So, the craziest thing happened to me. A wonderful person over at Apartment Guide reached out to me, me, and asked if I wanted to be included in an article about encouraging people to read more and establishing a good reading space (book nook) in your home. And as any reasonable person would say, I said “heck yeah!”
So I sent over my tip and voila – my name and my words are in a freaking article!
Hey everyone. I think I need a break.
Life has been pretty stressful for me and unfortunately, my blog and my desire to blog has taken a hit. I love writing reviews for the books I read, but I’ve found that I can’t find the motivation or the creativity for anything else. I know that some of you like my reviews while others are here more for the creative posts, which is fine, but I find myself solely reading books to write reviews about them instead of reading them because I want to.
If you haven’t noticed, my TBRs tend to be full of ARCs I’ve agreed to read or blog tours I’m participating in. While I love doing these, I think I flew too close to the sun, and I’m finding myself feeling drained. Reading is becoming more like a chore than a hobby and blogging is starting to follow suit.
I don’t want to myself burnt out and lose joy in these things, so I think a break would be best for me.
I will still post in October for the things I’ve agreed to post for, but I’m not going to be sticking with the five days a week schedule I’ve been doing. If I decide to write a review for a book I read or think of a fun post I want to do, then I will do them, but I’m not going to hold myself accountable if nothing inspires me.
I’m going to call this a mini hiatus – I’m not sure how long I’m going to take a break for, but the plan right now is just for the month of October. My friend Alexa did one in August and I could tell it really helped her fall back in love with reading and blogging. Not needing to focus on content oddly helps you focus on content if that makes any sense.
I think this will be good for me. While I’m obviously nervous all my hardwork will just fall down the drain, I know that taking a step back and giving myself time again will ultimately be a good thing. I’ve been consistently blogging five days a week for over a year and a half now, with maybe a vacation week here and there, so this is going to feel very weird for me. I hope you choose to stick around for when I come back and enjoy the few posts that go up while on hiatus!
Before I depart, I want to say thank you to everyone for all your support. It means the world that so many people read my words and my thoughts and stick around to read more. I could never imagine the growth of this blog or the opportunities that have opened up from blogging or even the friends I’ve made in the community. I appreciate everyone who’s left a nice comment, or consistently liked every post I put out, and I couldn’t be more thankful!
Thank you all for all your support and I look forward to seeing you all again in November!
This is the first book by Ashley Poston that I’ve read, so I didn’t have any preconceived ideas of her writing style or her books in general. So when I received this book, I was open and leapt in blindly.
I’m sincerely regretting not reading more of her books.
On Wednesday (10/7), book twitter went wild after an author ranted about a blogger asking for payment to review their book.
That’s a discussion for another day though.
In that rant, lots of people talked about supporting book bloggers as we are generally overworked, under appreciated, and usually the first group people shit on when discussing compensation. So today, I want to take the time and shout out some of my favorite book bloggers!
I received an ARC of Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher from Penguin Teen through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t think I’ve ever written a DNF (did not finish) review before, so this is a first. Usually when I DNF a book, it’s not an ARC I’ve been given by the publisher for review, it’s one that I decided to read on my own. After the whole debacle on Sunday regarding an author calling out a reviewer for DNF-ing and posting a “bad” review on Goodreads, I am a little nervous to post my thoughts.
But, the whole point of reviewing books are to review them, good or bad. So I’m gonna talk about why I DNFed this book and what my thoughts are. Surprisingly, they’re not bad at all!
So we’re doing something a little different today. Today, I am doing a Bookish This or That but with a twist! I teamed up with Alexa @ Writing the Universe to guess what I think her answers to these questions would be. Alexa and I have been friends for a year and a half now and I think I know her reading preferences enough to at least guess.
I am going to post my guesses for Alexa first and then below I will be posting my own responses! If you want to see Alexa’s guesses about me and her responses, make sure to check out her post!
We got this post off of Kim @ KimberlyFayeReads so be sure to give her some love!
I did this a few months ago under a different name (Making Assumptions About Books I’ve Never Read) but I thought, hey! New books, new covers, more things I haven’t had a chance to read yet – why not!?
I’m always catching myself making assumptions about books and what they’ll be about based on the cover. Usually I go for aesthetically pretty covers because I think they’re pretty (duh), which means that sometimes I buy a book without even knowing what it’s about. It’s pretty ridiculous and I really have to stop myself form doing it! Today, I am going to be making assumptions about what these books are about based on their cover and title alone. I will post the actual synopsis under my assumption so you can laugh at me at how badly I guess these books!
All of these assumptions are written BEFORE I read the synopsis and paste it below. Let me know how well you think I did on guessing these!
Hey guys! Some exciting news! We have a new blog tour coming out! Sign ups went out today, so if you’re interested, be sure to follow the link to sign up!
We are so excited about this book. This is an INTERNATIONAL tour and it is open to bloggers and Instagrammers alike! Instagrammers will have to be US only because you will receive a physical ARC of the book but all bloggers (US + International) are welcome! Bloggers will receive an electronic ARC for review.
This is an Own Voices book so we are prioritizing Asian reviewers, specifically Chinese reviewers, but all are welcome to apply!
I received an electronic galley of The Companion by Katie Alender from Penguin Teen in exchange for an honest review. This review will be spoiler free.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
The other orphans say Margot is lucky.
Lucky to survive the horrible accident that killed her family.
Lucky to have her own room because she wakes up screaming every night.
And finally, lucky to be chosen by a prestigious family to live at their remote country estate.
But it wasn’t luck that made the Suttons rescue Margot from her bleak existence at the group home. Margot was handpicked to be a companion to their silent, mysterious daughter, Agatha. At first, helping with Agatha–and getting to know her handsome older brother–seems much better than the group home. But soon, the isolated, gothic house begins playing tricks on Margot’s mind, making her question everything she believes about the Suttons . . . and herself.
Margot’s bad dreams may have stopped when she came to live with Agatha – but the real nightmare has just begun.
I’ve been on a thriller/horror kick recently, so when I received this book from Penguin Teen, I was jumping for joy! I really enjoyed this story and how it builds up on itself. We go from a somewhat calm beginning to terror filled mayhem and it was pretty epic!
For starters, poor Margot is suffering from nightmares after she is the sole survivor in a car crash that killed her entire family. After losing all her friends and no family to take her in, Margot ends up at a group home. Luckily, her father saved the life of Mr. Sutton, who wants to repay his debt by taking Margot in.
But Margot is not brought in selflessly – they want her to be a companion for Agatha, who has come down with a mysterious illness. Unable to talk, barely take care of herself, and generally absent from reality, Agatha isn’t much of a bother. Weird things start happening in the house and Margot realizes that things aren’t what they seem.
There were some moments in this book where I thought this was going to be a ghost story. If you’re not into that, don’t worry, it’s not! But from the creepiness level of this book it was a strong possibility. Margot experiences some scary and weird things in the house and those experiences alone would have made me run screaming for the hills. I don’t know why she didn’t run on the first day!
This book was not only very well written, but the story, the cast of characters, and Margot’s experiences made this book one of my favorite thrillers. I had suspicions on what exactly was happening, but the ending still blew my mind! I really liked the set up of Agatha and Margot’s friendship. Even though Agatha is not coherent, they still manage to communicate and cultivate a trusting friendship. It was really cool to watch this progression, especially later on in the book as Margot starts to figure out that something isn’t quite right.
One thing I didn’t like about the story though was the ending. Specifically, the fact that it ends so shortly. We get some kind of resolution, but not enough details that I felt satisfied. The book leads up to the climatic moment and the resolution afterwards fell flat for me. I either wanted a better recap of what happened or another scene before the end that explains what is going on. The ending is just too short and quick in my opinion. It’s why I can’t give this book 5 stars.
While the ending may have not been to my liking, the rest of the book is so well thought out and planned, I’m still reeling over what happened. The last 25% of the book was so fast paced and intense I didn’t want to look away to take a sip of water. With a different ending, this book probably be a 5 stars for me, but with what we have, this is a 
.5 // 5 stars. The Companion releases on August 25th, 2020, so be sure to preorder your copy today!
Thank you again to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy for review!
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If this sounds interesting, check out They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
I really couldn’t figure out what to post for today, so I’m just going to do some ranting and give my unpopular book opinions! These opinions are solely my own and are not meant to hurt, insult, or offend anyone.
Okay – let’s go!
I’m gonna start off with something easy . . .
I have probably said this, like, a thousand times, but I really don’t like The Hunger Games. I tried to read it when I was younger and was absolutely bored to tears after almost 100 pages. Then I tried AGAIN a few years later at the request of one of my friends, and still couldn’t get past 100 pages. It was just boring and I didn’t like it. I know this is a huge favorite in YA, but I actually hate it. And no, I’ve never watched the movies either.
I am pretty active in the book community which means I do a lot of buying, selling, and trading and let me tell you, some people really over-value their ARCs. If you don’t know what an ARC is it stands for Advance Readers Copy, which is basically a bound manuscript sent to reviewers, book sellers, and librarians for early review. This helps boost sales before and after the book is published and generally helps the publisher.
But there is a whole thing, especially in YA and adult Fantasy/Science Fiction, where certain popular authors or certain books will be WAY over valued. People will only trade these books for other “unicorns”/rare books or really expensive items. Technically, trading is supposed to be a way for people to get receive ARCs for review from other people, but people turn it into a collecting nightmare.
On the topic of ARCs, here’s another opinion! ARCs are free books given for review and they are not meant to be sold. This brings into the ethical question of – if it can’t be sold, does trading it for an item that was purchased count as “buying” the ARC. AKA, if someone buys a book I want in exchange for me sending the ARC, does that mean they bought the ARC? In my opinion, yes.
Some people will ask for REALLY EXPENSIVE stuff for an ARC. I saw someone trading an ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas ARC asking for a copy of a book valued over $250. How is this any different from just selling it?
It’s not.
Before anyone comes for me, hear me out.
In the example of J.K. Rowling, some people may not have realized before how awful she is as a person. Once they found out, they feel pressured to denounce her and her work entirely which puts people in a dilemma. Do they continue to enjoy something that they have for years and risk being cancelled or shunned or do they denounce the work they have found a connection with and love, ultimately giving up a part of themselves?
I hate the idea that some people have to feel like they can’t love things because the author is awful. I agree that once it is known they’re awful, we shouldn’t continue to support them (ie. purchasing items, buying their books, movies, etc) but we can continue to enjoy the things we did before. If you love Harry Potter and reread the books or rewatch the movies you own every year, feel free to continue to do so. But don’t think I condone a continued support. Nor do I believe in overlooking a problematic author simply to enjoy their work. I.E. – If you are looking for a new book and found one you’re interested in, but the author is a known racist, don’t buy their book!
Why is this one even a debate? Books are books are books. If you listen to a book, you’re reading. If you’re using an e-reader, you’re reading. If you listen and read the book at the same time, you’re READING.
It’s so silly how people get pressed over HOW people are reading. I have friends who are blind or have very bad vision that require e-readers to enlarge texts because large print books are expensive. Or they listen to audiobooks. I also have friends who just simply enjoy listening to audiobooks or prefer e-readers over physical books. That doesn’t make them any less of a reader. And it doesn’t make people a “better” reader simply because they only read hardcover books!
I may have to make a part two to this post another time, because I don’t want to rant forever. But you get the point!
I received a copy of Ignite the Sun by Hanna Howard from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Once upon a time, there was something called the sun… In a kingdom ruled by an evil witch, the sun is just part of a legend about light-filled days of old. Luckily for everybody in the kingdom, Siria Nightingale is headed to the heart of the darkness to try and restore the light–or she will lose everything trying.
Sixteen year-old Siria Nightingale has never seen the sun. The light is dangerous, according to Queen Iyzabel, an evil witch who has shrouded the kingdom in shadow.
Siria has always hated the darkness and revels in the stories of the light-filled old days that she hears from her best friend and his grandfather. Besides them, nobody else understands her fascination with the sun, especially not her strict and demanding parents. Siria’s need to please them is greater even than her fear of the dark. So she heads to the royal city–the very center of the darkness–for a chance at a place in Queen Iyzabel’s court.
But what Siria discovers at the Choosing Ball sends her on a quest toward the last vestiges of the sun with a ragtag group of rebels who could help her bring back the Light … or doom the kingdom to shadow forever.
This was a surprisingly quick read, even though the book is 352 pages long. Though this book is a quick read, it is not an “easy” or “light” read. This book discusses some serious topics like genocide, parental neglect, and war. But, there are some moments of light in this book between Siria and her newfound family, Yarrow and Linden.
From the beginning, I was interested in the Darkness covering their town. There is no sunlight, only lamps and a heating spell to keep everyone from freezing. I couldn’t imagine living in a world of pure darkness, controlled by an abusive Queen. All the magical creatures locked away or slaughtered to make sure she stays in power. The only thing people had were stories of the time before and even then they were just viewed as stories.
Once we get into the thick of this book, I found that I got some information about the world of the sunchildren and other mythical creatures, but not a complete picture. I wanted to learn more about the culture and the world, but we mostly learn about their powers and how to use them. While helpful, and cool, I felt like I didn’t have the full picture of this world. For one, it sounds like the sunchildren are like genetic mutations – it’s not a group of beings, they can be born to humans or nymphs, and some siblings can be sunchildren while others aren’t. Which, I don’t understand how that happens and it’s not explained much.
In fact, there was a lot of missing information by the end and too many unanswered questions. Besides the obvious, what is a sunchild and how do they appear, I wanted to know more about nymph and elf powers. Mages were kind of explained, but it was basically “they have a magical item that channels their magic. The end” which isn’t super helpful.
Plus, we’re told that sunchildren have all of these great powers, and while we see some, it sounds like it’s not even a drop in the bucket. It was actually really frustrating to read such an interesting plot only to have the world building lack. And the forced romance, while cute, felt off. These characters were friends for years, Siria barely spoke to him for four years, and suddenly she’s in love? I just don’t understand.
While I enjoyed the story a lot, those discrepancies and unanswered questions bugged me and made the story more confusing at times. So while I liked the characters and the overall book, I would give this a .5 // 5 stars.
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis! The sequel, The Hunter and the Mage releases on September 21st, 2020!
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
I have a very optimistic TBR for August. Three of these books I need to read in order to read the sequels, which either come out in September. The other eight books are books that come out in August/September that I need to read. And these aren’t even all of the September releases. I left three end of September releases for later and I’ll just have to read and get through at the beginning of next month.
I don’t know if I’ve had a TBR of more than nine books before, so this should be interesting. The last three can always be read beginning of September if it comes down to that, but I want to try and get these read as soon as possible.
I ended up with a longer TBR for August due to one thing – the Penguin Teen Influencer program. I signed up and got in (yay!) but when I requested the books I wanted, I didn’t think I would get ALL of them. I requested three books for each month, August, September, and October. And in one afternoon received six of those nine books in my inbox. It was awesome yet terrifying.
See, I’m used to requesting more than normal because I’m usually declined for like 80-90% of them, so I didn’t expect to have six additional books fall into my lap. Plus I received Legendborn from the publisher and won Traitor in a giveaway. Ha ha, I’m freaking out.
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
I had some serious nostalgia hit me today as I was looking through old books I had read back in middle school. It’s been so long since I had read some of these, so I wanted to create a tag that would make everyone feel nostalgic. So – here is the Nostalgia Book Tag!
I had to read a lot in elementary school for school, so technically this isn’t the first book I’ve ever read, but it’s the first one I picked out to read outside of school. The first series I ever read on my own was The Percy Jackson series. My fifth grade teacher read The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan to us and I was hooked. I read the first book on my own that summer and read every book that came after it and I was hooked. I’ve had a book in my hand ever since.
I read a lot in middle school, so there was a lot of books I deemed my favorite. The three series I remember adoring in middle school was The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I could not get enough of those books and would reread them all the time.
There’s several books that I’ve read that none of my friends, or anyone I talk to, know about so I’ll list them:
Shadowland by Meg Cabot
Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer
These are the few I could think of off the top of my head, but I loved these series in middle school and I really want to reread them now!
Worst book I’ve read, that wasn’t for school, would probably have to be the first book I ever DNFed (did not finished), which was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I read 5 chapters in middle school and hated it. Tried reading it again in high school and just couldn’t do it. It was just so bad I couldn’t get through it.
I loved so many authors but I’d have to say that I loved Meg Cabot a lot when I was younger. I could pick up any of her books and instantly fall in love, no matter the genre.
I don’t know that I necessarily hated anyone, but I definitely was very mad at Stephanie Meyer and Cassandra Clare as I read their books!
I was hesitant to read Harry Potter when I was younger. Back in elementary school a lot of my friends had read them and loved them, but I wasn’t a stronger reader then and the books were very big. I didn’t want to embarrass myself trying to read them, so I said I never would. I refused to read them for a while, and then in 7th grade, I cracked. Finally read them and got on the HP bandwagon until JK went full bigot and I quickly hoped off.
Twilight. Need I say more?
Every year my family would go to Florida for Thanksgiving to see my grandmother and we would go to the local bookstore and get new books for me to read. I would spend the whole vacation reading by the pool, at my grandma’s house, in the hotel – anywhere and everywhere. In the week we would be there I could get through a book a day with how much I read. I kind of miss it.
The Lightening Thief kickstarted my love for reading and The Mortal Instruments helped propel it forward. Those two books will forever be books that I can go back to and love again and again.
I am so excited to be a part of the Mayhem blog tour through Wednesday Books! I was lucky enough to win a copy of Mayhem by Estelle Laure through the Wednesday Books giveaway, Nostalgia Hour, a couple months ago and when I saw the opportunity to jump on this blog tour, I had to take it!
Here is the synopsis through Goodreads:
A YA feminist mash up inspired by The Lost Boys and The Craft.
It’s 1987 and unfortunately it’s not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy’s constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem’s own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren’t like everyone else. But when May’s stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem’s questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.
From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a a family of women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough.
When I read the synopsis I knew I had to read this book. Feminist mash up? Inspired by The Craft? Sign me up! I was so excited to read this book, until I start reading it. This was a really intense book that I honestly didn’t expect and I have a lot of thoughts on it.
One thing I wish I knew going into this book was that the beginning (and some of the tones in general) are pretty heavy. In the final draft there will be a note from the author discussing some of the more serious topics in this novel, but I didn’t get a letter or a warning for the ARC. There is a lot of heaviness to this book, including rape, suicide, assault, murder, and drug abuse. I didn’t realize how intense this book was until I started reading, but Laure does a great job in discussing these issues and not just using them as a shock factor or background. While I would have liked to know those topics would be discussed, I think the author did a good job in discussing them.
I will include Laure’s note, which will be printed in final copies, below in the Author Information section.
The beginning was a bit “slow” in a way as we’re introduced to Mayhem and Roxy, as well as their past. We learn about why Roxy left Santa Maria and why they’re returning home after all these years. I like how Laure mixes in the past with the present to give one cohesive story. Though, I found that the plot of the book didn’t start until more than halfway through.
I wanted more of The Craft, feeling wise, and I didn’t get it. The majority of the book felt like a contemporary novel as Mayhem deals with her and her mother’s past once they return to Santa Maria. The fear of Mayhem’s step-father coming after them, relearning how to feel safe, dealing with her mother’s addiction – it’s a lot for a teen. And honestly, if that was the whole book, I would have been satisfied. The focus on Mayhem and her mother’s relationship, and working through their trauma, would have been a beautiful book.
But once the magic is added in, about 50% through, it changes the feel of the story. I liked the magic, though I didn’t understand it fully. My only complaint is that since the magic and this new storyline comes in late, I wish we had more time with it.
The main climatic event is fast and it left me unsatisfied. I wanted more to solving the mystery, more to the magic, and more in general.
Overall, I like the story and I loved watching Mayhem and Roxy reconnect. I thought the murder mystery was a cool aspect, though it wasn’t really touched on much. And the magic had so much potential, but it just felt underdeveloped unfortunately. Though I do love Laure’s writing and the Mayhem’s overall journey.
In the end, I would give this book a 
.5 // 5 stars.
Author Bio:
Estelle Laure is a Vonnegut worshipper who believes in love and magic and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theater Arts from New Mexico State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and thinks everyone should have to wait tables or work in a kitchen at least once in their lives. She lives in Taos, New Mexico with her children.
Author Note:
Dear Reader,
Like Mayhem, I experienced a period of time when my life was extremely unstable. I can still remember what it was like to be shaken so hard I thought my head would come off, to watch the room vibrate, to feel unsafe in my own home, to never know what was coming around the next corner. I wanted to run. I always wanted to run.
I ran to friends, but also movies and books, and although girls were more passively portrayed in movies like The Lost Boys back then, that feeling of teenagers prowling the night, taking out bad people, being unbeatable . . . that got me through it.
I guess that’s what I tried to do here. I wanted girls who feel powerless to be able to imagine themselves invincible. And yes, I used a rape as the seed for that fierce lineage, not without thought. For me, there is nothing worse, and I like to think great power can rise up as a result of a devastating trespass.
Please know I took none of this lightly. Writing this now, my heart is beating hard and my throat is dry. This is the first time I not only really looked at my own past, the pain of loss, the pain of the loss of trust that comes when someone puts hands on you without permission, the pain of people dying, the shock of suicide, and put all of it to paper in a way that made me feel victorious, strong, and warrior-like. It is also terrifying. I know I’m not the only one who had a scary childhood, and
I know I’m not the only one who clings to stories as salve to smooth over burnt skin. I am so sick of girls and women being hurt. This was my way of taking my own vengeance and trying to access forgiveness.
Thank you for reading and for those of you who can relate, I see you and you are not alone.
Estelle Laure
Related Links:
Anyone who blogs knows that there is a lot that goes on behind the screen. Posting often (especially multiple times a day) is exhausting and trying to write original content people wanna see? Even more exhausting. So, heres some of the problems I face as a book blogger.
When you take up blogging, it can take up a lot of your time. Not that it’s wasted time, it’s not, but if it’s between reading, writing, blogging, sleeping, eating, etc – it can be overwhelming. I find it easier to take a day or two out of the week and write reviews and posts just to make it easier. Usually I’ll do about 3-4 in one sitting because once I’ve committed the time it’s easy to just roll with it!
I have a hard time translating ideas to the page sometimes. I’ll think of a super fun blog post or try to write a review, but I can’t get the emotions or idea from my head to the page. It is so frustrating. I just want things to get on the page, in the exact way I thought it, and people understand what I’m going for. Is that so much to ask for?
One of the biggest things I struggle with is confidence. Confidence in my writing, my ideas, and in myself. I try to write as true to me as I can, but it’s hard sometimes because I just want to make fun content I like that other people will like. And when I see other people’s blogs with higher follower counts and high engagement, it sometimes cracks my shell. I’ve even questioned, does anyone even cares what I write about? The honest answer is most likely no, but I try to ignore it. In the end, I’m not those other people and I can only write what is true to me – but it’s hard to ignore sometimes.
I’m well aware that it’s very hard to be “original” as a book blogger. If it’s a tag, it’s most likely been done already. Reviews can all sound the same. And posts you think are gonna be a hit – something no one has ever seen – has been done and it flops.
So creating content that doesn’t feel overdone but is still fun and engaging? Really hard! It’s one of my biggest worries honestly. That I’m not only talking to myself, but that my content is so boring and unoriginal, no one cares about it.
I try to mix things up while also having some familiarity to my stuff, but no matter what I do, I’ll probably always worry about this.
And, the biggest problem of being a book blogger? The actual writing. Especially spoiler free reviews that you just want to go on a full on spoilery rant about but you shouldn’t. Sometimes I sit down to write and it’s like no ones home. I could barely start this post honestly. And don’t get me started on editing! You guys get the cleaned up version of my posts. The hot mess I have to edit and deal with? Agonizing!
Though there are a lot of things that are tough about blogging, I still love it. It gets me excited to read because I have a chance to sit down and write down all my thoughts and sometimes, people listen. I don’t have too many book friends, so getting to gush about stories I love, and rant about the ones I don’t, makes me so happy as a reader. And I love getting to interact with people through my blog and Twitter. I don’t know what I would do, or who I would be, if I didn’t have my blog. So thanks for sticking around with me!
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June was a good reading month for me! Although I didn’t necessarily follow my intended TBR. I’ve put Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare on my TBR for the past three months and it just hasn’t happened. I find myself getting approved or buddy reading other books, so it will have to wait for now.
I only ended up reading half of the books I wanted to read and one of those books ended up on this months TBR. I totally ignored Touch of Gold and Curse of Gold by Annie Sullivan, which I shouldn’t do. I do need to read those soon. Maybe I’ll try to fit at least Touch of Gold into this month’s TBR so I can read Curse of Gold before release.
Most of these are books I received for review or I need to read in order to review other books. A Wicked Magic is for a book tour, They Wish They Were Us is a buddy read, Warmaidens, Ignite the Sun, and Hush are all NetGalley reviews I need to read. I hope I can get through all of these and stick to my TBR but we’ll see. I tend to abandon my TBR apparently.
But, I still want to continue my reading streak and get all of these books (and then some) read before the end of July!
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I haven’t done a tag or post like this before, but since I’ve been getting really active on here, I thought I should introduce myself! This is the Behind the Book Blogger Tag which I saw on Reads and Thoughts blog. She wasn’t able to tag the original creator, so I’ll just tag her since that’s where I saw it from! I tag Writing the Universe to complete this next!
When I first started blogging, I wanted to have a platform to write my thoughts about books that was more unique and individualized than Goodreads. I love being able to express myself freely on my own site. Unlike Goodreads, which doesn’t give you a lot of creativity, blogging allows me to formulate my thoughts, make fun content, and explore things outside of reviewing books! Goodreads and retail sites are all reviews, but blogging lets me do other things, like this tag!
That’s difficult because I really only write stuff like I like to read and write. I hate writing just to get a post out. But if I had to pick one kind of post, it would be my TBR posts. It’s so fun getting to narrow down what books I want to read and figuring out what reviews I have to get done and what books I can read in my spare time. Also, it gives me a clear path of what I need to read within this month so I’m not just jumping around trying to figure out what to read next – which I also end up doing anyways.
Top three? 🙈 Uhhhh –
ARC Review + Author Interview: Shielded
ARC Review: Blood & Honey
Making Assumptions About Books I’ve Never Read
Besides reading, I love to sing 😍 It’s a lot of fun to sing songs that I find fun or challenging and hear myself improve. Plus, rocking out to songs is fun! I also love to cook and bake, so long as I’m not too tired.
Reading in a cozy chair 📚
Spending time with my friends, especially girls trips 💕
A good nap. I’m a simple girl. ☺️
I just recently hit 100 blog posts, which is awesome! 🎉 I’ve also gotten more authors and publishers reaching out to me to review their books which is wild. I never would have thought anyone would want me to read and review their work, so that makes me really excited.
I’m a very artsy person, so most of my hobbies revolve around books, music, theatre, and art – although I am a terrible artist so I more so appreciate art rather than partake in it. I also love organizing things, especially making lists or writing things in calendars.
Fun 🤪
Loud 🙈
Loving 💕
I hate loud, obnoxious chewing. People walking slowly on a crowded hallway/street or just SUDDENLY STOPPING IN FRONT OF YOU 😡When someone takes something of mine without asking, whether it’s food or a book, whatever. Just ask.
I am a classically trained flutist and I was going to go to school for Flute Performance before my band teacher destroyed my spirits and I second guessed myself 😭 I’m mad that I listened to him and didn’t go for my dreams, but I’m still happy where I ended up.
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We Write At Dawn 