they felt like a bland structure that every author takes to tailor their characters to. However, we do see them having conflicting thoughts to society in the beginning, and that only continues to grow throughout the story until Equality seizes the word “I” for himself. Equality was not likable or unlikable…so I do not have too much to say. They were not the smartest at times, for example, when they brought the “box of lightning” to the World Council of Scholars! Like what are you doing? They know this existed at one point AS YOU READ IN THE FORBIDDEN MANUSCRIPTS, so why are you showing them that you broke all of their laws? Whatever, it’s fine. It’s fine. One thing I did not like about Equality aka Prometheus though was how Rand revealed that the Golden One aka Gaea was PREGNANT. I hope that a few years passed since they met before she got pregnant because um…SHE WAS 17 WHEN THEY MET. Also, I think he was 21 so one, ILLEGAL and two, SHE IS ONLY 17. So yes, really hoping it was like a “five years later” thing at the least.

For me, this was a 3-star read because while I had my problems with it, the story was interesting and there wasn’t a point in the book where I looked at the ceiling with desperation for it to be over. If you enjoy books influenced heavily by philosophical elements, meaning you are fans of Camu, Sartre, or other philosophy writers, I would think about checking Ayn Rand out.

Anyways, that is all for this review and I hope you enjoyed! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post, as well as my social media linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: Cowering Through Life – A Poem

 

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5 Goals Every Writer Should Set + How to Stay Accountable

It is essential to have goals if you are a writer, especially if you plan on going somewhere with your writing. Most important though, it is essential to actually stick to those goals because otherwise you won’t find yourself where you want to be by the time the next year comes rolling around, and trust me, it will come a lot faster than anticipated. A lot of people make the mistake of setting these massive goals and then giving up two weeks into the new year, so today I will be sharing some of my personal ideas, goals and tips centered around creating and sticking to writing related goals!

BeFunky Design

 

  1. Write Everyday – If you are a writer, you probably already write everyday. I know I do, even if it is not related to my fiction writing. Writing everyday includes writing a story, essay, blog post, or even a journal entry, really anything that relates to using your writing muscle. This is a really easy goal to make, and honestly it may be the easiest one to keep up with. Just set aside anywhere between ten minutes to even an hour in the morning, afternoon or evening and write in your journal or even a quick blog post. The point is, to be a writer, you have to actually write.
  2. Submit to At Least One Literary Magazine or Writing Contest – It amazes me how many people don’t take the opportunity to submit their work to literary magazines or writing contests, especially if it is completely free for you to do! Submitting your work to magazines is a great way to get your name and work out there and the writing world, and even possibly make some money off of the thing you love to do. If you need some recommendations for literary magazines to submit to, definitely check out my blog post where I share 10 literary magazines that are completely free to submit to!
  3. Read, Read, Read – This is an obvious one, but it is one that needs to be  enforced because sometimes we get so caught up with our writing that we forget to read. Reading helps motivate and inspire us to write, and is an essential ingredient to creating a story. Even if you are caught up in writing your own story, don’t forget to crack open a book even if it is just for 15 minutes a day.
  4. Participate in Camp NaNoWriMo/NaNoWriMo – Camp NaNoWriMo and NaNoWriMo give you the motivation (and excuse) to write during the month of July and November, and give you a reason to connect with other writers from around the world. Even if you do not reach the goal of 50k words in a month, as long as NaNoWriMo gets you to write something I see that as a huge success! So definitely add participating in Camp NaNoWriMo or NaNoWriMo to your goals for 2018 because it is such a fun and beneficial experience. it will amaze you how much of a manuscript you can get done in a short period of time.
  5. Connect With Other Writers – This had never been a goal of mine until this year, when I realized how important it is to connect with other writers. Writing is a lonely task, and if you have someone else to discuss writing with, it will make it less lonely. Also, by connecting with other writers you can share your work with each other, get feedback and learn how to give feedback too; all things that benefit and create a well-rounded writer!

BeFunky Design

When it comes to staying accountable to your goals, it is important to one, create goals that are not too far out of reach, but just far enough to get you out of your comfort zone and two, create goals that you control the outcome of. By this I mean not writing down I resolve to win one writing contest this year…because while that would be amazing, you are not in control of who the judges choose. Instead, choose a broader goal like I resolve to enter one writing contest this year. Now that is something you can control. And finally third, create goals but also create a plan to achieve those goals. It is easy to write down I resolve to enter one writing contest this year, but how are you going to actually do this? Are you going to write everyday for two weeks before the contest? Are you going to start editing three days before? These are important things to think of when writing down your goals, and it will make them so much easier to achieve when you know exactly how you are going to do it.

Ways I stay accountable to my goals are by treating myself to a reward if I write everyday for a week, or accomplish a goal by submitting different pieces of work to a few literary magazines or writing contests. If you reward yourself, you will find yourself feeling more motivated to accomplishing the goals on your list. Another way I make sure I accomplish my goals, is by setting reminders on my phone because sometimes I honestly just forget. Sometimes I need that reminder to sit down and write for thirty minutes, or sometimes I forget that a writing contest deadline is coming up. Writing it down isn’t always enough.

 

Those are some goals every writer should set and also how to stay accountable. Hopefully this was somewhat helpful to you, and gave you some ideas of what goals you should set of yourself as a writer, but if you have some more goal ideas definitely leave them in the comments! If you liked this blog post please like it so I know to make more, and also don’t forget to check out my last blog post: 10 Literary Magazines To Submit To (NO FEES) 🙂