Happy Friday! I took the week off from writing and sharing content with you mostly because I’ve been a little out of sorts. I’m feeling better, but sometimes you need to step away from things and figure out your next steps. It’s also been trying with everything happening in the news, our world, and on social media. I’ve been taking frequent breaks from the Internet because one piece of news can derail the entire day for me. It’s frustrating for sure, but keeping my focus on my projects, my reading, and my personal life have helped keep the mental demons away. Hope you’re doing enough to take care of yourself too.
Song of the Week
This song has been playing on repeat for the past week! Seriously, I’m not a huge fan of Ariana Grande, but I’m always looking for a good pop hit to listen to on walks and basically anywhere else. This is a perfect little nugget of music for me! Funny enough, her new album also dropped, so you might get into that this weekend as well. I hope you enjoy it too.
What I’m Reading
Truthfully, I’m reading a lot! Thanks to audiobooks, I’ve been reading more than I’m normally reading. But now I want to take a second to relax and read an actual book. I didn’t get to read all the books I assigned for October (more on that next month), but I’m currently into:
I know I’m a little bit late to the spooky train and I’m not sure why it’s taking me this long to get into these books, but that’s where I’m at right now. I’m so excited to read Vampires Never Get Old because it features some of my favorite YA authors, but also I’ve been looking for some representation with some of my favorite fictional characters.
This one will hopefully be the last book I read in October. I’ve been saving it for the end of the month and I can’t believe the end of the month is already here. I feel like time is just slipping by, but hopefully I’ll be able to read all the books I want to before it’s all sand in the hourglass. So far, I’m loving it. Witchy schools of magic, dark magic, and so much intrigue happening. It’s definitely right up my alley, so I’ll be enjoying this as I get into it.
I tried to resist Midnight Sun for a while, but I was on such a vampire kick and it being this close to Halloween that I couldn’t help myself. So far, it’s been a lot of Edward trying not to eat Bella (lol). It reads differently than the first books because it’s through Edward’s point of view, so the writing style is a bit more eloquent. Meaning, that it’s not coming from a 17-year-old living in the 21st century, but an 117-year-old living in the 21st century. I’m not really reading this with the intention of having much discourse, but to have a little bit of fun. Sometimes you need to have a bit of fun
Up Next Week
Well, next week is the election in the United States. I don’t know about you, but I’m nervous. And you probably have already heard this from everyone around you (especially if you live in the United States), but don’t forget to vote. While mail-in voting might not be viable anymore, you can still drop your ballot off at an official voting location. My husband and I plan to drop them off ourselves and make sure our votes are counted.
But let’s not think about that for now. We have a few more days before that decision is finalized and one thing to look forward to is Halloween. While I won’t be out partying or trick or treating this year, I do plan on making some fun treats, staying at home, watching some not-so-spooky movies, and knitting my heart out. I’ll also be sharing my wrap up, the status of my TBR, and more.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about bringing more content to the blog and one of the things I’ve always wanted to do is put together a little highlight of my week. Then I thought, why not make them Fridays and have them be a little treat to start your weekend? Well, then I was completely sold! So this is the first of hopefully many Friday blog posts where I let my hair down and give you a bit of the feel goods. Let’s start with a song:
I don’t know if it’s because of the cardigan I’ve been working on or something else happening in my soul, but Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” has been stuck in my head for the past few days. I’m not at all mad about this, but I am concerned that it’s not “Cardigan” especially since I’m making the thing.
What I’m Reading
Speaking of my knitting, I wanted to give you a little sneak peek into my progress. At this point, I’m 75% into Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (which I’m absolutely loving. This is IT, people!) and I’ve made the back of the cardigan and one of the front sides. I’m currently working on the second side and I plan on finishing up the sleeves this weekend. I also hope to finish Words of Radiance before the weekend even begins.
After that, I need to read Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie for my book club. I’ve never read anything by Agatha Christie, so I’m very intrigued to see what her writing style is like. I’ve seen Murder on the Orient Express and if the twist at the end of the movie is any indication of how Agatha Christie writes, well, then I might already be sold. Our book club picked this one because of the recent news that it’s being made into a movie!
I just watched the trailer and wow, that’s kind of selling me on the book. You can check it out here. Also, my friend told me the guy that plays Hercule Poirot is actually the same dude that played Gilderoy Lockheart in one of the Harry Potter movies. He also directed both Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express and he’s also done a ton of other work. It kind of surprised me because Gilderoy Lockheart is such a big character and imagining the actor playing him doing something entirely different surprised me in a good way.
Up Next Week
Next week is Halloween week! I’m so excited, but I’m actually clueless as to what to do about candy. Now that we live in a more suburban neighborhood, I can imagine there are more kids in the area. Heck, my next door neighbor has two kids who will probably have some sort of Halloween plans. But with COVID and social distancing, I don’t know if there will be any kids out. I’ll probably go out and buy the candy anyway because hey, if the kids won’t eat it, then I will.
What’s your favorite Halloween candy? I think mine is anything chocolate. I usually eat the Almond Joys because I love coconut and almonds but also because no one ever eats them and I get to have them all to myself. But if I had to really choose, it would probably be the mini peanut butter cups. Give me chocolate and peanut butter any day and you have me.
My book club is also meeting at the end of the week! I’m excited because it’ll be the first meeting of Simone and Her Book Club. I know there will probably be some logistical issues and I’ll need to create a bunch of content for it, but I’m excited and I can’t wait to really get into our book discussions. This month, we read A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab. I figured it would be a great alternate to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue especially since that book came out this month and demand for it is probably ridiculously high.
A Darker Shade of Magic would be a reread for me. This was the first book from VE Schwab I read and also one of the very first books that inspired my fantasy reading life. I think it was the combination of bringing real life elements like London and creating an entire fantasy world around it. I think there are a few overlaps, but this isn’t the same London we all know and love. And the magic is dark. I thought that component especially would be good for October since it is spooky month!
Aside from that, I’m finishing out the month! Get ready for a bunch of wrap ups and TBR posts and all the excitement of starting another month of reading.
If you live in an area of the world where you don’t see the foliage, or watch the seasons change, or your weather never dips too far below 55 degrees F, then this is the post for you.
My whole life, I’ve lived in New York where the trees turn russet colors and the chill in the air really makes you want to bundle up and get cozy. I had a ritual for my fall times that included pumpkin spice lattes and apple cider donuts. I would spend hours sitting in the park all bundled up with my warm drink and my book and enjoying the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves on the tree. The crunchy sound of dead leaves under your feet is also one of my favorite sounds in the world.
But when I moved to Southern California, that all changed. While everyone is getting ready to do some pumpkin picking and drinking warm spiced lattes, I’m still wearing shorts and sweating it out at home. There’s never really a grey day here. It gets grey in the morning, but then by mid-morning, it’s all sun and blue skies. You can wear shorts every single day. There are trees, but they’re the kind that never turn colors and perpetually stay green all season long.
Despite the wonderful little sunny place I live in, I still want my fall rituals. Sadly, I can’t do much of that because if I did, I’m pretty sure I’ll end up in the hospital with heat exposure. But the fall vibes are strong within me and despite the heat, I want a little bit of that fall season in my house. How do I get that without sweating my butt off? Here’s some small changes I made to my little world to invoke that Fall spirit without the Fall weather.
Get the pumpkins things
I mean, get all the pumpkins, but get the smaller hardier baby pumpkins to decorate around your house. It might be too warm to keep a pumpkin outside (especially if they’re real pumpkins because they’ll rot in the sun), but if you decorate your home with little pumpkins and even buy some pumpkin decor, then you’ll get the cozy vibes right away.
Pumpkins are also readily available in warm cities despite the weather. I mean, they also advertise to make stews and casseroles, but I’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I can stock up on pine cones and pumpkins. If I do some digging online, I could also find artificial leaves, acorns, pine cones, and more pumpkins. These are perfect for filling baskets and setting dining tables or even just sticking in the corner of your home to give you that fall vibe. I love having pumpkins in my reading nook too!
Wear a cardigan over your shorts and dresses
One of the biggest parts of the fall is switching out your warm weather clothes for cooler weather. Sadly, that doesn’t happen here because it’s hot all year round. However, there’s a small pocket of time every morning that gets cool enough for you to have a little fall time vibes and it’s a perfect time to break out a cardigan.
All you have to do is put on the outfit you would normally wear for the hot weather. I like to switch it up between summer dresses and shorts and t-shirt. After that, slip on a cardigan or even a flannel shirt over your outfit. This will give you the sense of comfort against those chilly SoCal mornings. I also like to step out into our little backyard area with my morning coffee to get the full effect of that cool weather feeling.
Once the weather warms up, then you can easily remove the cardigan or flannel and be prepared for the hot weather for the rest of the day. The evenings are also a perfect time to wear those cardigans. I also love wearing them at the grocery store. I tend to run chilly when the AC is on full blast in a store, so I always bring a cardigan or a flannel to throw over my clothes. Although I don’t care about feeling cozy while on a grocery run. lol.
Buy all the Fall time candles
You may not have crunchy leaves and warm spices baking in the oven, but you can invoke those spirits by buying scented candles. Similarly to pumpkins at grocery stores, stores like Bath and Body Works and Target are already putting out their fall time candles. This is a perfect way to get those fall vibes. I’m a huge fan of good scents, so I always stock up on vanilla pumpkin candles from Trader Joe’s, fall time candles from Target, and cozy scents from Bath and Body Works.
Candles also are low heat, so you’re not going to be sweltering with a candle or two burning. It’ll provide a lovely afternoon of reading without sweating it out.
Read Fall time books
Fall time is always the best time to be reading. I guess every season is the best time to be reading because you’re reading! But something about the fall really wants to make you open a book and sit for a few hours with some soft jazz music in the background. As you all know, I’m reading a lot of fantasy this fall. I especially love reading books that are set at a school of magic. I recently finished Lobizona by Romina Garber. It blew me away by being a book that takes place at a school of magic, but also the scenes within the forest and the natural elements Garber writes in makes for a very cozy read while also super packed with action and adventure.
You can also read Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. The entire series of Practical Magic books just give you that cozy witchy vibe without too much gore or too much wild fantasy elements.
If fantasy isn’t for you, I would suggest some horror or thriller fiction to get your spooky on. This is the perfect time to read the big horror books like IT by Stephen King or The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. You by Carolines Kepnes is always good for that suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat feeling. My go to every Fall for the spooky vibes is The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker. This is the book that inspired the movie, Hellraiser, which is still to this day one of the scariest movies I’ve ever watched.
Drink warm beverages
While I know this one isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but I always make some hot tea in the afternoon. I’m actually a huge fan of hot drinks over cold drinks in general, so this isn’t something too off base for me. I know not everyone reaches for hot coffee when it’s 90 degrees out, but if you love a warm beverage, you can easily switch your fruity herbal teas for ones that are a bit more spicy. Teas like chai are my go-to for this time of year, but I also love using my slow cooker to mull apple cider. It’s also the perfect time to make pumpkin spice coffee! All you have to do is put a teaspoon of pumpkin spice blend in your morning coffee basket and let them brew together. You’ll have pumpkin spice coffee without having to buy pumpkin spice coffee!
All of this to say, there’s many ways to get the fall feeling without having to sacrifice your shorts and t-shirts in the blazing summer sun. But the best part about living in Southern California is that our winters are basically our fall, so while everyone is hating the cold we’ll be basking in our fall.
Happy Pub Day! While I didn’t get enough sleep last night and kind of feeling it this morning, I’m excited that it’s publishing Tuesday. Perhaps I’ll treat myself to a couple of these since I didn’t get to sleep all that much and probably could use a book or two before bed. Here’s my picks for today:
While I haven’t had a chance to read Danforth’s first novel, this one seems like something that will definitely delight me. I’m going to give myself some grace though because her last book wasn’t written for adults, so I’m going to say that’s the reason I didn’t hear of her. However, this one sounds exactly like something I would get into. It takes place at a school. Nefarious things happen there. I mean, you had me at “horror-comedy.”
Our story begins in 1902, at The Brookhants School for Girls. Flo and Clara, two impressionable students, are obsessed with each other and with a daring young writer named Mary MacLane, the author of a scandalous bestselling memoir. To show their devotion to Mary, the girls establish their own private club and call it The Plain Bad Heroine Society. They meet in secret in a nearby apple orchard, the setting of their wildest happiness and, ultimately, of their macabre deaths. This is where their bodies are later discovered with a copy of Mary’s book splayed beside them, the victims of a swarm of stinging, angry yellow jackets. Less than five years later, The Brookhants School for Girls closes its doors forever—but not before three more people mysteriously die on the property, each in a most troubling way.
Over a century later, the now abandoned and crumbling Brookhants is back in the news when wunderkind writer, Merritt Emmons, publishes a breakout book celebrating the queer, feminist history surrounding the “haunted and cursed” Gilded-Age institution. Her bestselling book inspires a controversial horror film adaptation starring celebrity actor and lesbian it girl Harper Harper playing the ill-fated heroine Flo, opposite B-list actress and former child star Audrey Wells as Clara. But as Brookhants opens its gates once again, and our three modern heroines arrive on set to begin filming, past and present become grimly entangled—or perhaps just grimly exploited—and soon it’s impossible to tell where the curse leaves off and Hollywood begins.
A story within a story within a story and featuring black-and-white period illustrations, Plain Bad Heroines is a devilishly haunting, modern masterwork of metafiction that manages to combine the ghostly sensibility of Sarah Waters with the dark imagination of Marisha Pessl and the sharp humor and incisive social commentary of Curtis Sittenfeld into one laugh-out-loud funny, spellbinding, and wonderfully luxuriant read.
Prior to my research on what’s being published today, I hadn’t heard about this book. However, I had heard of Ashley Poston as she’s famous for her fantasy YA novels Geekerella and The Princess and the Fangirl which is a series that takes classic fairy tales and retells them with a modern twist. Among the Beasts and Briarsseems like Ashley Poston’s moved on from retellings to telling her own story. I can’t wait to check this one out and see! Also, this cover is absolutely gorgeous.
Cerys is safe in the kingdom of Aloriya.
Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything. The most danger she faces now, as a gardener’s daughter, is the annoying fox who stalks the royal gardens and won’t leave her alone.
As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions the small fox from the garden, a strange and powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home. But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive.
As a huge fan of Neil Gaiman’s work, I am so excited about the Neil Gaiman Reader. I don’t think I’ve read books like this before, but from its description, it sounds like a collection of short stories written by Neil Gaiman. If you’re a fan of magic existing in the real world right under your very own nose, then you should definitely give Neil Gaiman a chance. His writing always exports me to a new world and I’m always so inspired by his work.
Spanning Gaiman’s career to date, The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction is a captivating collection from one of the world’s most beloved writers, chosen by those who know his work best: his devoted readers.
A brilliant representation of Gaiman’s groundbreaking, entrancing, endlessly imaginative fiction, this captivating volume includes excerpts from each of his five novels for adults —Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anansi Boys, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane—and nearly fifty of his short stories.
Impressive in its depth and range, The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction is both an entryway to Gaiman’s oeuvre and a literary trove Gaiman fans old and new will return to many times over.
Oh, another fairy tale retelling that I’m immediately drawn to because I love fairy tale retellings? Of course, this one is also based on Snow White, but this is one sounds like it’s more what do you do when the Evil Queen gets what she wanted feeling.
Once upon a time, a girl named Sophie rode into the forest with the queen’s huntsman. Her lips were the color of ripe cherries, her skin as soft as new-fallen snow, her hair as dark as midnight. When they stopped to rest, the huntsman took out his knife . . . and took Sophie’s heart.
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Sophie had heard the rumors, the whispers. They said she was too kind and foolish to rule — a waste of a princess. A disaster of a future queen. And Sophie believed them. She believed everything she’d heard about herself, the poisonous words people use to keep girls like Sophie from becoming too powerful, too strong . . .
With the help of seven mysterious strangers, Sophie manages to survive. But when she realizes that the jealous queen might not be to blame, Sophie must find the courage to face an even more terrifying enemy, proving that even the darkest magic can’t extinguish the fire burning inside every girl, and that kindness is the ultimate form of strength.
I’m so thankful that the weather is finally subsiding and I can bake. I try not to bake too much because my husband has a sweet tooth and that usually means that baked goods last less than a day in my house. But I love filling the house with scent of spices and that warm and toasty feeling you get when you’re biting into a warm chocolate chip cookie. I’m so glad baking is finally returning.
Recently, I went to my local Trader Joe’s to stock up on all the fun fall goodies. It’s pumpkin season! But contrary to many of the pumpkin lovers out there, I’m more of an apple person. So I picked up a jar of my favorite peanut butter (crunchy and without sugar) and a little jar of Apple Cider Fruit Spread and decided to make a batch of my favorite peanut butter and jelly cookies.
When I opened the fruit spread, omg. It was heavenly. The spread itself tastes and smells like the inside of an apple pie. Take away that crust and that’s basically what this stuff is. I knew this would taste so good with the cookies and the added crunchy texture from the peanut butter gave the cookies a bit more crunch! I was so excited about the lovely and bubbly results that I went ahead and wrote the recipe down.
This recipe is originally written for Food Network, but I made the change of jam to make these a fun fall time treat. It takes seconds to put together with things inside your pantry and bake up in about 20 minutes. My favorite part is watching the gooey fruit spread centers bubble right after pulling them from the oven.
Fall time is most definitely here and my future is bright with cookies.
Ah, another glorious morning with some great books being published that I can’t not talk about! I’m actually very excited about today’s pub day because there’s some really great stories on my TBR that are also on this list. Some I’m reading this month and others in the coming months ahead. Here’s what I’m excited about publishing today:
I’m really excited about this one because it doesn’t sound like the regular fantasy story with a strong female lead trying to overcome the odds to win her family or war or whatever. This was a little bit different and I appreciate that every once in a while. Also, I really love fairy tale retellings and I haven’t seen one for Pinnochio yet, so that’s even more exciting.
Pinocchio meets Frankenstein in this dark fairy tale retelling where a young girl is commissioned to build an assassin for a dark-hearted tyrant.
Impressed by the work of the puppetmaster and his apprentice, Tavia’s ruler, The Margrave, has ordered dozens of life-size marionette soldiers to be sent to Wolfspire Hall. When the orders for more soldiers come in with increasingly urgent deadlines, the puppetmaster’s health suffers and Pirouette, his daughter and protégé, is left to build in his stead. But there is something far more twisted brewing at Wolfspire—the Margrave’s son wants Pirouette to create an assassin. And he wants her to give it life.
With Tavia teetering on the brink of war and her father dying in the dungeons, Pirouette has no choice but to accept. Racing against the rise of the next blue moon—the magic that will bring her creations to life—she can’t help but wonder, is she making a masterpiece…or a monster?
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ten Thousand Doors of January, but I really loved Alix E Harrow’s writing. Being a debut novel, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and wanted to see what she comes up with next. I think this might be on my level. Also, I’m developing a love for historical fantasies and I know Harrow will deliver.
In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters–James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna–join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.
I heard about this one through bookstagram when folks were sharing Indigenous authors to read. When I heard it was a fantasy novel, well, that definitely peaked my attention.
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade.
First, I have to say that I really love P Djeli Clark’s writing. He’s only written a few novellas (and I think he’s publishing a full length novel soon), but I absolutely love his Alternate Cairo books. When I heard he wrote a book about a young Black woman who has magical powers and kicks the KKK’s ass (who are using nefarious black magic to do their dirty dealings), I got a little excited lol. I have to admit, this sounds like one of those stories that will have you rooting for the heroine the entire way through.
D. W. Griffith is a sorcerer, and The Birth of a Nation is a spell that drew upon the darkest thoughts and wishes from the heart of America. Now, rising in power and prominence, the Klan has a plot to unleash Hell on Earth.
Luckily, Maryse Boudreaux has a magic sword and a head full of tales. When she’s not running bootleg whiskey through Prohibition Georgia, she’s fighting monsters she calls “Ku Kluxes.” She’s damn good at it, too. But to confront this ongoing evil, she must journey between worlds to face nightmares made flesh–and her own demons. Together with a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter, Maryse sets out to save a world from the hate that would consume it.
I heard that this one was a fantasy romance, which if I’m being honest, I haven’t read much of. Does Sarah J Maas count? Either way, I want to get into that genre because it’s a mix of two of my favorites. I’m hoping to read this one this month because it sounds so interesting and I can definitely do with a little romance.
Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar that will cut off her powers to protect her unborn children. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus and pursuing magic as her calling as men do, but her family has staked everything to equip her for Bargaining Season, when young men and women of means descend upon the city to negotiate the best marriages. The Clayborns are in severe debt, and only she can save them, by securing an advantageous match before their creditors come calling.
In a stroke of luck, Beatrice finds a grimoire that contains the key to becoming a Magus, but before she can purchase it, a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help her get it back, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice’s first kiss . . . with her adversary’s brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan.
The more Beatrice is entangled with the Lavan siblings, the harder her decision becomes: If she casts the spell to become a Magus, she will devastate her family and lose the only man to ever see her for who she is; but if she marries—even for love—she will sacrifice her magic, her identity, and her dreams. But how can she choose just one, knowing she will forever regret the path not taken?
Recently (and I’m sure you’ve heard this from me a few times let alone our entire universe), I’ve been struggling with reading. I’m more attached to my phone than my book and usually those outcomes are never good. Mostly because when I’m attached to my phone over a book, I’m reading about the news. I’m doomscrolling. I’m updating my phone every few seconds swiping up on apps hoping some miracle piece of news will tell us all that we can finally rest easy.
Sadly, that’s not going to happen and the more I look at my phone, the less time is dedicated to reading. But even when I’m reading a book, I’m not really there. I’m off thinking about what I read on my phone. I’m literally thinking about my phone! It’s this vicious cycle of doomscrolling and not reading that I want to escape from so badly. My husband and I have been talking about how we consume so much content on the Internet and how much of it affects us in so many ways. But the reality is that while I’m looking at my phone, I’m not doing something productive like reading a book.
Last month, I was in such a slump from reading that big science fiction novel that I just didn’t want to read anymore. Every time I picked up a book, it felt like such a chore to get myself to pay attention. I felt like a robot on auto-drive reading the pages, but not really absorbing or engaging with the stories. I think this is the first low I’ve had in a really long time. Let’s not even discuss the level of sadness and depression I feel because of the pandemic and everything going on in the news.
So, recently, a friend of mine told me that she’s been staying off her phone by knitting. She was telling me that she would borrow audiobooks from the library, listen to them, and simultaneously knitted a bunch of sweaters and hats. I thought to myself, “wow, it’s been years since I knitted.” And I think I stopped knitting because I moved to a city that doesn’t require anymore than a light jacket or hoodie during its colder months.
But thinking back on when I was knitting a lot, I realized that I did it to keep my hands busy. I used to believe the old adage “idle hands are the devil’s playthings” and while I wasn’t getting into a lot of trouble, my hands always seem to fidget when I’m absent-mindedly sitting on the couch watching TV. So I took up knitting to keep my hands busy while I watched TV at night. I never considered reading books while knitting because how do you pay attention to a story when you’re focused on a knitting project?
I realized the key is audiobooks here. So I decided to try it. I put on an audiobook using my library and Scribd.com and started working on a hue-shift blanket I started working on a long time ago.
It felt just like riding a bike. It was incredible how easily I fell back into the pattern of knitting and purling while getting through my audiobook. I suddenly find myself finishing off one knitting project and moving on to the next; my audiobooks following along with me as I went. My fingers moved deftly creating tension and release with every stitch. I could feel myself coming back to myself. It was wild. After I finished my blanket, I started a cardigan. It’s funny because I’ve been knitting for years, but I’ve never made a piece of clothing. These pandemic times really make the hard stuff look like an easy challenge to tackle.
And the one thing I noticed the entire time I was knitting and listening to an audiobook, I didn’t pick up my phone once. I was lost on a faraway planet or sent to another dimension. I was knitting but also dreaming up fantasy worlds and falling in love with romance or on the edge of my seat in a thriller. I was captivated and reading my books.
I was in the zone. I was reading and getting deep into these wonderful worlds authors created while also creating a piece of work I can own for the rest of my life. The feeling of creating over consuming is so invigorating. I felt creative for the first time in a very long time and I didn’t want that feeling to go away. I can see myself really getting through my books and reading and enjoying it because I have something to keep my idle hands busy. For the first time in a few months I wasn’t conscious of what was being said online or in the news. I somehow separated myself from the Internet and rewarded myself with something productive with a physical creation set as the outcome.
I took a deep breath and sighed so much relief from myself. I plan on continuing to read my books via audiobooks (and obviously the books I physically own because they need love to) and knit. I’m so glad knitting was brought back into my life and while most folks were crafting all the way at the beginning of the pandemic, it’s finally my turn to join in.
And I realized that it’s important to listen to your mind and body. It’s important to give yourself room to do other things when you can’t focus or concentrate. I think the biggest takeaway for me in this situation is that there’s room for flexibility in your life as long as you keep thinking about ways to find it.
What’s something you’ve been doing outside of reading these past few months?
October arrives with a lot going on. And I mean A LOT! I wanted to hold off a bit on sharing my TBR for the month because I had so many other announcements and content to share! But now that the dust has settled, let’s get into the books I’ll be reading all through October.
There’s a few different things I kept in mind while putting together my TBR this month. I think the first and foremost is that it’s October which means Halloween is at the end of the month. I’m not a huge celebrator of the holiday, but I do like to do a few things here and there just to set myself in the mood for the season.
Next, I also wanted to read some books by Latinx authors for Latinx Heritage Month. There were a couple of sci-fi and fantasy books that I recently picked up that I thought would be a great way to celebrate some great books and add more of my favorite genres to the mix.
I also launched my book club via Patreon! We’ve already picked our first book and I’ll need to read that one for the discussion at the end of the month. If you want to check out the book club, you can check them out here.
Finally, my #FallForFantasy challenge. I’m reading five of the books from my 15-book list this month, so there’s also making room for that in here. As I mentioned before, most of these are backlist titles that I’ve been wanting to read for years. It’s finally time to de-stash my unread books and get up to speed with what other folks really loved.
Ok, before I share my hopefuls, I need to emphasize that this is a mega list. There’s probably more books than I can manage in a month and this doesn’t include the audiobooks I borrowed from the library and I’m patiently waiting for. However, audiobooks have really been helping me with my reading life lately, so I added a bunch of audiobooks. I also tend to read more on an audiobook. It’s not necessarily faster, but being able to keep the book going while I do stuff around the house or knit has really changed my reading life.
This book was so many things to me. It was poetic, beautiful, dark, edgy, funny, and most definitely brilliant. I’ve read many books by VE Schwab and all of them were great, but this book really takes the cake. I’m just so speechless. I don’t think I can write a decent review for this.
Here’s More on The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue starts off pretty straightforward. With alternating timelines between the present (2014) and Addie’s past (starting in Villon, France in 1714 up to New York City, current day), you go on this journey with Addie as she’s met with the challenges of the deal she made with the darkness (aka the devil) and how she adapts to it all even if it means she needs to lie, cheat, steal, sell her body, dress like a man, make fast friends, or commit numerous crimes. And every year, the devil comes to her in the form of a boy she once drew asking if this is the year she will surrender. While she’s lived through so many horrible things, she refuses and keeps refusing.
Through the 300 years she’s lived, she’s seen wars and invention, life and death, young and old, love, hatred, contempt, sadness, so much sadness, and so much history. One day in 2014, she walks into a bookstore and steals a book only to be caught by Henry; a young man who works there. The next day, she goes back to the bookstore in hopes of scoring another book only to be stopped by three little words: I remember you. This is where the story gets really interesting.
My thoughts
I think the biggest aspect of the story I loved was the writing. VE Schwab has really matured and it’s so obvious in their writing. While I can be stubborn about the repetitiveness of the language, it really doesn’t get in the way. If anything, it’s more a lyrical reminder of Addie’s world. Schwab also includes subtle lines about the beauty of life. It was almost reading their philosophical thoughts on human existence and the reason why we’re all here and they’re peppered throughout the novel. Let’s not even talk about the subtle nods to finding yourself, understanding the nature of humans, and so many existential questions. I mean, they triggered some anxiety in me towards the end and it wasn’t anything to do with the story. It was all their writing.
And let me tell you how VE Schwab doesn’t quit with just a deal with the devil. They makes the devil a recurring character! And OMG, it’s very difficult to hate him but also very easy to hate him. There were so many redeeming qualities and even some empathy thrown their way that you have to take a step back every once in a while and say to yourself “wait, he’s the bad guy! He can’t be this guy!”
I also love that they plays around with the idea of the muse. This entity that triggers and inspires art and beauty. Of course, it has a very special meaning in this book, but I loved Addie was such an inspiration for many people even though she couldn’t be fully remembered. People think of her as a dream; an entity that flits between this world and another and the beauty of this idea is carried throughout the story. I’m so impressed.
Addie’s life and the chapters of her journey were stunning. Subtle and beautiful filled with so many sadnesses. ALL THE FEELS! I just want to live in this book, drink in its words, and die happy. I wish I can give you more details to the story, but I feel like it will spoil it. I will say that there are several different twists and turns of the story moving it in a direction I didn’t even see coming. But it is brilliantly done to a point where I cried. Yes, I cried at the end because of how beautiful this damn book is!
The last thing I want to bring up is how human Addie LaRue is. Everything she steals and everyone she builds a relationship with is all tied to her trying to survive in a world that doesn’t remember her. To see her thrive through these gritty means of survival and still be compassionate towards people around her really deeply connects with anyone who’s had to fight for their lives. It’s breathtaking.
I’m so glad October is here so I can finally receive my pre-ordered copy of this book. I’m going to buy multiple copies and share them with friends because it’s that good and it needs to be shared. I’m so close to getting her freckles tattooed to my body. I want Addie LaRue to be a part of my life and I most definitely will always remember her.
I received a copy of this book from Tor.com for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
Well, today is the day I’ve been waiting all quarantine for (since we’ve been indoors for pretty much the entire year). While I’m so excited about one book that I legit don’t want to talk about anything else, there are some other great reads coming out today that I wanted to highlight. I promise, I will only bring up Addie LaRue a couple of times…
LOL, it’s the first book I’m highlighting here because I’ve already read it and I absolutely loved it. Seriously, this is VE Schwab’s best work to date and maybe that’s biased because I’m already a huge fan of VE Schwab, but I think this will be the fantasy book that everyone will definitely want to read. It’ll be the fantasy book that non-fantasy readers will absolutely enjoy or at least in my opinion.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
I’m a huge Leigh Bardugo fan and the closer we get to the premiere of Shadow and Bone on Netflix, the more I want to explore the universe she’s created. The Lives of Saints is a perfect way to read some appendix style writing on the world Leigh Bardugo’s created. If you’re intrigued by the world she’s created, then this book of stories about the saints within the Grishaverse may just be for you. It’s complete with illustrated photos as well!
Dive into the epic world of international bestselling author Leigh Bardugo with this beautifully illustrated replica of The Lives of Saints, the Istorii Sankt’ya, featuring tales of saints drawn from the beloved novels and beyond. Out of the pages of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, from the hands of Alina Starkov to yours, the Istorii Sankt’ya is a magical keepsake from the Grishaverse.
These tales include miracles and martyrdoms from familiar saints like Sankta Lizabeta of the Roses and Sankt Ilya in Chains, to the strange and obscure stories of Sankta Ursula, Sankta Maradi, and the Starless Saint.
This beautiful collection includes stunning full-color illustrations of each story.
Have you read Middlegame by Seanan McGuire? If so, there was a book mentioned within the book called Over the Woodward Wall. It wasn’t just a casual mention of the book either. No, this book was essential to the big ideas Seanan McGuire was writing about throughout the story. And the book gods decided to bless us with an actual copy of the book within the book. I don’t know how better to describe it, but you don’t have to read Middlegame to read this one. In fact, enjoy it as a standalone supplement. I can’t wait to read it!
Writing as A. Deborah Baker, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Seanan McGuire introduces readers to a world of talking trees and sarcastic owls, of dangerous mermaids and captivating queens in Over the Woodward Wall, an exceptional tale for readers who are young at heart.
If you trust her you’ll never make it home… Avery is an exceptional child. Everything he does is precise, from the way he washes his face in the morning, to the way he completes his homework – without complaint, without fuss, without prompt.
Zib is also an exceptional child, because all children are, in their own way. But where everything Avery does and is can be measured, nothing Zib does can possibly be predicted, except for the fact that she can always be relied upon to be unpredictable.
They live on the same street. They live in different worlds.
On an unplanned detour from home to school one morning, Avery and Zib find themselves climbing over a stone wall into the Up and Under – an impossible land filled with mystery, adventure and the strangest creatures.
And they must find themselves and each other if they are to also find their way out and back to their own lives.
I absolutely loved Practical Magic. Something about the earthiness of the story; the rich belief in magic and the love for nature is really
In an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Unnamed Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.
Magic Lessons is a celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
I recently picked up a copy of this one and it looks so good I’m trying not to destroy my entire TBR to read it. I’ll be patient and wait to read it next month with a couple of buddies, but it’ll be such a nice little read!
Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he’s known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster. Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. Immediately.
April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction.
Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her.
With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?
Something about this book is so intriguing. It might be the fact it’s a fantasy with a few hints of thriller to it. I’m not a huge fan of thrillers, but if it’s got some fantasy elements to it, I always want to investigate it further.
Seventeen-year-old Shae has led a seemingly quiet life, joking with her best friend Fiona, and chatting with Mads, the neighborhood boy who always knows how to make her smile. All while secretly keeping her fears at bay… Of the disease that took her brother’s life. Of how her dreams seem to bleed into reality around her. Of a group of justice seekers called the Bards who claim to use the magic of Telling to keep her community safe.
When her mother is murdered, she can no longer pretend.
Not knowing who to trust, Shae journeys to unlock the truth, instead finding a new enemy keen to destroy her, a brooding boy with dark secrets, and an untold power she never thought possible.
Seriously, I’m so drawn to this series because of its ocean themes and now that the second book is out, I’m wondering if I should start picking it up soon.
Ever since Nor was forced to go to a nearby kingdom in her sister’s place, she’s wanted nothing more than to return to the place and people she loves. But when her wish comes true, she soon finds herself cast out from both worlds, with a war on the horizon.
As an old enemy resurfaces more powerful than ever, Nor will have to keep the kingdom from falling apart with the help of Prince Talin and Nor’s twin sister, Zadie. There are forces within the world more mysterious than any of them ever guessed—and they’ll need to stay alive long enough to conquer them…
Simone and Her Books 