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  • The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon // Third Discussion

    The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon // Third Discussion

    Wow, I think we’ve hit the major meaty parts of this book. This third section of the book was probably the most packed with a ton of reveals, a ton of twists and turns, and a lot of stuff going on at once. Whew, it’s time to unpack this.

    As stated before, this post is filled with a ton of spoilers, so make sure to have read this section (pgs. 406-610) before reading this blog post. And as always, you’re more than welcome to react to my thoughts so far, answer the questions, or comment with your own personal thoughts and reactions. This is the laid back read along, so no rules to play by.

    Let’s get into it!

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  • 13 Highly Anticipated Science Fiction Books of 2021

    Yep, I have a sci-fi list too. It’s not as big as my fantasy list, but I think there are some gems in this group that I’ll be getting into. This was a tougher list to create because I love science fiction books, but I haven’t narrowed down what I like from science fiction books. Some of these are hardcore space operas while others are journeys through quantum physics. And of course there are science fantasy stories where it feels like a fantasy, but set on a distant planet.

    A small, but mighty list with a lot of stories on here that I cannot wait to sink my teeth into. Same rules apply; these are only new series or standalones being published. I do have some books that are continuations into series (like A Memory Called Empire!), but I’ll share those on pub days when they arrive.

    Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott

    “Non-stop action! Space battles! Intrigue! This is the kind of space opera that I love best–but Elliott does it even better.–New York Times bestselling author Ann Leckie New York Times bestselling author Kate Elliott brings us a thrilling new science fiction adventure set in a rich universe full of political intrigue with Unconquerable Sun. GENDER-SWAPPED ALEXANDER THE GREAT ON AN INTERSTELLAR SCALE”

    A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

    Of course I couldn’t create a sci-fi list without my favorite author. “In A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers’s delightful new Monk & Robot series gives us hope for the future. Becky Chambers’ new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter? Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers’s delightful new series gives us hope for the future.“

    Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

    “Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue in Everina Maxwell’s exciting debut.” Also, there’s a blurb from Ann Leckie, the author of Ancillary Justice, on the cover. It’s been approved!

    The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

    “The Echo Wife is a non-stop thrill ride, perfect for readers of Big Little Lies and enthusiasts of Killing Eve and Westworld­“

    The Last Watch by JS Dewes

    “The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes’ fast-paced, sf adventure The Last Watch, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation.“

    Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor

    “An alien artifact turns a young girl into Death’s adopted daughter in Remote Control, a thrilling sci-fi tale of community and female empowerment from Nebula and Hugo Award-winner Nnedi Okorafor. She’s the adopted daughter of the Angel of Death. Beware of her. Mind her. Death guards her like one of its own.”

    A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel

    “Showing that truth is stranger than fiction, Sylvain Neuvel weaves a scfi thriller reminiscent of Blake Crouch and Andy Weir, blending a fast moving, darkly satirical look at 1940s rocketry with an exploration of the amorality of progress and the nature of violence in A History of What Comes Next.”

    Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky

    “The Arthur C. Clarke award-winning author of Children of Time brings us an extraordinary new space opera about humanity on the brink of extinction, and how one man’s discovery will save or destroy us all.“

    Persephone Station by Stina Leicht

    “Hugo award-nominated author Stina Leicht has created a take on space opera for fans of The Mandalorian and Cowboy Bebop in this high-stakes adventure.”

    Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders

    “A thrilling adventure set against an intergalactic war with international bestselling author Charlie Jane Anders at the helm in her YA debut—think Star Wars meets Doctor Who, and buckle your seatbelts.”

    We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker

    “From award-winning author Sarah Pinsker comes a novel about one family and the technology that divides them.“

    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

    A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this incredible new science-based thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Martian.

    A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David Hutchinson

    “Black Mirror meets What If It’s Us in this gripping, romantic, and wildly surprising novel about two boys lost in space trying to find their way home—while falling in love—from the critically acclaimed author of We Are the Ants.“

  • The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon // Second Discussion

    The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon // Second Discussion

    Welcome to the middle of the book! Actually, I’ve finished the book, but I’m sharing with you all my thoughts from the second section (pgs. 207-405) and let me tell you. A lot has happened. I’m going to dive into them now, but I need to warn you that this blog post will have a ton of spoilers. I’m hiding my thoughts behind the page jump just so you don’t read something you haven’t read yet. Highly recommend reading up to this point if you’re reading along with us before diving into this post.

    You can comment about the reflection I’ve posted or answer the questions below it. You can even talk about the parts I didn’t bring up that you found the most fascinating. It’s up to you how you’d like to participate in this discussion and I hope you do!

    Here. We. Go!

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  • 34 Highly Anticipated Fantasy Books of 2021

    I’ve been thinking a lot about fantasy and science fiction and how much I appreciate and love these genres. One of my big goals for 2021 is to read more into these genres because truth is, I’m not very knowledgeable. I want to dive deeper into these worlds and discover new and different voices that share incredible fantasy stories. 2020 really opened my eyes to the potential SFF books have on the reading world; how it can discuss the realities we face but set it against famous stories you’ve heard before, new stories you’ve never heard of before, and great stories that just keep you reading.

    So, I decided to put this list together of what’s to come. Granted, I’ll still be exploring older fantasy novels, but also wanted to bring you some of the books I’m excited are publishing next year. I probably missed some books, but I know that bookstagram will keep me updated on what books I missed. Gotta love a community that fills in the gaps in your knowledge.

    Let me start by saying this is only the first half of the year. There will probably be books in the fall and winter that I will report on later in the year. This is also only new series and new standalones. There’s a ton of books publishing next year that are the continuation of an existing series. I’m excited for those books too, but I would much rather put the new books on your radar and the new voices you may not have heard before. You’ll definitely see more titles on my weekly pub day picks throughout the year. This is just to give you a taste of what’s to come in 2021.

    This list is a BIG one, so save it or set yourself up with a cup of tea and a pen because I’m about to roll up my sleeves and share with you a ton of books!

    The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

    A re-release of this story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia filled with intrigued and a little romance. “The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.”

    The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

    Ok wow, a Great Gatsby retelling, but with queer Asian girls. “Nghi Vo’s debut novel reinvents this classic of the American canon as a coming-of-age story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess, and introduces a major new literary voice.“

    The Conductors by Nicole Glover

    “A compelling debut by a new voice in fantasy fiction, The Conductors features the magic and mystery of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files written with the sensibility and historical setting of Octavia Butler’s Kindred: Introducing Hetty Rhodes, a magic-user and former conductor on the Underground Railroad who now solves crimes in post–Civil War Philadelphia.”

    Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

    A young scholar’s ambition threatens to reshape an empire determined to retain its might in this epic tale of violent conquest, buried histories, and forbidden magic.

    The Library of the Dead by TL Hucha

    “Sixth Sense meets Stranger Things in T. L. Huchu’s The Library of the Dead, a sharp contemporary fantasy following a precocious and cynical teen as she explores the shadowy magical underside of modern Edinburgh.“

    A Master of Djinn by P Djeli Clark

    If you weren’t aware, P Djeli Clark has been writing fantasy fiction in this alternate Cairo world. He has two novellas (one of which was up for a Hugo Award in 2020) in this universe, but the fact that he’s expanded to a full length novel is really what’s exciting for me. It doesn’t sound like you need to read the novellas before you read this one, but I highly recommend them. Reading his alternate Cairo series, it was so much fun. There was a lot of intrigue set around this small mystery with a classic “buddy-cop” duo. I cannot wait to read into this one!

    Star Eater by Kerstin Hall

    “A phantasmagorical indictment of hereditary power, Star Eater takes readers deep into a perilous and uncanny world where even the most powerful women are forced to choose what sacrifices they will make, so that they might have any choice at all.”

    The Helm of Midnight by Marina Lostetter

    “A legendary serial killer stalks the streets of a fantastical city in The Helm of Midnight, the stunning first novel in a new trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter.“

    Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard

    You had me at Howl’s Moving Castle. “Award-winning author Aliette de Bodard returns with a powerful romantic fantasy that reads like The Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle in a pre-colonial Vietnamese-esque world.“

    The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

    Bold and daring girls who bleed gold and join the ranks of an all-female army? Where do I sign up to read this one? I really love stories like this that include military strategy and all the emotions of being young and coming of age. “The start of a bold and immersive West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice.”

    Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

    “Epic, heartbreaking, and darkly atmospheric, Into the Heartless Wood is the story of impossible love between a monstrous tree siren and a boy who lives at the edge of her wood.“

    Malice by Heather Walter

    “A princess isn’t supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this darkly magical retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” true love is more than a simple fairy tale.“

    What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

    “MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN MEETS THE ADDAMS FAMILY IN THIS HAUNTING STORY OF ONE GIRL’S ATTEMPT TO RECONNECT WITH HER MONSTROUS FAMILY.“

    “Rose Szabo’s thrilling debut is a dark and thrilling novel about a teen girl who returns home to her strange, wild family after years of estrangement, perfect for fans of Wilder Girls.”

    Lore by Alexandra Bracken

    A Greek retelling with a Hunger Games feel to it. “From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Darkest Minds comes a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love and redemption.“

    The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

    “Author of Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne, beginning a new trilogy set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, in which a captive princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic become unlikely allies on a dark journey to save their empire from the princess’s traitor brother.”

    The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst

    “From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.“

    The Unbroken by CL Clark

    Military fantasy plus a touch of court intrigue with a side of F/F romance? Whoa, this sounds like a mighty book with a lot of story to tell. I would definitely get into this. “In a political fantasy unlike any other, debut author C. L. Clark spins an epic tale of rebellion, espionage, and military might on the far outreaches of a crumbling desert empire.“

    Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas

    Already fell in love with Aiden Thomas with their first book, Cemetery Boys. Now I’m going to fall in love with their next book because you had me at PETER PAN RETELLING, but it’s also a mystery? Please yes. “When children go missing, people want answers. When children go missing in the small coastal town of Astoria, people look to Wendy for answers.“

    We Are the Fire by Sam Taylor

    All I can see are the antlers on these characters’ heads. If that isn’t enough to entice me, I don’t know what is. “As electrifying as it is heartbreaking, Sam Taylor’s explosive fantasy debut We Are the Fire is perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes and the legend of Spartacus.”

    Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

    “A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.“

    The Councillor by EJ Beaton

    “This Machiavellian fantasy follows a scholar’s quest to choose the next ruler of her kingdom amidst lies, conspiracy, and assassination.”

    Wings of Ebony by J. Elle

    “In this riveting, keenly emotional debut fantasy, a Black teen from Houston has her world upended when she learns about her godly ancestry–and with evil sinking its claws into humans and gods alike, she’ll have to unearth the magic of her true identity to save both her worlds. Perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Tomi Adeyemi, and The Hunger Games.“

    Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart

    This Jamaican-inspired fantasy debut about two enemy witches who must enter into a deadly alliance to take down a common enemy has the twisted cat-and-mouse of Killing Eve with the richly imagined fantasy world of Furyborn and Ember in the Ashes.

    Divided by their order. United by their vengeance.

    This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria

    An epic fantasy journey as our ACE/ARO main character searches for her brother with the help of a secret automaton looking for meaning in his existence. Whoa.

    These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy

    “Three Dark Crowns meets Wicked Saints in this queer #ownvoices retelling of “The Firebird,” a Russian folktale, by debut author Alexandra Overy.“

    The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman

    “From award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes an incisive, action-packed tale that explores big questions about technology, grief, love, and humanity. Westworld meets Warcross in this high-stakes, dizzyingly smart sci-fi about a teen girl navigating an afterlife in which she must defeat an AI entity intent on destroying humanity, from award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman.“

    Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley

    “In this charming debut fantasy perfect for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Girls of Paper and Fire, a witch cursed to never love meets a girl hiding her own dangerous magic, and the two strike a dangerous bargain to save their queendom.“

    The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

    Something about having the main character exist inside this death prison and then has to save the rebel queen from whatever illnesses she has plus a mysterious plague? Prison break vibe? It most definitely reminds me of Sabaa Tahir. “From bestselling author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, and Sabaa Tahir.”

    The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid

    “In the vein of Naomi Novik’s New York Times bestseller Spinning Silver and Katherine Arden’s national bestseller The Bear and the Nightingale, this unforgettable debut— inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology—follows a young pagan woman with hidden powers and a one-eyed captain of the Woodsmen as they form an unlikely alliance to thwart a tyrant.“

    The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

    This one got me by mentioning Loki, but I’ve also had my eye on Norse mythology for a bit. This might be a nice introduction. All I know is I’ll definitely be reading it. “When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.“

    Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long

    “Epic fantasy featuring warrior priestesses and fickle gods at war, for readers of Brian Staveley’s Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne.”

    The Black Coast by Mike Brooks

    “Epic world-building at its finest, in an upcoming author’s fantasy debut. The Black Coast is the start of an unmissable series filled with war-dragons, armoured knights, sea-faring raiders, dangerous magic and crowd-pleasing battle scenes.”

    The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buelhman

    “Set in a world of goblin wars, stag-sized battle ravens, and assassins who kill with deadly tattoos, Christopher Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief begins a ‘dazzling’ (Robin Hobb) fantasy adventure unlike any other.“

    She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

    “Mulan meets The Song of Achilles; an accomplished, poetic debut of war and destiny, sweeping across an epic alternate China.“

  • The Priory of the Orange Tree // First Discussion

    The Priory of the Orange Tree // First Discussion

    Happy Friday! I hope that everyone’s reading of The Priory of the Orange Tree is going well! I just got into it on Wednesday, finished the first 200 pages, and already working on the rest of the book. So far, it’s been dizzying with the amount of info and events going on. I’m enjoying the pacing. I like that it’s taking its time to reveal itself, that it’s richly developing, and I’m seeing a small amount of all these threads and how they interact with each other. I will try to avoid spoilers here, but so much has happened!

    This is most definitely going to be one of those spider-web stories where threads of individuals will all come together at some point. At this point, it’s finding out who the characters are and their significance to the story as well as keeping tabs on all the happenings to avoid missing something. I have already missed stuff and if I’m being fully honest, I want to go back and reread the first 200 pages again. I want to really immerse myself in this story and for myself, it feels like one of those stories I have to read carefully otherwise I’ll end up lost.

    But it also feels like the first 100 pages is a lot of setup and not enough getting to know the characters. I feel like there’s a TON of characters (enough for there to be a glossary of them in the back of the book. I highly suggest you check that out if you need help remembering everyone), but you know bits and pieces of them. It makes sense since all will be revealed, but it also feels uncertain. Who are the characters that we will be following throughout the story? What are the important components of the story?

    After the first 100 pages, it felt like it started to mellow out and draw its lines on who the main characters are, what the main issues are, and how they all interconnect in this world. The world itself is brilliant. I can already see a lot of Western and Eastern influences in the story intermingling together, which is kind of interesting. It reminds me a lot of the Chinese historical dramas I love to watch with flowing silk gowns, lots of fanfare, and a whole ton of trope-y goodness. And there are dragons. FULL STOP. There are so many dragons and they’re the kind of dragons you want them to be. Big, menacing, somewhat scary. I cannot wait to see more about this dragon.

    I might take my own advice and start the book again, which will be a pain since I’ve already read so much. But at the same time, I want to understand this book. It’s probably my own head where I didn’t give myself enough room after getting through most of my last book and then starting this. I think I might give myself the time to do it this weekend.

    UPDATE

    Ok I’m adding an update to this blog post because I re-read the first 200 pages and have quite a lot more thoughts.

    The religion. Has anyone else noticed there’s a heavy hand with a religious aspect in this book? The Virtudom having the Six Virtues to believe in and anything outside of that (which is the idea that Galian Berethnet was the person who slayed The Nameless One and founded Inys). I always find it intriguing when an author creates something like a culture or a faith within the story that the characters live under. I have a good feeling that this is going to be a bigger component to the rest of the novel. What do you think?

    Speaking to this, I also thought the royal engagement near the end of this section was kind of interesting. I feel like the royal intrigue in this story is extremely complex. You have Sabran who needs to get married and have a kid in order to protect Inys from The Nameless One. But she doesn’t seem like she wants to get married (completely understandable). I think the appearance of Fyredel really set in the importance of doing her duty, but with Sulyard and Truyde both saying that it isn’t Sabran’s line sealing The Nameless One I have a feeling that there’s going to be some real truths being revealed. This is probably the part of the story that’s intriguing the most at this point. What about you?

    I’m also super intrigued by Niclays. Out of all the characters, it feels like his involvement is a bit more separate. He’s not Ead and closely next to Sabran. I can imagine that his involvement with Sulyard and Tane will eventually come back in the future, but I wonder what he did to be exiled and if he plans on finally creating the elixir of life? We shall see.

    Finally, I just wanted to say that this book reads like a Chinese historical drama. Maybe it’s because I’ve been watching them a lot lately, but the royal intrigue and a bloodline protecting citizens from a great evil feels very much like the drama I just finished watching. I mentioned this earlier, but I’m seeing a lot of East Asian influence in the story as well as some European influence. I keep wondering if Samantha Shannon is into Chinese dramas as well.

    Questions

    • Who is your current favorite character?

    I’m currently in love with Ead. I find her story to be the most intriguing in the story so far. But I also like Tane. She seems to have some mysterious past too and I want to crack into that and dig a bit further. I think all the characters that have been introduced are so intriguing and I want to get to know them all way more.

    • What do you think of Fyredel and what do you make of its appearance?

    This was the scene that really blew me away! I won’t get into it, but I want to hear what your thoughts were. When I read this scene, I knew this was going to be the book for me.

    • Any theories you’ve created while reading the first 200 pages?

    I have some, but I’m not going to tell. It’s way too early to figure out if these theories are accurate! I also make wild theories, so I need to hold myself back.

    • What are the components that are keeping you engaged? What threads are you excited to follow?

    I’m intrigued by Sabran and the entire “you must have a baby soon to keep this kingdom alive.” Oooh yes. I must find out more on this. I’m also loving the backstory. All the clues leading up to the current state of the world always intrigue me and keep me reading. I must know all!

    Any other comments? Leave them below! Talk to you all next Friday as we read up to the halfway mark!

  • The Great Book Unhaul

    The Great Book Unhaul

    The end of a year always comes with some tension. There’s books I want to read, but haven’t had a chance to. There’s books I’ve said I’ll read, but probably won’t. Books from publishers that I considered to cover on the blog and on Instagram. Books I bought on a whim, but aren’t interested in reading anymore. Plus the backlist. OMG my backlist.

    Every year, my TBR gets bigger and bigger. And despite the number of books I read each year, it doesn’t seem to lessen. It’s like this snow beast that continues to grow with every dip down a snowy decline. So last month, I did a ruthless unhaul of most of my TBR. I went through my physical books, my ebooks, and even some of the audiobooks I’ve collected and made some very difficult decisions on what I want to keep and read and what I’ll just be leaving for whenever I get to them in the future.

    Most of the books I own are sent to me by various publishers and promotional places to possibly promote on my Instagram account and blog. Sadly, I get more books per month than I can actually read. I get A LOT and I’m not complaining about this. I’m so thankful and grateful for all the books I receive, but there’s no possible way for me to read through them all and stay on top of it unless I become super discerning with what I have sent to me.

    I really had to ask myself the hardest question any reader should ask; will I actually read this book? And you really need to know yourself if you decide to do this and actually ask this question. Of course books that I didn’t finish or didn’t like are removed right away, but the hardest part was discerning if a book I’ve never read will be worth the read. Obviously, you can’t answer that question until you actually read it. But I trust myself and know what I’m capable of and I took a lot of advice from Marie Kondo. Will this book bring me joy to read? Will it be something I will want to keep for years to come?

    My main objective in this is to have a TBR that I can actually get through. Having an objective while you’re doing this will keep you on track. If you don’t have an objective, you might find yourself going through this list and adding things that will again dwell on your shelf. I don’t know if this will in any way help with that, but so far, it’s been in a holding pattern especially now that less books are coming in from publishers. I only plan on doing one big challenge next year, but after that it’s all what I want to read. After this year with the pandemic and always being stressed out and filled with anxiety, I want a year of reading that’s so laid back you’ll hardly recognize my TBR at the end of it.

    So I went through all the books. I wrote down every title I decided to keep and created an entire spreadsheet with them. As I read them, I’ll mark them off this spreadsheet. I don’t think the spreadsheet is completely necessary, but at the same time I love spreadsheets.

    Any of the books that didn’t make the cut are going to be donated to the local library and used bookshops in the area (eventually when things reopen). If I put it in the unhaul pile, it’s mostly because I could easily get the book from the library. If I fall in love with a book from the library, then I’ll just buy a copy for myself.

    As I let go of the books I knew I would either read later or never read, I realized I’ve collected books for series that I won’t read. I’ve got books that sounded intriguing at the time, but truthfully I don’t think I’ll read. Books in genres I don’t read that I somehow kept because I was optimistic that my feelings about the genre will change (they haven’t), and books I just don’t want in my collection.

    Here’s some highlights

    I decided to let go of series I said I’ll finish, but I never will. That includes Sarah J Maas and Cassandra Clare. I’ve been saying for years that I’ll eventually read all of Throne of Glass and all of The Mortal Instruments. Years have gone by to the point where I don’t care anymore. I’ve read much better fantasy books since I’ve collected these and I wasn’t a fan of the books in the Throne of Glass series that I actually read. So, they’re going in the unhaul pile.

    I always emphasize understanding the genres you really love reading. What are the components of a book that make you read them? Knowing this is a magic ticket to assessing the rest of your TBR. While I worked on this unhaul, I considered the books from genres outside of science fiction and fantasy. Some of the books had magical realism, others had components of science fiction or fantasy in them, but what I realized is that I‘m not that excited about books that feature components of the genres I love. I love me a good old fantasy book and I love a great science fiction adventure. But I don’t think I’ll be spending my time reading about dystopian universes where big box companies like Amazon run the entire world. I’m just not into it!

    I didn’t want to delete the books on my e-reader mostly because the e-reader books don’t bother me as much as the physical books I have to look at everyday. So what I did was remove the downloads and kept the book. On my particular e-reader, I have the option to view only the downloaded books. I’ve been using filters and creating collections so I can hide the books I won’t read and put the books I want to read front and center. So far, I like it. I will deal with the books I have on here that I won’t read in the future. Who knows, maybe after I get through the books I want to read, I’ll prioritize the books that I’ve hidden.

    Speaking specifically to genre, I also considered the age of the book. I mean, who the book is written for. I love reading YA fiction, but not every YA fantasy story connects with me. Some are spectacular, but there’s a lot of okay books out there too. For those, I took a bit more time discerning whether I’ll read these or not. I took out a ton of the contemporary stories that looked cute, but aren’t really calling me anymore. I kept the books written by authors of color or speak to a group of people since those interest me more than just a love story. Many of the books on my TBR are still YA fantasy, but I’ve eliminated ones I know I won’t like or ones I’ll just read at the library.

    The last thing I wanted to mention is that removing these books from my physical collection doesn’t mean that I’ll never read them. It’s just a hassle to keep them. At some point in the future if I decide to read these books, I’ll borrow them from the library. If I like them enough to want a copy, then I can go ahead and buy the book again. I would much rather keep the books that I have read and loved than keep the books that all have big question marks on them.

    I know there are probably books in that unhaul pile that I wish I kept or will regret putting there. I’m taking a big risk especially since I haven’t read the books, but I’m okay with it. I’d much rather borrow the books from the library in the future, read it when I’m fully ready to embrace it, and then make my decisions that way. I don’t want the book to languish in a pile for years without ever being read. But I also feel like if I loved the book and want to keep a copy, I’ll buy it.

  • A Goodbye Note to Book Expo and BookCon

    A Goodbye Note to Book Expo and BookCon

    Early this week, there was news that one of the biggest industry and fan-based book festivals will be retiring. Book Expo and BookCon. You can read more about this here.

    Obviously, I’m a little sad about this. The world has seen a lot of changes this year with the pandemic and that includes the loss of various book festivals. One of my most highly anticipated events and one of my favorite events have been retired and it’s difficult to get over.

    BookCon was one of those events I planned a year in advance. When I lived in New York, I would create spreadsheets of all the panels I wanted to go to, the ARC distribution times I needed to wait in line for. I would always go with my bookish best friend and we would wander the halls of the Javits Center eating really crappy chicken fingers and waiting in line to see my favorite author. You haven’t lived until you’ve grabbed an ARC of the most highly anticipated novel of the year off the hands of a frantic marketing intern working at the PRH booth. Book Expo was an event I coveted going to as well. I never got the chance to go, but I would have loved to see what an industry-specific event would look like, how it moves and inspires those who sell books.

    And just like so many things that have happened in this year, it’s gone.

    Festivals like this are so informative and fun. You meet many of your favorite authors, you go to different panels where they discuss the themes or topics or even just the book they’ve written. You do fun fan-centric things at the different booths. And of course, you get deep discounts on your books as well as nab some incredible ARCs of the books everyone is excited about. The best part is finding friends you either spoke to on the internet or made while you wandered around. As readers, we tend to spend a lot of time alone with our books. We have thoughts and feelings that we need to share and we go online to find friends who want to chat about it. Having events like BookCon were a way for friends to come together in real life and have those bookish chats together.

    I heard that they’re going to find a virtual way of hosting these events in the future, but honestly I don’t think that’s feasible. There’s something about in-person events that make them more fun. I know it’s easy to sit down to a Zoom call and face your favorite author, but seeing them in the flesh and breathing the same air as them is really magical too. Plus, there’s always the possibility of grabbing a photo or getting your book signed.

    I’m truly going to miss BookCon. It was always a highlight of my years in the past. Luckily I’m still friends with some of the folks I’ve met in the past and hopefully there will be other conventions and festivals to attend in the future…whenever that might be. I leave you with some joyful images from the last time I went to BookCon in 2018 (plays Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You”).

    • Kevin Kwan signing copies of Crazy Rich Asians
    • When I met Hannah for the first time!
    • The lines! Good thing us readers have books to keep us company.
    • Meeting Charlie Jane Anders!
    • Randomly coming across a trio of my favorite YA authors: (L to R) Marie Lu, Sabaa Tahir, Nicola Yoon
    • More friends! I loved this because this is when I told these ladies I was huge fans of their page and they said the same thing about me!
    • Lovely ladies from a Bookstagram event hosted by PRH
    • I will miss you, BookCon!
  • Reading and Knitting: big worlds, cabled sweaters, and Taylor Swift

    Reading and Knitting: big worlds, cabled sweaters, and Taylor Swift

    At some point in September, I was on the Lionbrand website looking at different challenging sweaters to make. I could do a color-worked sweater or a cable knit sweater. I could start another top-down sweater or try my hand at pieces that I would need to sew together. The options for sweaters were endless, but then something caught my eye. It was a little white cardigan with a dark stripe detail and tons and tons of cables. It’s affectionately called The Folklore Sweater.

    Now, the reason why it’s called The Folklore Sweater is because it’s a design based off the cardigan in Taylor Swift’s cardigan music video. Here’s a reference to that here:

    While I originally watched the video when it first came out, the cardigan in it didn’t impact me as much as the rest of the video did. But then, Taylor Swift was selling similar cardigans on her website. Looking at the ticket price of $50 USD, I thought to myself that I could try and make this cardigan for myself and save a little bit of money. It looked so cozy and comforting when Taylor Swift wore it and the photo of the person modeling the cardigan looked to enjoy it too. So why not make this cardigan?

    After I received the materials, I tried my hand on creating it. Like I always do when I start a project, I first created a swatch to match the gauge. However, I must have gotten my wires crossed or missed something because after I made my swatch, my finished cardigan came out a little differently. Now, there’s nothing wrong with not gauging your work, but as even Michelle Obama has learned during her knitting trials, gauge is super important to make sure your knitted project actually fits. Imagine taking all the time that it takes to make a unique sweater only to realize after you’re done that it doesn’t fit. That’s where gauge comes in. You make this swatch to ensure that when you’re done, your piece will actually fit. Because everyone knits differently, this trick helps in the long run.

    After starting the back of the cardigan, I already noticed I was in over my head. OMG, I guess when the pattern said “Intermediate” level knitter, I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. When you look at the back of the cardigan, you can see that there is a lot of intricate work on it. Each of those bands are called cables and they each had their own pattern. So when you’re working on the pattern, you’re repeating those steps to the length that’s required. But each of these cables had their own pattern, so it was massively exhausting to remember to twist every 3rd row or twist every 6th row. The middle diamonds were even harder. Not only was I twisting my stitches, but I was also working a pattern for the middle of the diamonds. I honestly thought my head was going to explode. I was also worried I wouldn’t be able to listen to books while I made this piece because it required so much concentration!

    But after a while, the pattern started to be more repetitive and I could easily remember to twist the stitches when I needed to. But it was that initial hurdle I had to jump. I had to push myself beyond the confusion and constant counting in my head before I could nearly do this blindfolded. The back is probably the biggest hurdle on this sweater because it’s the first part you have to work on. After that, the front pieces and the sleeves were much easier to make.

    As I was finishing up the sleeves, I was looking at the pieces individually and thinking about how I’m not liking it. The ribbing looked off. I messed up one of the eight cables on the back. I didn’t like how sloppy it was coming out. The yarn itself was scratchy and actually made my fingers ache to keep tension. I frogged (took apart) my project three times and started over. There were even problems with the rest of the cardigan. The sleeves don’t match. The design is wonky on the back and the front. If you look closely at the sweater, there are several different flaws.

    This was also my first sweater I had in pieces and had to sew together. I’m still working on learning how to sew sweaters together, but that along with blocking the pieces separately were probably the most clueless I felt about the entire thing.

    But at the same time, as I was putting this sweater together and trying it on for the first time, I couldn’t stop loving it. OMG the moment I put my arms through the sleeves and finally felt the pieces of this sweater, it actually became a comfort I couldn’t take off. Like I mentioned before, I somehow messed up the sizing, but the sleeves fit, the back fit, everything fit! All my worries about it not fitting me were out the window and now I have a beautiful cardigan to wear on the cooler days in Southern California.

    My biggest takeaway is that I’m a little too hard on myself. While I can complain about how many times I had to restart a sleeve or how confused I felt while blocking and sewing the pieces together, in the end, the cardigan came out beautifully. My biggest learn is that my focus is on the wrong things. Instead of finding the faults and punishing myself for doing a bad job, I should be happy with the end results and see these flaws as a unique quality to the piece. It’s not perfect, but neither am I and I’m okay with it. Because in the end, no one is going to see the flaws like I do. They’ll see a wonderfully hand-knit sweater that reminds them a little bit of that one Taylor Swift song.

    Books Read

    Of course there was a few books keeping me company as I made this sweater. I traveled back in time on a cruise through Egypt. I traveled to alternate forms of London. I even went back to Brooklyn to hear the horrors of gentrifying small neighborhoods. I even returned to the Shattered Plains. All of these books were such a comfort to me while I made my cardigan. I will say the only regret I have is listening to Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. I loved the book, but I needed more focus to read it. I was talking to a friend after reading it and he pointed out some big component of the story that I somehow overlooked. I love reading audiobooks, but I might have to keep my bigger fantasy reads to actual books.

  • December 2020 Buddy Read: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

    December 2020 Buddy Read: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

    Hi hello!

    A couple of months ago, someone mentioned to me that they would love to buddy read The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon with me. I couldn’t be more excited to read the book, but I’m having trouble remembering who I spoke to about it.

    But that conversation gave me an idea. I have always wanted to do more buddy reads or read-alongs as a part of the blog, so why not start with this one? It might not work out, but it makes me happy to create content like this where I can share with you all and you can share with me. I’m so excited for this one in particular because it’s been on my list for a very long time and it’s been one of my goals for 2020.

    I first need to proclaim my endless love for Samantha Shannon. Her first book, The Bone Season, was one of the books that made me into a fantasy reader. I think I remember she was just 21 when she wrote it and had this whole 8-book deal with her publisher. I know that only a few of the books are out now (and I need to catch up on the series), but I will always remember The Bone Season for its world building and legendary characters. It’s a bit of an urban fantasy with a very big magic system that runs underground. It’s a story that I’ve read on multiple occasions, but when I saw she created a high fantasy standalone book, I knew I had to have it. The only issue is, I never made time for it.

    I chose The Priory of the Orange Tree because this book is BIG and I know that many folks are probably very intimidated by its size. But I took some time to look at how big the book is and slice it down to about 200 pages per week throughout the month of December. I think the book looks bigger than it is especially since I’ve devoured 800-page novels before, but we shall see and I hope you join us!

    The Schedule

    Each week, I’ll be reading 200 pages of the book and then I’ll be including a discussion post with my thoughts and questions at the end of every week. You don’t have to follow this schedule at all! If you want to read it in one sitting and read my thoughts on each section, go for it. If you wanna follow along, I hope you come back here and join in on the conversation! The dates are when I’ll be updating the blog with my thoughts so far:

    • December 11 – 1-206
    • December 18 – 207-404
    • December 25 – 405-610
    • December 31 – 611-804 (end of book)

    Here’s more about the book

    I have a feeling this one is going to be filled with twists and turns. I always think this when the synopsis is too bare bones to explain anything. Here goes nothing.

    A world divided.
    A queendom without an heir.
    An ancient enemy awakens. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction–but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tan has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

    Will you be joining in?

  • November 2020 Bookish Wrap Up

    November 2020 Bookish Wrap Up

    Happy Monday and happy last day of November! I can’t believe we’re here again!

    Around this time of year, I’m always feeling a little bit of fatigue from reading. I think it’s because the year is winding down and all I want to do is watch comforting movies and eat cookies and hang out with my family. But because of COVID, I think I’m feeling it a bit more expontentially so a month of reading some lighter books while eating an entire tray of apple pie leftover from Thanksgiving is sometimes a necessity.

    Looking at my reads from November, it looks like I was allergic to fantasy books. I read two fantasy and the rest were contemporary or romance fiction. However, I did read two fantastic fantasy books that are now treasured stories and authors who I’ve put on my pedestal of great fantasy authors. There’s only a few folks up on this list, so adding a few more makes me feel so good.

    I also got to read an excellent graphic novel that stirred my heart and actually brought a tear to my eye. I’m grateful for a lovely graphic novel as well especially when the story is very straightforward and easy to read and fall in love with.

    My Favorites of the Month

    The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

    This was such a great fantasy story and one that rivals authors like Brandon Sanderson. Evan Winter masterly creates a fantasy novel with characters you want to know. It’s a military fantasy, but it’s also got a little bit of romance, a lot of revenge, and a story that moves. Honestly, I was surprised with how quickly I was getting through the book! It keeps you on the edge of your seat and the scenes all feel realistic. Evan Winter is also brutal, but the way the story moves will really make you a fan. I loved the intrigue and the plot and all the characters. While there is one central main character, I do feel like there’s a bit of an ensemble and it’s a cast you will definitely back.

    Heartstopper Vol 1 and Vol 2 by Alice Oseman

    I received a copy of these graphic novels for a promotion I had later in the month. Luckily, they were quick reads and I finished them in two separate sittings. I laughed. I shed a tear. It made my little cold heart feel things (lol). Charlie and Nick were such sweet characters who really took care of each other and as their friendship blossoms into something else, so do some of the bigger questions and discussions from the book.

    Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

    I have to say, I’m blown away by this book. The synopsis is just the tip of the iceberg of this story and while yes, what is said does happen, there’s so much more complexity to it. The story is written in four different perspectives from four different groups of people existing in this fantasy novel based off of pre-Columbian folklore. Like Rebecca Roanhorse says, this book is entirely made up, but there are components to the story that live within indigenous storytelling. I think this is my first time reading a story of this kind and I’m completely enthralled. I want more and need more books like this.

    Honorable Mention