tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6274742345334015492023-11-16T06:27:04.524-05:00Cornerfoldsa mostly YA book blogTracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comBlogger1804125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-64414042942396319912022-05-08T21:33:00.002-04:002022-05-08T21:33:28.637-04:00It's official: I'm on hiatus<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="3744" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VXrBM7g8Y96JzKYHCfdQGGC7vNsRpZ_em8qBbmVYuK0YXAE53pz0rsqzbrVrO5vWpIp-6lIRJOvT-zKiJbLFXXYbjxBYwslx6JUZ3TvbSx6lNwhggzC3xipk1lLI7MmZtxlEB580-hCwG0t1WRKfN7cTAw-TYVLpSGZF894-zuipwC1T3pK6YHZ3rw/s16000/AdobeStock_249186702.jpg" width="320"/></div><br />Hi everyone! You may (or may not) have noticed that I've been a bit MIA over the past month. Since Covid hit, I have struggled a bit with blogging and keeping up with everyone. A ton has happened over the past two years that has pulled me in different directions and moved my beloved blog to the back burner. Although I still love the community and all of my wonderful blogging buddies, I've spent the last month exploring new hobbies and finding new passions that are taking up quite a bit of my time. <p></p><p>I'm still reading, but at this point it's mostly fanfiction with some audiobooks here and there. I've found my comfort area and right now it just feels good to live in that space. With all the uncertainty in the world, it's nice to have something familiar to fall back into. Unfortunately, reading 5000 stories about the same characters doesn't make for a great book blog. </p><p>So, after eight wonderful years of blogging, I'm officially taking some time off. I don't know how much time but, after arguing with myself for awhile, I've come to the realization that it's okay to take a step back from something even after loving it for almost a decade. For the time being I'm planning to spend time pursuing some exciting new hobbies and fully letting myself enjoy fandom without constantly feeling guilty for not reading "real" books to keep up my blog. </p><p>I love the book blogging community so much and I will forever be grateful because this was exactly what I needed at the time that I found it and you all have been one of the most important parts of my life for the eight years since. My domain just renewed so Cornerfolds will still be here for the next year and I feel like that gives me plenty of time to come back and get going again whenever I feel ready. </p><p>In the meantime, I'll still be active on Twitter and my candle Instagram! I love all of you and I'm sure I'll be back soon!<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1270/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s16000/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-53243018906736614912022-04-12T00:00:00.001-04:002022-04-12T00:00:00.197-04:00Top Ten Tuesday #313: Authors I eventually want to read<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUooWwY4Vo8sfckvqZ-4W5SfMqys1x5Iv9_W-amoCWR4qPZOF4rc04rhulhkanZIL6CqcMFkbTcV9NAzx4Fc-nZxaYP-P-jytlNIVqbyBD8tk0HQyMUV14Jxvqr_h41z4iYMRAEU5meHaE/s16000/Top+Ten+Tuesday.png" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #88416f;"><span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today's Topic: </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">Authors I Haven’t Read, But Want To </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />Happy Tuesday! I'm back with a top ten this week full of authors I haven't read yet, but definitely want to! Some are new and some are new to me, but they're all authors that have been on my TBR for a little while. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2001" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7lfvM7IlRBLlWIvQpaojnt73sk5ry7G2-osOwfOn8mc-T8vELu-tlqeGyzgQmC_zxFAWFv-RzlsVE8Qu9GWaNc1QBvy7S86n6MjOJFJmmM78Of3MHMCZyerJUwYM09PBryCgls807zXZbcGeQfVX3neVk0U4uVEAycy5X7hfY26cZW9l-cU4ExowMQ/s16000/BeFunky-collage.jpeg" width="700" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Isabel Cañas | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57840571-the-hacienda" target="_blank">The Hacienda</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Natasha Bowen | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48691825-skin-of-the-sea" target="_blank">Skin of the Sea</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Alexandra Rowland | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55816357-a-taste-of-gold-and-iron" target="_blank">A Taste of Iron and Gold</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kelley Armstrong | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53447303-a-stitch-in-time" target="_blank">A Stitch in Time</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sunya Mara | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58311976-the-darkening" target="_blank">The Darkening</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tori Bovalino | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56245683-not-good-for-maidens" target="_blank">Not Good for Maidens</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anna Kopp | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57130693-the-marble-queen" target="_blank">The Marble Queen</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rachel Gillig | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58340706-one-dark-window" target="_blank">One Dark Window</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ali Hazelwood | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56732449-the-love-hypothesis" target="_blank">The Love Hypothesis</a><br />Kerstin Hall | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48762654-star-eater" target="_blank">Star Eater</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><center></center><hr /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" target="_blank">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div></div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-45208497895770644832022-03-29T00:00:00.002-04:002022-03-29T00:00:00.205-04:00Top Ten Tuesday #312: 21st Century Classics<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUooWwY4Vo8sfckvqZ-4W5SfMqys1x5Iv9_W-amoCWR4qPZOF4rc04rhulhkanZIL6CqcMFkbTcV9NAzx4Fc-nZxaYP-P-jytlNIVqbyBD8tk0HQyMUV14Jxvqr_h41z4iYMRAEU5meHaE/s16000/Top+Ten+Tuesday.png" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #88416f;"><span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today's Topic: </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">21st Century Books I Think</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">Will Become Classics</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />Happy Tuesday! This is such an interesting topic! Not all of the books I chose this week are ones that I loved (or even liked), but they're all books I believe will stand the test of time and become classics. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2001" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3ZQnAZ03kXPLXtddCwSx6sL-65C8qI195hb_iPBKUe8Fz_pvScsW0c5MIQOtV64QtI_zEugO5Jy4-9GLSg-5IswdYgFPWd0pGlwpnwxTDeHHeQykvQrM4yEL3lqKFpVhArd2xF8GqJMV5_oszzN-KWsNL9cqkKAh2Q8-7lnVbkDvoQHucVj9kR_4iQ/s16000/BeFunky-collage.jpeg" width="700" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6867.Atonement" target="_blank">Atonement</a> by Ian McEwan<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" target="_blank">The Lightning Thief</a> by Rick Riordan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a> by Suzanne Collins</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6334.Never_Let_Me_Go" target="_blank">Never Let Me Go</a> by Kazuo Ishiguro</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6288.The_Road" target="_blank">The Road</a> by Cormac McCarthy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063.The_Book_Thief" target="_blank">The Book Thief</a> by Markus Zusak</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50202953-piranesi" target="_blank">Piranesi</a> by Susanna Clarke</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7235533-the-way-of-kings" target="_blank">The Way of Kings</a> by Brandon Sanderson</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17061.Coraline" target="_blank">Coraline</a> by Neil Gaiman</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19161852-the-fifth-season" target="_blank">The Fifth Season</a> by N.K. Jemisin</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><center></center><hr /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" target="_blank">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div></div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-42530425883074317182022-03-26T00:00:00.003-04:002022-03-26T00:00:00.180-04:00Saturday Screen Time #47: Superheroes and miracle workers<p style="text-align: center;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgi2zUxLwBq9ukeesGrhQr1mEOUGolNyUWb6R60vMAiyY1djhvZ-j0cO-wnqPziQkaAK52POH5Q8a7ApyJd4QDkfJ2pecRARjNrkCS48WAdcDIrehTLT-5Mf3vubDY8B0k7tFz6zR8P6mD/s1600/f67bec_d865378e320f4fb5a7bb603ecabe7602.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="320" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy Saturday, everyone! I'm back with the first screen time update for 2022 and it's packed with movies and shows. Last year I started watching horror movies with a friend who lives in Canada so I'm watching those pretty consistently these days. I've FINALLY made it to a theater to see two movies in the past few months, and that was an adventure. Let's get into it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">RECENTLY IN (NEW TO ME) MOVIES</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2809" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajV-MWBpoEuD5iIhTl1jracSJWIQdsyBKMDXjBc7JlqRGMvnHzqMDToKFEB5IoKzmh2rYn8QWxyOoX_M8ij-5NqOXr0FIZX9RLL5VeNTiMGmzp88XI-ZxDQTq8XBaYyg69kXnjdOJJodON_0Yl0oLq9hEuwxNMWJ3IIWwTG6f_pvqID3-noofubK8EA/s16000/BeFunky-collage.jpeg" width="700" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE BEST</span></div><br /><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-batman" target="_blank">The Batman</a> - If you had told me ten years ago that I would be utterly obsessed with Robert Pattinson as Batman, I would not have believed you, but here we are. I expected to enjoy this movie, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it! I loved that it wasn't another origin story (the prequel novella is worth checking out for that) and the Riddler was such a disturbingly plausible villain. I will absolutely be buying this in 4k on day one and rewatching it again and again. <b>(5/5 stars)</b><div><b><br /></b><div><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/spider-man-no-way-home" target="_blank">Spider-Man: No Way Home</a> - To absolutely no one's surprise, I adored this movie! It was the first one to bring me back to the theater since Covid started and, although I regretted it for the next two weeks when I was worried I was going get sick, I'm so glad I got to see it on the big screen. Seeing The Toby Maguire back as Spidey alongside the others was just perfect and I'm so excited to see where this new phase of Marvel is going to take Peter Parker and Doctor Strange! <b>(5/5 stars)</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/pig-2021" target="_blank">Pig</a> - I fully expected to love this just based on Nicolas Cage being the lead, but it was so much more than a Nic-Cage-doing-his-thing movie. This was not John Wick but with a pig, like I've seen so many others say. It was its own story that went so much deeper than anticipated. I don't want to say much, but this movie is definitely worth your time. <b>(4.5/5 stars)</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE WORST</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/better-watch-out" target="_blank">Better Watch Out</a> - This one is a huge nope from me in almost every way. I felt uncomfortable from the beginning and that only compounded as the movie went on. I know that's a reaction that's generally desired from horror, but this was not in a good way for me. There is a SA plot line that absolutely did not need to exist in this movie at all and was purely there for shock value. Disappointing because this was nothing like the "if Home Alone was a horror movie" that was advertised. <b>(1/5 stars)</b><br /><br /><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-bunker-game" target="_blank">The Bunker Game</a> - What I did not expect when I turned on this Shudder exclusive was people LARPing as Nazis, but that's definitely what I got. This movie has no idea what it wants to be. There are a few good ideas that were executed horribly and genuinely do not fit together at all. I knew going in that this would probably be awful, but I was not prepared for how bad it was! I will say I never got bored, so that's something, I guess. <b>(1/5 stars)</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/aftermath-2021" target="_blank">Aftermath</a> - Iceman and Alice Cullen in marital turmoil. This is a full 90 minutes of a woman being gaslit by everyone around her and continuing to stay in a marriage with a man who says he's forgiven her for her infidelity but clearly has not. Everything about it was painful. <b>(1/5 stars)</b><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">RECENTLY IN REWATCHES</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0C30oUQLf5c-_LFhwQ6rMKocfo3dmRGkVGlJEsqAhvttMN4h-n82WXb7WB42Y2hNNjXSEOaVKLOzW7SzxtuHmg7_g5QLKfeYWD5kgD9yy9jrKWrOK3aoVewVLCTESqvMYvimohBK-0cBjkTHOXYw9JEL14fCgtWCmyiBVUpmz07_wZvOznDIvTDu7A/s16000/BeFunky-collage.jpeg" width="700" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">RECENTLY IN TV</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1833" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRKCVWib7HlKLDEgzUZyQJQCIsuwLr-ouM7iv1_kUBFfHTys8KzPSmgdvOu82tR4SozYTjoD2u0X3QVpBuZmcQeUOfJqU28v4jTdmQ_G-k7SiqbvAfTm7ku6JK9s5qczVS-QDzKdChhFEgg5Kp5htzNVA5EKZxzCXkm3gyahlylCr0sdVlJdmHSH8rg/s16000/BeFunky-collage.jpeg" width="700" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE BEST</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/euphoria/season-2" target="_blank">Euphoria Season 2</a> - Man, this show is just brutal. There's nothing I can say about it that hasn't already been said, but Zendaya continues to impress the hell out of me with every episode. It's absolutely wild how this show can make me sympathize with even the scummiest of characters one second, and hope they die the next. Anyone who says Euphoria romanticizes drug use really needs to give this season a watch. <b>(5/5 stars)</b></div><div><div><b><br /></b><div><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/miracle-workers/season-1" target="_blank">Miracle Workers Season 1</a> - My husband and I fully started watching this for Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi. It's weird and irreverent and hilarious and I'm so hyped to start season two! Daniel Radcliffe is absolutely brilliant and Steve Buscemi is the most hilarious God I've ever seen. <b>(4/5 stars)</b><br /><b><br /></b><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/90-day-fiance-before-the-90-days/season-5" target="_blank">Before the 90 Days Season 5</a> - This show is an absolute train wreck and I love every single second of it. From the 52-year-old pastor dating a 22-year-old Peruvian catfish, to the "24-year-old" single mom who's absolutely using a 34-year-old slob for his money, this show is a gold mine of second-hand embarrassment. <b>(Unratable)</b><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">WATCHLIST & CURRENT WATCHES</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXn1u8BD__3l1kbxodMPxunfpnixF0scEgotVfK2Rrh8NfR1P354rr8VF_00rP3pcu627vn8HGfalHJbMCja52WPm4oBp4CWlI4RgiIHm50N-IxiANZuaFP1g4w78aKCYySTrSVTAsjkn0Rmalh-eiFQaMS25UFuz8wrQy_IB2l7YMQd1CD_OkDEwdTg/s16000/BeFunky-collage.jpeg" width="700" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><hr /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have you been to a theater lately?</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Are you a sucker for trash TV?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Let me know in the comments!</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-62685647136725938402022-03-17T00:00:00.001-04:002022-03-17T00:00:00.188-04:00ARC Review: The Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633111335l/59126709._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633111335l/59126709._SY475_.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title:</b> The Dragon's Bride (A Deal With A Demon #1)<br /><b>Author:</b> Katee Robert<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> March 29, 2022<br /><b>Publisher: </b>Trinkets and Tales LLC<br /><b>Pages: </b>185<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59126709-the-dragon-s-bride" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><br />//I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review//<br /><blockquote>Briar Rose might have a name out of a storybook, but she learned at a very young age that no prince was coming to save her. She’ll have to save herself. Unfortunately, even that is an impossible task in her current situation—trapped in a terrifying marriage to a dangerous man.<br /><br />Desperate times call for desperate measures, which is how she finds herself making a deal with a demon. Freedom from her husband…in return for seven years of service.<br /><br />She expects the service to be backbreaking and harsh. She doesn’t expect to be put on an auction block in a room full of literal monsters and sold to the highest bidder.<br /><br />To Sol.<br /><br />A dragon.<br /><br />He might seem kinder than his fearsome looks imply, but she knows better than to trust the way he wants to take care of her, or how invested he is in her pleasure. In her experience, if something seems too good to be true, it certainly is.<br /><br />Falling for Sol is out of the question. She’s suffered enough, and she has no intention of staying in this realm…even if she leaves her heart behind when she returns to her normal life.<br /><br /><b>Author's Note: Please check the author's website for all tropes, tags, and CWs. </b></blockquote><p><br />It's no secret around here that I adore Katee Robert. Whether or not something she writes sounds like my thing, I will absolutely give it a try and I'm so glad I decided to take a shot on The Dragon's Bride, my first monster romance! <br /><br />This book is as absolutely bonkers as you'd expect and I loved every wild minute of it. Briar Rose is makes a deal with a demon to kill her abusive husband in exchange for seven years in the demon realm. She thinks she's going in with eyes wide open, but she does not expect to be married off to the leader of the dragon territory, who happens to be a dragon himself. (Humanoid, but still.) A real monster can't be right than the monster she escaped, can he? <br /><br />Sol needs a bride as the leader of his territory and he has one in Briar for the next seven years. His parent put a stop to his pervious relationship, and he's never experienced anyone like Briar Rose. Sol doesn't expect his new bride to come with a boatload of trauma, but he's in it for the long haul. <br /><br />I absolutely loved both of these characters so much! Katee handled Briar's past trauma so carefully and I found myself rooting for her at every turn as she found her confidence with Sol. Of course, this isn't a Katee Robert book without steam and this had plenty of that! I knew going in that Katee's explanation for the physical logistics of Sol and Briar's romance was *magic* so that helped my suspension of disbelief. She knows how nuts this pairing is and goes full steam ahead and it's amazing! <br /><br />The world building was great for a 185 page monster romance novel and I'm eager to dive into book two to learn about the kraken and his realm. I wasn't quite sure how a seven year story would fit into such a small book, but it was incredibly well done with a nice little epilogue to wrap things up. I definitely plan to buy both the monster and discreet paperbacks of this book for my shelf! <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/lPMYNNI.png" width="380" /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JfM8pcy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/XH5zkU9.png" width="190" /></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-39535397229702033032022-03-15T00:00:00.002-04:002022-03-15T00:00:00.192-04:00Top Ten Tuesday #311: Spring 2022 TBR<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUooWwY4Vo8sfckvqZ-4W5SfMqys1x5Iv9_W-amoCWR4qPZOF4rc04rhulhkanZIL6CqcMFkbTcV9NAzx4Fc-nZxaYP-P-jytlNIVqbyBD8tk0HQyMUV14Jxvqr_h41z4iYMRAEU5meHaE/s16000/Top+Ten+Tuesday.png" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #88416f;"><span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today's Topic: </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">Books On My</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">Spring 2022 TBR</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />Happy Tuesday! It's time for one of my favorite post topics of the year, seasonal TBRs! There are so many gorgeous (red and yellow??) books releasing this spring. I hope I can get to all of them! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQoM6N3WUdL-v1y9ZzI5hGgOUyWfjp5DcClT3yltmeiC4bTerZTtWz6TT20j8CPEV-F4_Mz3rwfPgb3ePYLJrQ_9TRw5E-qsTidX7gsseXYaZ6tXvT4uvxuxtSlp7zVmdTcsVPVqbjitaySgV5tqIr9pUx9uvf2Iwv3u-xHXgN8lgREmC9up8B_3o4uQ=s16000" width="700" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55295161-survive-the-dome" target="_blank">Survive the Dome</a> by Kosoko Jackson</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58945351-wicked-beauty" target="_blank">Wicked Beauty</a> by Katee Robert</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56199880-hide" target="_blank">Hide</a> by Kiersten White</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58293924-book-of-night" target="_blank">Book of Night</a> by Holly Black</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56860527-for-the-throne" target="_blank">For the Throne</a> by Hannah Whitten</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52672587-in-a-garden-burning-gold" target="_blank">In a Garden Burning Gold</a> by Rory Power</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57911600-hell-followed-with-us" target="_blank">Hell Followed With Us</a> by Andrew Joseph White</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56179377-nettle-bone" target="_blank">Nettle & Bone</a> by T. Kingfisher</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55816357-a-taste-of-gold-and-iron" target="_blank">A Taste of Gold and Iron</a> by Alexandra Rowland</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54925754-wind-daughter" target="_blank">Wind Daughter</a> by Joanna Ruth Meyer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><center></center><hr /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" target="_blank">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div></div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-24518152068513027322022-03-11T00:00:00.006-05:002022-03-16T20:20:08.897-04:00ARC Review: The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1636552042l/59412817.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1636552042l/59412817.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title: </b>The Lies I Tell<br /><b>Author: </b>Julie Clark<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> June 21, 2022<br /><b>Publisher:</b> Sourcebooks Landmark<br /><b>Pages:</b> 320<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59412817-the-lies-i-tell" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><br />//I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review//<br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote>She's back.<br /><br />Meg Williams. Maggie Littleton. Melody Wilde. Different names for the same person, depending on the town, depending on the job. She's a con artist who erases herself to become whoever you need her to be—a college student. A life coach. A real estate agent. Nothing about her is real. She slides alongside you and tells you exactly what you need to hear, and by the time she's done, you've likely lost everything.<br /><br />Kat Roberts has been waiting ten years for the woman who upended her life to return. And now that she has, Kat is determined to be the one to expose her. But as the two women grow closer, Kat's long-held assumptions begin to crumble, leaving Kat to wonder who Meg's true target is.<br /><br />The Lies I Tell is a twisted domestic thriller that dives deep into the psyches and motivations of two women and their unwavering quest to seek justice for the past and rewrite the future. </blockquote><p><br />First, a HUGE thank you to @netgalley for this ARC! When I originally went to request this book, unfortunately all of the spots were taken so I wish listed it. A few days later, NetGalley emailed me saying that wishes come true and I was randomly selected to read this one. I am SO grateful I was chosen because this book was PHENOMENAL! <br /><br />CONTENT WARNING: There is sexual assault in this book. It’s not descriptive but it’s a driving force of one of the main characters’ life. <br /><br /></p><blockquote>“A good story can be seductive. Most people are inclined to believe one rather than examine the evidence piling up in front of them. But what they don't know is that no one is a reliable narrator. Reliable narrators don't exist.”</blockquote><br />Kat Roberts was at a fundraising party when she spotted Meg Williams: the woman who changed the course of her life. Depending on what or who you need determine which Meg you’ll receive: college students, life coach, real estate agent, you name it. 10 years after Meg Williams disappeared, she popped up again and Kat was determined to reveal Meg Williams as the con artist she is. <br /><br />Meg and Kat are the alternating points of view in this book. I loved following the developing pseudo-friendship Meg and Kat developed. It was a friendship where both were keeping secrets from the other and neither trusted the other, yet they still grew to care about each other as much as they could. This was a really good psychological thriller, but beneath the surface, it’s also about the resilience of the human spirit, it gave some great insight into the human psyche, and it promoted strong female empowerment. This was a really quick read and once you get started, it’s almost impossible to put it down. <br /><br />My only complaint about the book is that I wanted more of it. Especially with the semi-open ending Clark gave us. <br /><br />This was my first Julie Clark book but it is DEFINITELY not my last!<br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/lPMYNNI.png" width="380" /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/is6vljG.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/is6vljG.png" width="210" /></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-51678638816955190202022-03-08T00:00:00.000-05:002022-03-08T00:00:00.207-05:00Top Ten Tuesday #310: Enemies to Lovers<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUooWwY4Vo8sfckvqZ-4W5SfMqys1x5Iv9_W-amoCWR4qPZOF4rc04rhulhkanZIL6CqcMFkbTcV9NAzx4Fc-nZxaYP-P-jytlNIVqbyBD8tk0HQyMUV14Jxvqr_h41z4iYMRAEU5meHaE/s16000/Top+Ten+Tuesday.png" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #88416f;"><span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today's Topic: </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">Enemies to Lovers<br />Fantasy Romance</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />Happy Tuesday! Today I'm sharing some of my favorite enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance books! There are some older and some fairly recent, but all of them were amazing, five star reads for me! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKD17y3TXL8xOFxLnf14Apmg4mIq3BGDUdlNC98jnz5FMcqvjgo32ygHEm6JH5a7E4BIbEsPNqhyAbtrTgZawqNxmncyDqIB8DaWDFwUDNflh0iVFyJ9-KM4WjVHvQWIRTpZCEnkkaoYoQpuf8UEWWRLNttgJ2YuW_hN8FRqoS-0Q9xXQREOwikxw8zg=s16000" width="700" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40024139-serpent-dove" target="_blank">Serpent & Dove</a> by Shelby Mahurin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42952728-a-heart-so-fierce-and-broken" target="_blank">A Heart So Fierce and Broken</a> by Brigid Kemmerer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18798983-the-wrath-and-the-dawn" target="_blank">The Wrath & the Dawn</a> by Renee Ahdieh</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56801520-carry-on" target="_blank">Carry On</a> by Rainbow Rowell</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41831210-pestilence" target="_blank">Pestilence</a> by Laura Thalassa</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15839984-cruel-beauty" target="_blank">Cruel Beauty</a> by Rosamund Hodge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34499221-to-kill-a-kingdom" target="_blank">To Kill a Kingdom</a> by Alexandra Christo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53418394-for-the-wolf" target="_blank">For the Wolf</a> by Hannah Whitten</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52831200-from-blood-and-ash" target="_blank">From Blood and Ash</a> by Jennifer L. Armentrout</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses" target="_blank">A Court of Thorns and Roses</a> by Sarah J. Maas</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><center></center><hr /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" target="_blank">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div></div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-15053980752084131742022-03-06T00:00:00.009-05:002022-03-06T00:00:00.179-05:00February Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2776" data-original-width="2776" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsbCFcUfYhQaQmdbhKE1qVsFmHCKHUMeNptcpU_M5Ge5mlJaQFaKsVkRRN9zRRV0lD8Wdsux-eoWEdOkuViL6Z52WsrbQf46CW2sen27BZKadFInA8WhLY5QvypfyO1wuzlrPsRqv6GqkbpQhd3yGzP7XVYZQf0tFgtBjHVyBhCpozAb08ZbNLb9pwVQ=s16000" width="320" /></div><center><br /></center><center><br /></center><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hi, everyone! To no one's surprise, I've barely posted. I haven't gotten off the struggle bus since 2020, but it's fine. I'll just be over here cuddling puppies and reading fanfiction. I did manage to read a couple of actual books in the month of February, but mostly I stuck to my comfort characters. I also watched the new season of Love Is Blind and started season two of Euphoria! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In other news, I now have more hobbies than I have time for and one of them is going to be coming to the shop as a new product hopefully tomorrow! It couldn't be farther from candles, but I'm obsessed and I've made so many of them that I can't possibly make any more for myself. Hence, the selling. It's a useful item, rather than decorative, and I'm excited (and nervous) to finally share it! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Finally, because I promised puppy pictures, here is almost-11-month-old Rufio cuddling with his Lambchop and looking adorable.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2135" data-original-width="2993" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjJmWsXAYlQLnlYRP3iQU7ZU16IBlmH32yzEufDU0tBuOu2ExgMcTuDHbi1sdGJQS4GQviS2hS-_Rl4K1i876vvUe5H-Bk15uf0d24VG23ZLtcDfSK8LqhxKEoT9s4h-7pOnDj5Cb9_lY9jQNvs8D4raNAodcw7kAGBLjKf6fSmOhZHa5Dkha1PE8wjQ=s16000" width="500" /></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW BOOKS IN FEBRUARY</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60504243-daughter-of-the-moon-goddess" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1646058430l/60504243._SY475_.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60499727-a-river-enchanted" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1645882966l/60499727._SY475_.jpg" width="128" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55527921-court" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1613669389l/55527921._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60433613-only-a-monster" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1645716104l/60433613._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55545191-so-this-is-ever-after" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624819095l/55545191.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">IN FEBRUARY I READ</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54381795-snowflakes" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593834488l/54381795._SX318_.jpg" width="135" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54419358-treasure" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594058723l/54419358._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43900612-cinderella-is-dead" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574698353l/43900612._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892240-they-never-learn" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="529" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600611054l/50892240.jpg" width="132" /></a> <img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="200" src="https://i.imgur.com/E22hza8.jpg" width="133" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><div><div style="font-family: times;"></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">IN CASE YOU MISSED IT</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">ARC Review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2022/02/arc-review-gallant-by-victoria-schwab.html" target="_blank">Gallant</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2019/08/indie-love-read-thon-2019.html"><br /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">UPCOMING REVIEWS</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55545191-so-this-is-ever-after" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624819095l/55545191.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693184-dead-silence" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620942800l/57693184.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><hr style="text-align: start;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;"><center><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm linking up to <a href="http://tyngasreviews.com/2012/05/staking-shelves-official-launch.html" target="_blank">Stacking the Shelves</a> & <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/the-sunday-post-meme" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a>!</span></center></blockquote></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-84799655628849673442022-02-21T00:00:00.001-05:002022-02-21T00:00:00.178-05:00ARC Review: Gallant by Victoria Schwab<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627962824l/58064046._SX318_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627962824l/58064046._SX318_.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title: </b>Gallant<br /><b>Author: </b>Victoria Schwab<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> March 1, 2022<br /><b>Publisher: </b>Greenwillow Books<br /><b>Pages:</b> 384<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58064046-gallant" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><br /><blockquote>Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.<br /><br />Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.<br /><br />Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?</blockquote><p><br />Victoria Schwab is an author I have always had a bit of a weird relationship with. Everyone seems to love her, but I've never been able to connect with her books. I thought A Darker Shade of Magic was fine and I gave up on The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I WANT to love her, I just don't think I'd found the right book. Until Gallant. A friend lent me her ARC a few months back after I'd read the synopsis and been sure this was THE book that would make me a Schwab fan and I was absolutely right. <br /><br />This story follows Olivia Prior, an orphan who unexpectedly finds herself invited to Gallant, her family home, a house full of secrets and mysteries. I don't think that this book will be for everyone. It's definitely more about the *vibes* than the plot, although I absolutely fell in love with Olivia. I've seen another reviewer compare this to Crimson Peak and Coraline, and I think that description perfectly encapsulates the way Gallant feels. <br /><br />What I most loved about this story was the feeling of being pulled fully into the world of Gallant. Even months after reading it I can still imagine the world (to the best of my aphant abilities) and want to go back and experience its creepy charm again. Of course, the plot that pulled Olivia along as she unraveled the multi-generational mystery was intriguing and I was dying to find out all of the house's secrets. What kept me entranced, though, was the feeling the story gave me. And I guess that's the magic of V.E. Schwab that I've been hearing about for all these years. <br /><br />I'll absolutely be buying as many special editions of this haunting book as I can afford and recommending it to everyone. I'll also be giving Schwab's backlist another look because I desperately want more stories this beautiful. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/vlgqjvH.png" width="320" /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" width="190"/></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-12502892973897101572022-01-30T00:00:00.001-05:002022-01-30T00:00:00.192-05:00Weekly(ish) Recap: 1/9 - 1/29<center><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRqUcch6T2f1Jy9qVw3L8LJgvdzuI5YbSdpINXjzT6tiDt-O_oKVOmDiT6C_qew6cBGnN5WMV9Bdbe4ZcIwuaahJjOQx1DsVU161q_bu_hICoJq14-eMBsbh1SWs_s9PeUZa7zeCqnKjA/s16000/Weekly+Recap.png" style="text-align: center;" width="320" /></center><center><br /></center><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hi, everyone! I hope you've all had a decent January! I've spent the month reading quite a bit, and not just fanfition! Yay, me! XD This month I've also made a new bookish friend IN PERSON! Can you imagine? We met up for lunch and it went really well. We got to talk about BOOKS, which is not something that usually happens outside of the internet for me. I then rewarded myself with Cold Stone (they have dairy free now!) for managing a positive social interaction. Hahaha! Anyone else with social anxiety? <br /><br />Little puppy is doing really well! He's still an absolute menace, but he's healthy in every way. He still has shark teeth since three of his baby canines have yet to fall out, but we're hopeful they'll go on their own without surgical intervention. Anyone interested in puppy pictures? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53217284-a-marvellous-light" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1634067514l/53217284._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56666839-a-dowry-of-blood" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610928271l/56666839.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50520939-the-atlas-six" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579241117l/50520939._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54017820-little-thieves" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610346141l/54017820.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25823323-moonshot" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="301" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435656532l/25823323._SY475_.jpg" width="127" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55881109-the-king-of-infinite-space" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1605123513l/55881109.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">THIS WEEK I READ</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1766" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFYOv1PZdQSG3PVGs7c8OQn8Gvz7llWeC4Iy-PSyOj2EkC1lkuTQygNcaK2_gSes4dZO1v2kCncFSnwgSEmbqfCFvz0WY748YPqFzO11bQyi1r9Pr9S6-KHWgWTNQduUBFesc8hACzvNL_Jra3nUEZ9M_ysB0esJz5i4ug0L4Pp7BB8gWMRONga180LQ=s16000" width="700" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(And quite a bit of fanfiction)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><div><div style="font-family: times;"></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">IN CASE YOU MISSED IT</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Book Review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2022/01/book-review-vacation-by-tm-logan.html">The Vacation</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Series review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2022/01/series-review-sinners-duet-by-sophie.html">The Sinners Duet</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">ARC Review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2022/01/arc-review-required-reading-for.html">Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Students</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The topic was new to me authors in 2021 for <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2022/01/top-ten-tuesday-308-anticipated-for-2022.html" target="_blank">Top Ten Tuesday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2019/08/indie-love-read-thon-2019.html"><br /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">UPCOMING REVIEWS</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58064046-gallant" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="613" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1635862579l/58064046.jpg" width="153" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><hr style="text-align: start;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;"><center><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm linking up to <a href="http://tyngasreviews.com/2012/05/staking-shelves-official-launch.html" target="_blank">Stacking the Shelves</a> & <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/the-sunday-post-meme" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a>!</span></center></blockquote></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-32327931262237630312022-01-25T00:00:00.002-05:002022-01-25T00:00:00.204-05:00Top Ten Tuesday #309: New to me authors in 2021<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUooWwY4Vo8sfckvqZ-4W5SfMqys1x5Iv9_W-amoCWR4qPZOF4rc04rhulhkanZIL6CqcMFkbTcV9NAzx4Fc-nZxaYP-P-jytlNIVqbyBD8tk0HQyMUV14Jxvqr_h41z4iYMRAEU5meHaE/s16000/Top+Ten+Tuesday.png" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #88416f;"><span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today's Topic: </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">New-to-Me Authors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">I Discovered in 2021</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />Happy Tuesday! Today I'm sharing new-to-me authors I found (and loved) in 2021. There are no 2021 debuts on this week's list! These are all authors who've published in 2020 or earlier who I'd never read before. So many I'm glad to finally know!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFANsrBSLsoLdVwSysn26-798WNtYRd07I_CZ97_yPN6rNxqrtx91H6Lk6TgqjNWkn4cfIlDED5SSf9sAVdv56EADLnLkUqB3ztjpCUX8OrEPOSew0olKn3ZSQ2q_hElxnzM3AquZcDFoYKSdzFGe3OBbnU_e6uZeaSrsLAMEvzitq2g8fxyl4Cx4a0Q=s16000" width="700" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Laura Thalassa | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41831210-pestilence" target="_blank">Pestilence</a><br />Alice Feeney | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56269064-rock-paper-scissors" target="_blank">Rock Paper Scissors</a><br />Penelope Douglas | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49084724-credence" target="_blank">Credence</a><br />Samantha Shannon | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17199504-the-bone-season" target="_blank">The Bone Season</a><br />Talia Hibbert | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52054712-work-for-it" target="_blank">Work For It</a><br />Tasha Suri | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50523477-the-jasmine-throne" target="_blank">The Jasmine Throne</a><br />A.M. Strickland | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54017941-in-the-ravenous-dark" target="_blank">In the Ravenous Dark</a><br />T.J. Klune | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45047384-the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea" target="_blank">The House in the Cerulean Sea</a><br />Caroline Kepnes | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821614-you" target="_blank">You<br /></a>Harley LaRoux | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57091457-her-soul-to-take" target="_blank">Her Soul to Take</a><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><center></center><hr /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" target="_blank">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div></div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-90401661580195465012022-01-24T00:00:00.002-05:002022-01-24T00:00:00.176-05:00ARC Review: Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshmen by Kristen R. Lee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624974391l/53924267.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624974391l/53924267.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title:</b> Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshmen<br /><b>Author: </b>Kristen R. Lee<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> February 1, 2022<br /><b>Publisher: </b>Crown Books for Young Readers<br /><b>Pages:</b> 336<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53924267-required-reading-for-the-disenfranchised-freshman" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><br />//I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review//<p></p><p></p><blockquote>A striking debut novel about racism on elite college campuses. Fans of Dear White People will embrace this activist-centered contemporary novel about a college freshman grappling with the challenges of attending an elite university with a disturbing racist history--that may not be as distant as it seems.<br /><br />Savannah Howard sacrificed her high school social life to make sure she got into a top college. Her sites were set on an HBCU, but when she is accepted to the ivy-covered walls of Wooddale University on a full ride, how can she say no?<br /><br />Wooddale is far from the perfectly manicured community it sells on its brochures, though. Savannah has barely unpacked before she comes face-to-face with microagressions stemming from racism and elitism. Then, Clive Wilmington's statue is vandalized with blackface. The prime suspect? Lucas Cunningham, Wooddale's most popular student and son to a local prominent family. Soon, Savannah is unearthing the hidden secrets of Wooddale's racist history. But what's the price for standing up for what is right? And will telling the truth about Wooddale's past cost Savannah her own future?<br /><br />A stunning, challenging, and timely debut about racism and privilege on college campuses.</blockquote><p><br />I recently read Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristin Lee. This book was PHENOMENAL. I can’t believe it’s Lee’s debut novel! I’m not even sure I can put all of my thoughts and feelings into words, but I’ll try.<br /><br />Savannah Howard sacrificed the fun high school experience her peers took advantage of to study. Her mom pushed her to make sure she’d get out of their neighborhood, go to an Ivy League Institution, and make a better life for both herself and her mom. Savannah wanted to go to a HBCU in lieu of Wooddale University, where she received a full scholastic scholarship, but it was her mom’s dream for her to go to Wooddale and she didn’t want to disappoint her. On campus, Savannah was one of the only black people around. There were less than 100 black students. When she witnessed racism in the form of a disgusting caricature spray painted on the statue of Clive Washington, she quickly finds herself where she never thought she’d be: an activist fighting for what’s right. <br /><br />People think that just because black people use AAVE, or Ebonics as ignorant, backwards, and racist people prefer, we’re unintelligent. Savannah is a straight A student who got a scholarship to a prestigious college. Told in first person, we experience Savannah’s code switch. In her head, she speaks the way she speaks around her black friends and family but when speaking to the white and entitled students she goes to school with and that she encounters in real life, she speaks in the only grammar they can comprehend - “proper” American English.<br /><br />This book was so real that I honestly forgot I was even reading a book. It felt like I personally was experiencing the micro aggressions, the racism, and the hatred that Savannah and her friends received from a popular fraternity, and soon the whole school. <br /><br />This was an emotional book and that’s putting it lightly. It is very exhausting to be black and to constantly deal with the ingrained racism that people display towards us. The worst ones are those who don’t even know they’re being racist and hateful. It’s so ingrained in them that it’s normal. <br /><br />Lee also makes a statement about white performative activists that I think was extremely important. They’re okay cheering us on from the sidelines hiding behind they’re friends, and they’re okay supporting us in private, but that’s it. Going the distance. <br /><br />“White folks don't ever get that we are the ones at risk. We got the most to lose.”<br /><br />I’ve already pre-ordered this book and I’m so excited for a physical copy. This book was absolutely everything I didn’t know I needed and it’s a REALLY important book for teenagers, especially black teenagers, to read. I have a feeling that this book will be considered a classic in the future.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/vlgqjvH.png" width="320" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JBxEp7n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/JBxEp7n.png" width="210"/></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-25939504899408622322022-01-12T00:00:00.011-05:002022-01-12T00:00:00.176-05:00Series Review: The Sinner's Duet by Sophie Lark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631820474l/59009928._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631820474l/59009928._SY475_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title: </b>There Are No Saints <br /><b>Author: </b>Sophie Lark<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> October 20, 2021<br /><b>Publisher: </b>Self published<br /><b>Pages: </b>350<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59009928-there-are-no-saints" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><blockquote><div>I loathe Alastor Shaw.</div><div><br /></div><div>The city of San Francisco thinks we’re rival artists.</div><div><br /></div><div>In truth, we’re predators battling for hunting ground.</div><div><br /></div><div>We never chased the same prey. Until the night we both laid eyes on Mara Eldritch.</div><div><br /></div><div>Shaw wants to use her as a pawn in his twisted game.</div><div><br /></div><div>I’m fixated on her for a different reason…</div><div><br /></div><div>She makes me feel things I never thought I could feel. Want things I never wanted.</div><div><br /></div><div>Only she can make me lose control.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don’t know if I should protect her at all costs… or destroy her before she ruins me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mara knows I’m no saint. But she has no idea she’s dancing with the devil…</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631820773l/59009957._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631820773l/59009957._SY475_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title:</b> There Is No Devil<br /><b>Author: </b>Sophie Lark<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> December 1, 2021<br /><b>Publisher:</b> Self published<br /><b>Pages:</b> 332<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59009957-there-is-no-devil" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><div></div><blockquote><div>I Couldn’t Kill Mara…</div><div><br /></div><div>But that doesn’t mean Shaw won’t.</div><div><br /></div><div>She’s living in my house, always with me, always under my control.</div><div><br /></div><div>The more I push her, the more she pushes back.</div><div><br /></div><div>She’s peeling away my secrets, one by one. And I’m tempting her to do things she never thought she’d do…</div><div><br /></div><div>Shaw won’t stop hunting her.</div><div><br /></div><div>When the time comes to act, will Mara be ready?</div></blockquote><p><br />In late 2021 I went on a bit of a dark romance binge with my best bookish friend telling me what I should read next. After I read and loved Into the Dark, she pointed me in the direction of There Are No Saints and I jumped right in, reading the series in a few days. <br /><br />Our main characters are Mara and Cole, both artists who are heavily involved in their local artistic community. Cole also happens to be a serial killer, but one who is heavily in control of his actions and surroundings, except where Alastor Shaw is concerned. Shaw is his fellow artist and serial killer, but where Cole is calm and controlled, Shaw is unpredictable and messy. When Shaw sees Cole looking at Mara, he takes the opportunity to collaborate, but Cole finds his new obsession instead. <br /><br />Right off the bat, this is a toxic relationship. Anyone going into this series should expect that considering the hero is a serial killer. I mean... Regardless, the romance is steamy and well-written. Mara and Cole definitely belong together. One of my favorite parts of these unhinged romances is seeing how the secret identities come out and are received and this series didn't disappoint. <br /><br />Not only is this a dark romance, but there's a ton of action, mystery, and suspense as well, especially once Mara is wrapped up in the situation. I will say that I enjoyed book one a bit more than the second because of the cat and mouse aspect. Once they are Officially Together, the romance becomes a bit cheesy, but I know a lot of people are here for that. I did appreciate the exploration of trauma that book two offers, though. <br /><br />Overall, this a great series for those looking for their next dark romance fix. Book one is more serial killer and book two is more romance, but both are definitely worth reading! <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/cs9bAlT.png" width="320" /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" width="190"/></a></div><br /><br /><div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-84505796781179655112022-01-10T00:00:00.001-05:002022-01-10T00:00:00.181-05:00Book Review: The Vacation by T.M. Logan<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565884993l/51177136.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565884993l/51177136.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title: </b>The Vacation<br /><b>Author:</b> T.M. Logan<br /><b>Publication Date: </b>June 13, 2019<br /><b>Publisher: </b>St. Martin's Press<br /><b>Pages:</b> 374<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51177136-the-vacation" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote>Seven days. Three families. One killer.<br /><br />It was supposed to be the perfect holiday - a group of families enjoying a week together in the sun. Four women who have been best friends for as long as they can remember making the most of a luxurious villa in the south of France.<br /><br />But Kate has a secret: her husband is having an affair. And a week away might just be the perfect opportunity to get the proof she needs - to catch him in the act once and for all. Because she suspects the other woman is one of her two best friends.<br /><br />One of them is working against her, willing to sacrifice years of friendship to destroy her family. But which one? As Kate closes in on the truth in the stifling Mediterranean heat, she realises too late that the stakes are far higher than she ever imagined . . .<br /><br />Because someone in the villa may be prepared to kill to keep their secret hidden.</blockquote><p><br />The Holiday, also known as The Vacation, by T.M. Logan is a psychological thriller about three families who went on a vacation for seven days with one killer. Every year, Kate and her three best and lifelong friends try to make it a point to meet up yearly to catch up. This year, they decided to include Kate, Jennifer, and Rowan’s husbands and kids. You would think including spouses and kids might make the vacation week better, but it actually made it worse. On the first day, Kate saw messages on her husband’s phone that led her to believe her husband was having an affair with one of her best friends. She spent the week trying to find out which friend he was sleeping with and trying to catch them.<br /><br />Izzy, my kindred spirit, had no children and no husband. I got the hint that her friends pitied her life in a way, but I think she was a truly happy character. She was also the ONLY character in the book that I actually liked; and surprisingly, it wasn’t because of her childfree/less (I don’t remember a specificity on her stance on having children) but it was because she seemed like the most authentic character. I also loved how well this book was written. One of my favorite things about reading thrillers and mysteries is trying to piece together the puzzle before the author lays everything out. Every time I thought I figured something out, Logan changed the view and I found out I was wrong. It was infuriating but exhilarating at the same time. Also, Logan has you thinking this book is the clichéd “husband cheating on wife” domestic thriller, and then she tosses in a grenade that blows the whole storyline up. This is one of those books I want to read again to see how the tiny pieces make up the big puzzle.<br /><br />What I disliked about this book was Kate, the main character, and the main point of view. There were so many times something could be cleared up had she actually been straightforward and asked questions, but she refused to. I know that this is to build up suspense, but it just frustrated me to no end. Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. This was a quick read domestic and psychological thriller. It started off as a slow burn but once you hit the climax, the fire spreads quickly. I highly recommend this book!<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/cs9bAlT.png" width="320" /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JBxEp7n.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/JBxEp7n.png" width="210" /></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-45221126203398212632022-01-09T00:00:00.001-05:002022-01-09T00:00:00.168-05:00Weekly(ish) Recap: 12/19 - 1/8<center><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRqUcch6T2f1Jy9qVw3L8LJgvdzuI5YbSdpINXjzT6tiDt-O_oKVOmDiT6C_qew6cBGnN5WMV9Bdbe4ZcIwuaahJjOQx1DsVU161q_bu_hICoJq14-eMBsbh1SWs_s9PeUZa7zeCqnKjA/s16000/Weekly+Recap.png" style="text-align: center;" width="320" /></center><center><br /></center><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hi, everyone! Happy New Year! I hope your 2022 is going well so far. I started off the new year feeling under the weather with what seemed to be Covid symptoms, but two rapid tests came back negative. I'm on the upswing now, but I still have a PCR test scheduled just in case. I'm working really hard to get back into the swing of blogging. I'm not setting any goals for myself because I want to keep it low pressure, but reading a few books I really enjoyed are making it feel a little easier. Speaking of which, I'm finally reading some "real" books, although I can feel the fanfiction calling me. XD I've been reading the Simon Snow series over the past week or so and I'm loving them! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56801520-carry-on" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615871874l/56801520.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44017627-wayward-son" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552666477l/44017627.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52190991-any-way-the-wind-blows" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="520" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610744543l/52190991.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43908064-the-excalibur-curse" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615401008l/43908064._SX318_.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">THIS WEEK I READ</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56801520-carry-on" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615871874l/56801520.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44017627-wayward-son" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552666477l/44017627.jpg" width="131" /></a><br />(An absurd amount of fanfiction)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><div><div style="font-family: times;"></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">IN CASE YOU MISSED IT</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Book Review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/book-review-girl-who-lived-by.html" target="_blank">The Girl Who Lived</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I did the <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/twelve-days-of-christmas-book-tag.html" target="_blank">Twelve Days of Christmas Book Tag</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I shared my <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/2022-challenges-and-resolutions.html" target="_blank">2022 Challenges and Resolutions</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The topic was anticipated 2022 reads for <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2022/01/top-ten-tuesday-308-anticipated-for-2022.html" target="_blank">Top Ten Tuesday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Book Review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2022/01/book-review-carry-on-by-rainbow-rowell.html" target="_blank">Carry On</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2019/08/indie-love-read-thon-2019.html"><br /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">UPCOMING REVIEWS</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44017627-wayward-son" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552666477l/44017627.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51177136-the-vacation" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565884993l/51177136.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><hr style="text-align: start;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;"><center><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm linking up to <a href="http://tyngasreviews.com/2012/05/staking-shelves-official-launch.html" target="_blank">Stacking the Shelves</a> & <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/the-sunday-post-meme" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a>!</span></center></blockquote></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-69127871586637681532022-01-07T00:00:00.001-05:002022-01-07T00:00:00.185-05:00Book Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615871874l/56801520.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615871874l/56801520.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title:</b> Carry On (Simon Snow #1)<br /><b>Author: </b>Rainbow Rowell<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> October 6, 2015<br /><b>Publisher: </b>Wednesday Books<br /><b>Pages: </b>528<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56801520-carry-on" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote>Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen.<br /><br />That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.<br /><br />Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here--it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.<br /><br />Carry On is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.</blockquote><p><br />When I reviewed Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, I said that my least favorite bits of the book were the parts about Simon Snow and that I'd probably never read another of her books. I guess all I needed was three years of separation, because I am absolutely in love with Simon and Baz! I picked up this series during the B&N 50% off sale after Christmas and I'm so glad I did!<br /><br />After several months of reading only fanfiction, I guess it's only fitting that I jumped back into "real" books with a book about characters that existed in fictional fanfiction. Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who can barely use his magic without blowing everyone up. He and his archenemy (roommate) Baz have a complicated relationship that leaves Simon non-functional when Baz fails to show up at the beginning of term. He's sure that Baz is a vampire, even though vampire magicians don't exist. And I absolutely adored their relationship in every single form. I loved all of the secondary characters as well, perhaps with the exception of Agatha, who I could have done without.<br /><br />I was a bit worried that this book would be as plotless as Fangirl, but I was so wrong! Simon's purpose is to defeat the Humdrum, a magical baddie who is sucking up all the magic. This book had mystery and adventure and I was enthralled. It wasn't fast paced, but I found myself glued to every page. When characters teamed up to plot and defeat the Big Bad, I couldn't wait to see how they'd succeed. <br /><br />I know people didn't love the second book as much as this one, but I will be starting it immediately because I can't get enough of these characters! I can't wait to see how they continue to grow and what they get into next. If you've been avoiding this book and you're here for lighthearted fantasy that pokes a bit of fun at normal fantasy tropes, you definitely need to give Carry On a try! <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/vlgqjvH.png" width="320" /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-39978455560499252612022-01-04T00:00:00.001-05:002022-01-04T00:00:00.191-05:00Top Ten Tuesday #308: Anticipated for 2022<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUooWwY4Vo8sfckvqZ-4W5SfMqys1x5Iv9_W-amoCWR4qPZOF4rc04rhulhkanZIL6CqcMFkbTcV9NAzx4Fc-nZxaYP-P-jytlNIVqbyBD8tk0HQyMUV14Jxvqr_h41z4iYMRAEU5meHaE/s16000/Top+Ten+Tuesday.png" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #88416f;"><span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today's Topic: </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: silver; font-size: large;">Most Anticipated Books <br />Releasing In the First Half of 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />Happy Tuesday! This week I get to hype the books I'm most excited about for the first half of 2022. From this list, the one that I would read TODAY if I had the chance is Wind Daughter. I'm so sad it isn't on Netgalley (yet?), but I have my copy preordered! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvrVRZznM4TX4b36OaftIADhojs9LSRxg2cyPmguHGJS1F2lBh5wGjyGb-z9gLOSEGVmquoEUHHKIJRbb4bGVvrXeV4Uv6LCp5PJs1-5prMKCcd9IroRqgFJD1NXs8YUaHdzKVWpm4rLa7cQU5RFEVaz4ih3fC1p50lucrrTyjCjoST9hCXvDDgAfksQ=s16000" width="700" /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58490066-gallant" target="_blank">Gallant</a> by V.E. Schwab<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693184-dead-silence" target="_blank">Dead Silence</a> by S.A. Barnes<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55816357-a-taste-of-gold-and-iron" target="_blank">A Taste of Gold and Iron</a> by Alexandra Rowland<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57661359-electric-idol" target="_blank">Electric Idol</a> by Katee Robert<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693527-wind-daughter" target="_blank">Wind Daughter</a> by Joanna Ruth Meyer<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58966216-juniper-thorn" target="_blank">Juniper & Thorn</a> by Ava Reid<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56199880-hide" target="_blank">Hide</a> by Kiersten White<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55545191-so-this-is-ever-after" target="_blank">So This Is Ever After</a> by F.T. Lukens<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52672587-in-a-garden-burning-gold" target="_blank">In a Garden Burning Gold</a> by Rory Power<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56860527-for-the-throne" target="_blank">For the Throne</a> by Hannah Whitten</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><center></center><hr /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" target="_blank">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE-lu5DQSZ0Z3T4sqewSzhNUZKjamLqoVvO5LVvIlr5Qxk0-t46TFIrYgFcfSAp12Zz-OGhUT7jDReNpof0Vdr4EwRDbVvhBRbtma24_ZXRh1QLNog98fCorDEtdb952dLq3umIsHwJXc/s1600/Tracy.png" width="190" /></a></div></div></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-15316460018833481312021-12-30T11:42:00.001-05:002021-12-30T11:42:13.256-05:002022 Challenges and Resolutions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="4480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggy1bIyHDYdZF0J2yd5OBS6FZfFDpRQJM1QodVWA_JfkU_ezeCpLhjWZpPeyGgb5r1eMTxdKu8pYgdOgCIZJPMzN09zlcY8lra976w60dSf0NyxMTsOA5jFy10WjhpcabE0Siv_uBxYdQ_fQ4HFVmrAWmlrO6feWk4WezDIdUxnVv-2bt1AHHEpCKRuA=s16000" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We did it, friends! We made it through 2021. Once again, the year really didn't go how I thought it would. I really, truly thought we'd be through COVID by now. Meanwhile, we're steadily logging more cases. At least many of us are vaccinated now, so we probably won't end up in the hospital if we catch it. One thing that did come of this year was that I had plenty of time to read and demolished my Goodreads goal! Yay for that, at least! I also managed to beat my Audiobook Challenge and came really close to meeting all of this year's PopSugar prompts. I did accomplish two of my three off-blog goals for 2021: avoided getting COVID and read more diversely. Hopefully I can keep it going for another year! </div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">READING CHALLENGES</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">AUDIOBOOK CHALLENGE</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" src="https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/326/2021/12/2022-Audiobook-Challenge-Banner.jpg" width="250" /></div><div><br /></div>Another year of the audiobook reading challenge? Absolutely, yes! I can't imagine a year without this challenge. Last year I beat my goal, but for 2022 I'm sticking with the My Precious (30+) level. <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">POPSUGAR CHALLENGE</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/reading-challenge-2022-48569820?stream_view=1#photo-48627004" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" src="https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/Mj4MTJHth_1rBzpAaJliUGJFxkk/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2021/12/01/756/n/1922283/c343c60c61a7ac2792d0b8.77840221_PS21_Reading/i/2022-POPSUGAR-Reading-Challenge.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Here we go again! I came really close to meeting every prompt in 2021 so maybe I can do even better in 2022! It's fun to try either way. <br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">GOODREADS CHALLENGE</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I absolutely killed my goal of 90 books in 2021, partially with the help of a newfound appreciation for fanfiction, so in 2022 I'm going to up the goal to 100 and hope I can keep it going. I can't imagine I'll be writing of fanfic anytime soon and I've been loving romance this year too, so they should help to balance out the bit of adult fantasy and sci-fi I pick up!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">OFF BLOG RESOLUTIONS</span></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>Don't get COVID </b>- Let's see if I can make it a third year without getting sick!</li><li style="text-align: left;"><b>Run the Princess 10K in February</b> - Disney races are back on and I can only hope that they're safe since they're outdoors and I'm vaccinated. Fingers are crossed that this one actually happens, but even if it's switched to virtual I'm planning to run it at home. </li><li style="text-align: left;"><b>Read more diversely</b> - I read more diversely in 2021 than I have in any year previous and I definitely want to keep that ball rolling. I've found so many amazing authors I wouldn't have otherwise by going out of my way to read more diverse stories!</li><li style="text-align: left;"><b>Do my best</b> - My mantra in 2021 was "best I can do" when it came to pretty much everything. After an awful 2020, I made it a goal to be kinder to myself and that's another thing I want to keep going into 2022. In the new year I'm going to keep reminding myself that we're living in unprecedented times and all I can do is my best to make it through the each day. I'm enjoying new hobbies, enjoying my dogs, and generally just doing the best I can. <br /><br /></li></ul></div><hr /><div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you setting any goals for 2022? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">What reading challenges have you signed up for? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let me know in the comments! </b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><br /> </div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-44309346039358084252021-12-24T00:00:00.003-05:002021-12-24T00:00:00.192-05:00Twelve Days of Christmas Book Tag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3593" data-original-width="3593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH4VyFnbG_dgg50w8jNdTb_1_O-A9Yd8s0ed_AScb6HB-HVroNnIAsKxQ8xfPqdizyqdGpY4S_Hi4DgybqieZPHpnShCkKF1VLhOv-naud31DfAb9VzD82g6rQ_Zdz5B2_-1MemQWm6nLNoj2WScOb95Mv4J0lFSozLDp6PxiG3vYRomZjyHtfZFaiuQ=s16000" width="320" /></div><p><br />Merry Christmas Eve! I hope all of you are having a wonderful week so far. My brother is visiting and we've been watching (not Christmas) movies and eating lots of great food already. I'm so excited for Christmas eve when we'll go to look at Christmas lights with hot chocolate. I thought I'd do a Christmas book tag today to get even more in the Christmas spirit! This tag was created by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNSxkWC0cK8&ab_channel=LizzieLovesBooks" target="_blank">Lizzie Loves Books</a>!<br /><br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The partridge stood alone in the pear tree. What is your favorite stand alone?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11250317-the-song-of-achilles" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331154660l/11250317.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TWO TURTLE DOVES.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Love is in the air! Who is your one true pairing?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12558285-splintered" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1340134213l/12558285.jpg" width="135" /></a><br /><br />Going with a throwback! Morpheus and Alyssa.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: THREE FRENCH HENS.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the spirit of threes, what is the best trilogy you have read?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32718027-the-city-of-brass" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1491417547l/32718027.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39855052-the-kingdom-of-copper" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1530810166l/39855052.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52166786-the-empire-of-gold" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572578104l/52166786.jpg" width="133" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FOUR CALLING BIRDS.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since series usually consist of four or more books, what is your favorite series?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157.jpg" width="133" /></a><br /><br />Apparently I don't read many long series, so instead, have a book I own more than 4 copies of!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FIVE GOLDEN RINGS.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One ring to rule them all! Who is your favorite Villain/Antagonist?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="545" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2h9VKoOIgXDzhEGvABKqS_PNQwibnPOGxqJXS4mAcrb5X08HK5DeWPAyI7LhX-K3RDshJtQ7KRbHpBMkSkglUW7_Mys9Z0GYCIH83KzQ3QRL6VlJEJl64LxyBFi3UmYAwUQNNrWGuWxWrhv2RoUvOGAlqihNvmokUbPG1trzvK8pPqFmBBUpQQdAA8Q=w267-h320" width="267" /><br /><br />The Darkling forever 🖤</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: SIX GEESE A LAYING.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Creation is a beautiful thing. What is your favorite world/world-building?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27883214-caraval" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465563623l/27883214.jpg" width="132" /></a><br /><br />Caraval's world is simply magical.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: SEVEN SWANS A SWIMMING.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who needs seven swans when all it takes is one good animal sidekick? Who’s your favorite animal sidekick?<br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27712.The_Neverending_Story" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554230952l/27712.jpg" width="133" /></a><br /><br />FALCOR! (RIP Artax)</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: EIGHT MAIDS A MILKING.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Milk is so 18th century. Which book or series takes beverages/food to a whole new level?<br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18584855-heartless" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="304" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477740245l/18584855._SY475_.jpg" width="128" /></a><br /><br />There is SO MUCH baking in this!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: NINE LADIES DANCING.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dancing is just one skill of a Lady! Who is your favorite kickass female lead?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25324111-and-i-darken" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462983948l/25324111.jpg" width="131" /></a><br /><br />Lada from And I Darken</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TEN LORDS A LEAPING.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How about your favorite leading lad?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41952489-the-rage-of-dragons" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553927196l/41952489.jpg" width="132" /></a><br /><br />Tau from The Rage of Dragons</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: ELEVEN PIPES PIPING.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What is your favorite book or bookish thing with musical influence? (It can be about music, reference music a lot etc.)</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24763621-wintersong" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1479206906l/24763621.jpg" width="131" /></a><br /><br />Music is a huge part of this beautiful book.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: 12 DRUMMERS DRUMMING.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Drum roll please…what is your favorite read of this year?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53418394-for-the-wolf" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1602020995l/53418394.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-76885157558991556532021-12-20T00:00:00.001-05:002021-12-20T00:00:00.187-05:00Book Review: The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511878070l/36678318._SX318_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511878070l/36678318._SX318_.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title: </b>The Girl Who Lived<br /><b>Author: </b>Christopher Greyson<br /><b>Publication Date: </b>November 24, 2017<br /><b>Publisher: </b>Greyson Media<br /><b>Pages:</b> 297<br />Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36678318-the-girl-who-lived" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote>Ten years ago, four people were brutally murdered. One girl lived.<br /><br />No one believes her story.<br />The police think she’s crazy.<br />Her therapist thinks she’s suicidal.<br />Everyone else thinks she’s a dangerous drunk.<br />They’re all right—but did she see the killer?<br /><br />As the anniversary of the murders approaches, Faith Winters is released from the psychiatric hospital and yanked back to the last spot on earth she wants to be—her hometown where the slayings took place. Wracked by the lingering echoes of survivor’s guilt, Faith spirals into a black hole of alcoholism and wanton self-destruction. Finding no solace at the bottom of a bottle, Faith decides to track down her sister’s killer—and then discovers that she’s the one being hunted.<br /><br />How can one woman uncover the truth when everyone’s a suspect—including herself?</blockquote><p><br />WOW! I absolutely loved this book! It was an absolute five star read for me. The Girl Who Lived is about Faith Winters. Ten years prior to the setting of the book, Faith’s father, sister, best friend, and her best friend’s mother were brutally murdered on her birthday weekend. By a stroke of luck, Faith physically survived, but emotionally and mentally, she was wrecked. After being released from a psychiatric hospital, due to probation, she was sent back to the absolute last place she ever wanted to be – her hometown. Faith had extreme survivors’ guilt which led to multiple suicide attempts and an addiction to alcohol. Discovering that all the bottom of the bottle gets her is into trouble, she decides to try to track down the man who butchered her family and friends. While she’s searching for a killer, she herself is being hunted. How can a woman who can’t trust anyone track down a dangerous killer while staying alive herself?<br /><br />This psychological thriller gave me heart palpitations. I am not exaggerating. The biggest mistake I made was reading this book before bed on a night when my husband had duty (meaning he had to stay at work all night). What I liked about this book was the writing. I hated the characters and I suspected absolutely everyone, including Faith. Greyson is an expert at realistic world and character building. I felt like I personally knew (and hated) every single character in the book. There was absolutely nothing that I hated about this book (aside from the characters that I loved to hate). The writing was superb and the whodunit mystery was so tremendous that you never know who exactly to expect. The twist at the end of the story was truly unexpected. I am rarely surprised and it’s usually easy for me to guess what happens in mysteries, but I literally never guessed the ending of this book.<br /><br />For anyone who loves thrillers and mysteries, I HIGHLY recommend this book! It was my first Greyson book, but it definitely will not be my last!<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/vlgqjvH.png" width="320" /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JBxEp7n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/JBxEp7n.png" width="210"/></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-16377459571695043642021-12-19T00:00:00.001-05:002021-12-19T00:00:00.184-05:00Weekly Recap: 12/12 - 12/18<center><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRqUcch6T2f1Jy9qVw3L8LJgvdzuI5YbSdpINXjzT6tiDt-O_oKVOmDiT6C_qew6cBGnN5WMV9Bdbe4ZcIwuaahJjOQx1DsVU161q_bu_hICoJq14-eMBsbh1SWs_s9PeUZa7zeCqnKjA/s16000/Weekly+Recap.png" style="text-align: center;" width="320" /></center><center><br /></center><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hi, everyone! This has been A WEEK! I spent Sunday through Friday getting Christmas candle orders made and ready to ship, then finally got them all in the mail. It was EXHAUSTING, but it's finished! It also explains why there's only one new post this week. Also all week, I've been itching like crazy! I've always had seasonal allergies, but this was seemingly out of nowhere and without discernible cause. It also wasn't significantly improved with my daily allergy medicine and, by Saturday, I had to make a trip to urgent care because it was just so bad. The doctor had literally no idea what was causing it so he gave me steroids and suggested I go to Cleveland Clinic. :/ Soooo that's fun! At least it's just annoying and not painful, I guess. But in better news, my brother gets here Tuesday and I can't wait to do all the fun Christmas things with him! We're starting his trip by watching Krampus (he may or not know that). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nothing this week!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">THIS WEEK I READ</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53351017-liar" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590358342l/53351017._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54735151-near-the-bone" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627151265l/54735151._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">& a few long fanfics that I can't share</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><div><div style="font-family: times;"></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">IN CASE YOU MISSED IT</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I posted my <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/2021-end-of-year-survey.html">2021 End of Year Survey</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2019/08/indie-love-read-thon-2019.html"><br /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">UPCOMING REVIEWS</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36678318-the-girl-who-lived" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511878070l/36678318._SX318_.jpg" width="145" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><hr style="text-align: start;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;"><center><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm linking up to <a href="http://tyngasreviews.com/2012/05/staking-shelves-official-launch.html" target="_blank">Stacking the Shelves</a> & <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/the-sunday-post-meme" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a>!</span></center></blockquote></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-42585025317110831102021-12-16T00:00:00.006-05:002021-12-16T00:00:00.216-05:002021 End of Year Survey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3953" data-original-width="3953" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg6JlGmjU6lD-pDRWtYEU2gJfVzXVT6xXaXv_w2UvselN6k_EiFyHZ4kO2flAlzh97IJzfxT0Vls_7YfgThwwsk5OaESrWWrQG3xMakexU_UQLNtknz8XzCdzTrE68XY5PIQzyoaTpXgVDLIqhCCm9bDLS7Ubn4jQSpd8gzD29febv-qnjcwzqZZlY6Q=s16000" width="320" /></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">2021 READING STATS</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Number Of Books You Read: </b>121 (so far)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Number of Re-Reads</b>: 4</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Genre You Read The Most From: </b>Romance :/</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE2nV5wHMCsMfbJm9bnxxZwopjb1YMROwfek0ansF7FGzx0JWlxQZ5lvhuSQwEOv_5f3W35vHR-NDqXPfE3lqXZJgQnpjWAQ1dfm1rnySSuoDh3QE-OEPqUJKcmTkU3tOFOBi-dF1dorT/s1600/BIB.png" width="400" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>1. Best Book You Read In 2021?</b><br />For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten. I didn't read much fantasy this year, but this one was my favorite! <br />
<br />
<b>2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?</b><br />
A Vow So Bold and Deadly was easily my biggest disappointment of the year. The rest of the series were easy 5-star reads for me and this one was a huge let-down. <br />
<br />
<b>3. Most surprising (in a good way <strike>or bad way</strike>) book you read?</b><br />
Into the Dark by Dana Isaly. Serial killer romance??? That I enjoyed?? What even? <br />
<br />
<b>4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?</b><br />
I bullied as many people as I could into reading Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux<br />
<br />
<b>5. Best series you started in 2021? Best Sequel of 2021? Best Series Ender of 2021?</b><br />
<b>Series started: </b>For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten <br />
<b>Sequel: </b>Learn My Lesson by Katee Robert<br />
<b>Series ender: </b>I haven't finished any series this year lol<br />
<br />
<b>6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2021?</b><br /><div>Harley Laroux</div><div><br />
<b>7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?</b><br />
Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass<br />
<br />
<b>8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?</b><br />
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna<br />
<br />
<b>9. Book You Read In 2021 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?</b><br />
Gallant by V.E. Schwab<br />
<br />
<b>10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2021?</b><br />
Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas<br />
<br />
<b>11. Most memorable character of 2021?</b><br />
Leon from Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux<br />
<br />
<b>12. Most beautifully written book read in 2021?</b><br />Gallant by V.E. Schwab. You really want to preorder this book.</div><div><br />
<b>13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2021?</b><br />
My brain was in the off position this year.<br />
<br />
<b>14. Book you can’t believe you waited until 2021 to finally read?</b><br />The House in the Cerulean Sea! Friends have been trying to get me to read this for awhile and I finally gave it. It was so sweet and heartwarming!<br /><br />
<b>15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2021?</b><br />Honestly, I never remember quotes. <br />
<br />
<b>16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2021?</b><br />
<b>Shortest: </b>Ark by Veronica Roth, 39 pages<br />
<b>Longest:</b> Master of Sorrows by Justin Call, 577 pages<br />(Actual longest: Unnamed fanfiction story, 2000+ pages)<br />
<br />
<b>17. Book That Shocked You The Most?</b><br />The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue shocked me with how boring it was<br />
<br />
<b>18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)</b><br />Griffin and Keynes from Work For It by Talia Hibbert are so stinking cute I can't stand it<br />
<br />
<b>19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year?</b><br />Ryland and Rocky from Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir<br />
<br />
<b>20. Favorite Book You Read in 2021 From An Author You’ve Read Previously?</b><br />Gallant. Seriously, SO GOOD!</div><div><br />
<b>21. Best Book You Read In 2021 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure?</b><br />Into the Dark by Dana Isaly. I definitely would not have picked this up without being pushed into it by other people, but I did and I couldn't believe how good it was! </div><div><br />
<b>22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2021?</b><br />Hades, specifically from the Wicked Villains series by Katee Robert<br />
<br />
<b>23. Best 2021 debut you read?</b><br />
I guess I shouldn't choose For the Wolf for every category, but... <br />
<br />
<b>24. Best World Building/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?</b><br />
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri. I had my issues with this book, but world building was not one of them! I am absolutely enamored by the setting, especially the Hirana. <br />
<br />
<b>25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?</b><br />
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber. It wasn't a perfect book, but I loved being back in that world with Jacks. <br />
<br />
<b>26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2021?</b><br />Okay, well the only book that has EVER made me cry was a fanfic, but I'm not including those here, so I have to go (again) with Into the Dark. Heartbreaking! <br />
<br />
<b>27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?</b><br />
The Black Mage by Daniel Barnes was such a fun and beautiful graphic novel! I can't believe it hasn't gotten more attention! <br />
<br />
<b>28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?</b><br />Well, I have to go with fanfiction for this one, sorry. It's Manacled. Absolutely soul crushing. If you know, you know.</div><div><br />
<b>29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2021?</b><br />
In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland. The magic was so unique and I loved the diversity!<br />
<br />
<b>30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?</b><br />
A Vow So Bold and Deadly. I have... a lot of feelings about this book. I was so angry with the characterization, specifically the way Rhen's character was handled. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-w6Seoka8na0RI3YYclzv34_Y8Dti8Pi5hx2S_vKDpL375CjTs1UbvSb1mGTkYUWmDrysLfKKfttY0miqE5_9gKLoz46u0J0q6az-A0pKxp_1EwRiztqbZTKTF4nXWkfPwjSygPV3gWV/s1600/BBL.png" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<b>1. Favorite review that you wrote in 2021?</b><br />Y'all know I'm just here for the rants, and ripping apart <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/01/book-review-vow-so-bold-and-deadly-by.html">A Vow So Bold and Deadly</a> was one of my blogging highlights of the year. I was just so angry about it. <br />
<br />
<b>2. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?</b><br /><a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/06/reading-and-writing-with-aphantasia.html">This one</a> about reading with aphantasia. I had a similar answer this year, but I loved being able to delve into the topic a bit more and discuss it with other people!<br /><br />
<b>3. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?</b><br />Events are what, again? I don't know them.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2021?</b><br />
Getting my hands on a UK ARC of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?</b><br />
Literally all of it? Keeping the blog going through a never-ending slump.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?</b><br />My most viewed and most searched for post this year was my review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/05/book-review-flock-by-kate-stewart.html">Flock</a> by Kate Stewart. I have no idea why.<br />
<br />
<b>7. Best bookish discovery?</b><br />Dark romance as a genre and well-written fanfiction.<br />
<br />
<b>8. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?</b><br />Yes! I completed the audiobook challenge and I'm a couple categories from finishing the Pop Sugar Challenge.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIP0ZHlOik79gNJqDhaqWiTNiqzZKyYSP_pmA0ZuvpZC3XW4hq1w_EidfclBEQOJSbT53zRq202iZJZohSh3JTW2U7GHpVo73kSUKuEmhFp3Em4RO26xg-E6FffXd-zZfXxn4VnZ2zXQY/s1600/LA.png" width="400" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2021 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2022?</b><br />Master Artificer by Justin Call<br />
<br />
<b>2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2022 (non-debut)?</b><br />Wind Daughter by Joanna Ruth Meyer<br />
<br />
<b>3. 2022 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?</b><br />Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan <br />
<br />
<b>4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2022?</b><br />For the Throne by Hannah Whitten<br />
<br />
<b>5. A 2022 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:</b><br />
Gallant by Victoria Schwab is a literal masterpiece.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
The annual end of year survey was created by <a href="https://www.perpetualpageturner.com/" target="_blank">The Perpetual Page-Turner</a>!</div>
</div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-64492492581188960222021-12-12T00:00:00.001-05:002021-12-12T00:00:00.228-05:00Weekly(ish) Recap: 11/28 - 12/11<center><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRqUcch6T2f1Jy9qVw3L8LJgvdzuI5YbSdpINXjzT6tiDt-O_oKVOmDiT6C_qew6cBGnN5WMV9Bdbe4ZcIwuaahJjOQx1DsVU161q_bu_hICoJq14-eMBsbh1SWs_s9PeUZa7zeCqnKjA/s16000/Weekly+Recap.png" style="text-align: center;" width="320" /></center><center><br /></center><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hi, everyone! Yep, still aboard the fanfiction train. It looks like I haven't read much in the past two weeks, but that's only because I can't share most of what I've actually been reading. :/ In "real" books, I'm mostly still reading dark romance. Alas. I do have a couple YA fantasy audiobooks checked out from the library! This week I went off the deep end and bought a Cricut, specifically for painting and stenciling the edges of books. At least my husband is supportive of my hobbies, I guess! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54017820-little-thieves" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610346141l/54017820.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43908064-the-excalibur-curse" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615401008l/43908064._SX318_.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">THIS WEEK I READ</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59009957-there-is-no-devil" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631820773l/59009957._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a> <img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624542344l/58415294._SY475_.jpg" width="125" /> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/48642680" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1587085004l/48642680._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><div><div style="font-family: times;"></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">IN CASE YOU MISSED IT</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The topic was books I loved as a kid for T<a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/11/top-ten-tuesday-307-books-i-loved-as.html">op Ten Tuesday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Book review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/book-review-husbands-secret-by-liane.html">The Husband's Secret</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I talked about <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/the-unexpected-ways-my-reading-habits.html">how my reading habits have changed in the past year</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">ARC review of <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/arc-review-at-end-of-everything-by.html">At the End of Everything</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I shared <a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2021/12/why-im-shamelessly-reading-fanfiction.html">why I'm shamelessly reading fanfiction</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.cornerfolds.com/2019/08/indie-love-read-thon-2019.html"><br /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">UPCOMING REVIEWS</span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36678318-the-girl-who-lived" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511878070l/36678318._SX318_.jpg" width="145" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><hr style="text-align: start;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;"><center><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm linking up to <a href="http://tyngasreviews.com/2012/05/staking-shelves-official-launch.html" target="_blank">Stacking the Shelves</a> & <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/the-sunday-post-meme" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a>!</span></center></blockquote></div>Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-627474234533401549.post-37661881997442502192021-12-11T00:00:00.001-05:002021-12-11T00:00:00.188-05:00Why I'm shamelessly reading fanfiction<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="1642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsVElAS4eTPOdERelkEvr8S-xXLv92VIpmyaKTO1590Wg0KwmDYz4Ww3FtqoTytUyks_tqLAMCxgzKwI3f5PeS-hrUS7SPNy60tG5h4mRyA-BlOckX2QBzDyD2j3_VuvwxivfwBaPVjaRl3ls08l5spiz-iCXzi8YT6Of-0Gl4zQ3-SgrktbCq8Vih-w=s16000" width="320"/></div><br />I first talked about fanfiction back in 2017. Back then I was discussing whether it should ever count towards reading goals, despite the fact that I really didn't read it. The post was definitely written with a mocking tone and I can tell from reading it that I didn't think fanfiction should really be taken seriously, despite the length of many stories. <br /><br />Sometime in the past year or so, it seems that fanfiction has become more mainstream in the book community. It's very common to see more popular fics included in recommendation lists on BookTok. I've seen Manacled, in particular, recommended and discussed more and more in the past few months amongst many creators, which was my first real foray into the world of fanfiction and I found that I loved it! But then I went back to published works and didn't pick up another fanfic until October... and now I can't stop. <br /><br />As you might know if you read my blog semi-regularly, I've been in a bit of a slump for the past year and a half as life wreaked havoc on my mental health. I've struggled to post regularly and, more upsetting, to read regularly. Or at least, as regularly as I'd like. This year I've turned to new genres to get back into the groove, but what's shocked me the most in the past few months is that I've come to absolutely love and appreciate fanfiction. <br /><br />I've thought a lot about why this is as I tried to convince myself to read a "real" book in between stories. Why is it so easy and comforting to read these sometimes beautiful stories that people put into the world for free? <br /><br />Think about the fact that, when you choose a story to read on AO3, you're probably choosing from a fandom you already love. When you go into a work of fanfiction, you know the characters. You probably love them already, and you're probably already very invested in their lives. You already know the world and can't wait to jump back into it. There's no effort required to understand a new world or understand who new characters are. There's only the effort it takes to fall into a story full of people and places you adore. It brings a whole new meaning to "comfort read." <br /><br />While I was wondering if I was just late to the game that everyone else was already playing, I came across this <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/denizcam/2020/04/21/in-a-lonely-lockdown-with-books-slow-to-come-fanfiction-booms/?sh=3104f0ef46cb" target="_blank">Forbes article</a> discussing the fanfiction boom of 2020, which apparently began around the time of lockdown. Apparently, traffic to AO3, the most popular fanfiction website, increased by 60% year over year in April 2020. <br /><br />Obviously, fanfiction has been around forever. I remember people reading when I was in high school, but I certainly was not one of them. The only fanfics I knew about were, frankly, awful. I just didn't know where to look! Some of my absolute favorite reads of all time have been discovered in the past three months, and I'll be shamelessly reading for the foreseeable future. It isn't as if I'm going to run out of material! <br /><br />For anyone like me who is interested but has no idea where to start (the AO3 search is intimidating), here's the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/genres/fan-fiction" target="_blank">fanfiction genre page</a> on Goodreads with some popular options! <br /><br /><p></p><hr /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do you read fanfiction?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">What's your comfort genre?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let me know in the comments!</b></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/qjQCzED.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />Tracy http://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.com