Posted in Monthly Wrap-Ups

August/September/October Wrap-Up? (GUESS WHO’S BACK)

Hi again, bibliophiles! Long time, no see. (write?) I’m back from the grave, and I’ll do my best to make this post coherent because I know it’s been a while. My bad.

It’s taken…a while, but I’m feeling like I’m in a good place to blog more regularly for now. College was a jarring experience to settle into, but I’m starting to get the hang of it now. Being away from home for the first time was pretty scary for the first few weeks, even though my college is relatively close to where I am, but over time, I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve gotten a nice routine, I’m liking a lot of my classes (minus the obligatory math credit 🥴), and I’m making friends and…actually socializing? There’s been a lot of fun events on campus already, and I’ve been to a lot of pride stuff (a whole bisexuality day event, complete with cookie decorating and Bohemian Rhapsody) and just recently went to my first book club meeting! Of course, there have been ups (most of the aforementioned stuff), downs (the fire alarm going off at 2 am 😀), and the outright weird (seeing somebody walk into my neighbor’s dorm in a hotdog suit), but I definitely feel like I’ve made the right decision. It’s taken a good amount of Great British Bakeoff binging, but I’m feeling good.

Since this would’ve been impossibly giant if I’d structured it like I normally structure my wrap-ups, I’ll compress it this time since a) I haven’t been able to read as much, and b) a lot of what I ended up reading from August to September ended up being re-reads (the homesickness cure?).

So, here are some highlights!

WHAT I’VE BEEN UP TO LATELY:

  • So! College! I’m taking mostly English stuff for my creative writing major, so that’s been tons of fun to have that as the majority of my material. I’ve only really had tests and quizzes for my math and science credits, and my science credit is at least fun; it’s an anthropology class, so…….monke. (not to mention walking into class one time only to find that “return to monke” was actually part of the title slide of the presentation). Also, I ended up using Twitch for the first time…for the anthropology class? The professor streamed his class there because it got up to almost 100 degrees (oof) way back in September. Somehow that was where I found out about Queen Elizabeth II dying. Anyways…
  • And I’m taking a whole class! About! Comics! Ms. Marvel and On a Sunbeam and Sisters and Watchmen are on the reading list! I WROTE AN ESSAY ABOUT DR. MANHATTAN. FOR CREDIT. WHO WOULDA THUNK.
  • I saw Gorillaz in September! Easily one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. Somebody described Gorillaz concerts as “a big party with Damon Albarn,” and that’s exactly what I got. They played so many of my favorites, and the joy was infectious all the way through. Admittedly, I had just gotten what turned out to be a pretty nasty cold, but being there made me forget about it completely.
a fanmade sign that damon brought onstage
a glorious fanmade sign that Damon brought onstage
  • I’m sort of obsessed with the Great British Bakeoff now… I started watching it as a comfort thing when I was still super homesick, but I just LOVE it now. It’s the perfect feel-good show! I usually watch it before I go to bed now, and I’m going through the newest season right now! (Mexican Week, though…I swear a little piece of my soul shriveled up and died every time Paul Hollywood pronounced “pico de gallo” Like That)
  • I love this campus! I got my dorm all decorated so it’s nice and homey, the hall I live in is really close to my classes, and now that it’s fall, the trees look so beautiful. It was still pretty hot for a while, but we’ve had some beautiful fall days. I went for a walk after class one day just to get coffee and take pictures of the leaves.
leaves for your viewing pleasure

College has definitely been a rocky transition, but nonetheless, it’s starting to feel familiar. It helps that the majority of my classes are more tailored to my interests and that my dorm is nice and cozy.

Since it’s taken a bit to settle in and I’ve had a good amount to read for my classes, I haven’t had quite as much time to free read. But slowly but surely, I’ve been reading more, and I’ve lurked in the library (wonderfully close to my dorm) to find stuff to read. Normally, I list off everything I’ve read for the month, but since this wrap-up encompasses three months, I’ll just narrow it down to the highlights. (Plus, most of the end of August and a good chunk of September were re-reads. I’ll include a few on there, but I don’t want an overly long list.)

SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF READING:

Call Us What We Carry
  • Re-reading the entirety of the Aurora Cycle (Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff): you all saw that coming…and yeah, my Auri & Kal print is now right above the mirror in my dorm. Bi panic from the comfort of your own home! (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
  • Call Us What We Carry – Amanda Gorman: My brother got me this for my birthday (thank you!). I don’t regularly read poetry, but it’d be a crime to rate anything by Amanda Gorman less than 5 stars. Truly astounding. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
  • The Complete Maus – Art Spiegelman: This was part of a unit in my comics class about the 1986 Trifecta (this, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore’s Watchmen), and I was absolutely floored. It’s raw, it transcends time, and it’s easily the most fleshed-out story of generational trauma that I’ve ever experienced. It wasn’t an easy read, and I didn’t expect it to be in any sense of the word—Maus found me crying at least three separate times. And I’ll stand by the fact that it should be essential reading. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
  • The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires – Grady Hendrix: this one had been on my tbr for a little while, but it was one of the picks for book club for October, so I finally got around to reading it. I don’t read a lot of horror, but I’d say this was solid—an interesting spin on the typical perspective, and loads of all the absolutely vile body horror you’d expect from a vampire book, paired with the general horror of…cockroaches trying to crawl in your ear. (this is why I’m glad my parents moved me away from the South at a young age.) Also, pro tip—not the best book to pick up when it’s 2 AM and you can’t fall back asleep. Basically the book equivalent of “Intruder” coming on shuffle while I was trying to sleep. (Which also happened…the night I moved into my dorm, no less. Anyways.) Speaking from experience, both are better enjoyed in broad daylight. (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
  • The Lost Girls – Sonia Hartl: I was just looking for something campy-spooky to tide me over, and I didn’t expect to like it this much! Spooky and campy it was, and who doesn’t enjoy a team of queer vampires from different time periods hunting down the man who turned them? It got strangely existential at times, which was more than a little jarring, but it was the perfect queer book for spooky season. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
  • Watchmen – Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons: again, part of my assigned reading for comics class, but this was my second time around reading it. I was ready to not like it when I first read it, chiefly because 95% of the characters were just the most despicable, horrendous, vile characters known to man (which I still stand by, and I still think that a lot of readers sadly didn’t recognize), but it all came around in the last few chapters. Reading it a second time really allowed me to absorb all the details (nothing gives you that sense of “big brain time” like finding every little smiley face and blood-spatter shape hidden in the background), and it made me realize all over again how skilled Alan Moore is at creating a world; I can’t think of another piece of media that realizes its world as fully as Watchmen‘s does. There’s a reason this one is a classic. Now I’m tempted to rewatch the show… (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
if this panel didn’t make your jaw fall to the floor, you’re lying
  • A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot, #2) – Becky Chambers: the queen of quiet, feel-good sci-fi does it again! I had this one on hold for a while after I finished A Psalm for the Wild-Built, and I’m glad to say that book 2 was just as tender, sweet, and warm-and-fuzzy as its predecessor. This one’s another one that got me choked up, but in an entirely different way—who knew that a robot holding a baby for the first time would make me so emotional? We love Mosscap in this house. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
  • I Am the Ghost in Your House – Mar Romasco Moore: never thought that a story about an invisible bisexual girl would hit me this hard, but here we are. I picked this one up entirely on a whim, and for the most part, it floored me—incredible prose and well-thought-out in every aspect, I Am the Ghost in Your House is the perfect example of the sheer potency of magical realism. I’m gonna try review this one soon…hopefully I can keep my promise there. Either way, I’d highly recommend it. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)

And because it wouldn’t be a Bookish Mutant post without it…

WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS OR SO:

Chances are, I’ll probably permanently associate this one with walking to class for the first few weeks of school. Infectiously joyous and catchy.
Petition to slip this into some kind of X-Men project solely because of the title? Anyways, also a “walking to class in August” kind of song, but a weird juxtaposition of calmly walking to the library whilst Joe Talbot screams “I PUT HOMOPHOBES IN COFFINS” in my ears. Love me some IDLES.
I’m not usually the biggest Love & Rockets fan, but this just hooked me instantly—it feels so intoxicatingly trip-hop, so smooth and catchy. According to my brother, the whole album is generally in this vein, so I’ll definitely listen to it at some point.
I’ve said before that Kate Bush is generally hit or miss for me, but when she hits me, she hits me. I’ve realized now that I think I just like earlier Kate Bush better—I ADORE this and “Wuthering Heights,” and I’ve been a fan of most everything I’ve heard off of Lionheart as well. But this…THIS. It’s got such a contagious groove, so reminiscent of David Bowie but also just pure Kate Bush doing her thing. Music video notwithstanding, this one’s a gem.
Dry Food was a no-skip album all the way through! This one was my favorite, though—”Molly” is where this quality shows up the most, but I love how Palehound’s songs aren’t afraid to unravel themselves, completely tearing the structure apart by the end of the song. Plus, who doesn’t love a king-sized dose of fuzzy guitars?
Nothing like a heady dose of bright, bubbly, 70’s pop to brighten the mood. It’s a walking-to-class song, it’s a dancing-alone-in-your-dorm song, it’s a sitting-down-and-doing nothing song, it’s good for everything.
…do I really need to explain this one? Come on.
Last one, I promise, and what a left turn that was from Parliament. Oops. (Rare glimpse into my shuffle?) Chilling, atmospheric, and classic Danny Elfman to the core, it’s easy to see where Big Mess came from after this.

This is probably a good place to cap it off, so here we are. I think I’m in a place where I can return to a semi-consistent version of my old schedule; I’ll definitely try and do my weekly reviews, at the very least, but I’m feeling a lot more settled in than I was when I last posted. Hope you’re all doing well, and lots of love to all of you. And more importantly—happy Halloween! 🎃

Today’s song:

YEEAAAAAAAAH THAT’S RIGHT HAPPY HALLOWEEN FELLAS

That’s it for this monstrously large wrap-up! It’s good to be back. Have a wonderful rest of your day, take care of yourselves, and have a safe and spooky Halloween! 🧛🏼‍♀️

Advertisement
Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 8-14, 2022

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! Hope this week has treated you well.

Well…things have been…put into perspective this week. I’m now only a few days away from moving into my college dorm, so most of this week has been preparing for that—physically and mentally. I’ve got most of my stuff packed up in boxes and bags in the next room. It feels so strange that the day’s finally here, but it was bound to come eventually. Wish me luck, everybody.

Reading-wise, though, I had some great reads! All of my books were in the 3-4 star range, and I enjoyed them all. This was my last library visit before college, so that was bittersweet, so I’ll probably end up with a mix of Kindle library books and re-reads for this week, especially since I’ll be moving. I finished draft 1 of the WIP I wrote for camp NaNoWriMo this year! It’s a little on the shorter side (~250 pages), but it’s a first draft, so I’m proud of what I’ve got.

Other than that, I dyed my hair green (as seen in my new pfp…face reveal, I guess?), played guitar, drew a little, watched What We Do in the Shadows and rewatched The Shape of Water (my all-time favorite movie…many tears were shed), and started packing for college. Soon…

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality – Julia Shaw (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)

Alone Out Here – Riley Redgate (⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

You’re Welcome, Universe – Whitney Gardner (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

Not Good for Maidens – Tori Bolivano (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School – Sonora Reyes (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

THE ONE, LONELY POST I MADE THIS WEEK:

THE ONE, LONELY SONG THAT WENT WITH IT:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

A Sisterhood of Secret Ambitions – Sheena Boekweg

Today’s song:

I’d already heard a good half of this album before, but I listened to the whole thing yesterday…can’t go wrong with the Beatles

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 1-7, 2022

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you well.

It’s been another quiet week, and college is looming closer and closer still…don’t wanna think about that…I haven’t been busy, though, so that’s always nice. I’ve had a lot of time to read and draw, so that’s always good to be able to collect my thoughts like that. It’s been rather hot, though, so that’s…not ideal.

I finished up Camp NaNoWriMo last Sunday night, and I got to 45,000 words! I’ve been continuing with the first draft of this WIP ever since, and it’s at around 52,000 words right now, and I’d say it’s getting pretty close to being finished! Whew…

I wasn’t able to go to the library last week, so I ended up trawling the Kindle library for books to read last week. I was in a major fantasy mood this week for no particular reason, so that’s what I ended up reading. It was a hit-or-miss batch, but there were a couple of great books I discovered! (I also unintentionally read a bunch of autumnal/wintry books…in 80+ degree weather) I got a promising batch from the library this week too.

Other than that, I’ve just been playing guitar, continuing with What We Do in the Shadows, rewatching Severance, and finally getting around to Ms. Marvel (it’s one of my favorite marvel comics, so you can definitely expect a review of the show soon!), and seeing Nope in theaters (my first Jordan Peele movie—loved all the detail and the creature design!!). My other cat, Anakin, also celebrates his 15th birthday today, so everybody say happy birthday to our little crotchety old man 💗

the birthday boy!

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

Early Riser – Jasper Fforde (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The Midnight Girls – Alicia Jasinska (⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️)

That Dark Infinity – Kate Pentecost (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space (The Starmetal Symphony, #1) – Alex White (⭐️⭐️.5)

Jackaby (Jackaby, #1) – William Ritter (⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

POSTS AND SUCH:

SONGS:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality – Julia Shaw

Alone Out Here – Riley Redgate

You’re Welcome, Universe – Whitney Gardner

Not Good for Maidens – Tori Bovalino

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School – Sonora Reyes

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 30 – September 5, 2021

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you well.

I’d say it’s been a nice week for me. Homework has been light, and the weather’s been cooling down a little where I am. (We did get some hail the other day, though – definitely caused a bit of a racket during Stats class…)

Reading-wise, I went into a slight slump, but by the middle of the week, I’d broken out of it. I got a bunch of promising library books as well, and I’m confident that I’ll continue my good streak! Related, we had my first meeting for my school’s book club on Friday, and I’m so happy about the turnout! We gained lots of new members, and they all seem very passionate about books, so I’m so glad they’re here now.

Writing has been on-and-off in terms of progress, but I finished up the climax and…now I’m onto a particularly sad scene, and it’s not completely done yet, so…[cue my sad playlist]

Other than that, I’ve been petting my cat, listening to loads of music, volunteering at the library, and visiting the Denver Botanic Gardens – yesterday evening was beautiful!

Aesthetic Anime GIF - Aesthetic Anime Flipping Pages - Discover & Share GIFs

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

She Drives Me Crazy – Kelly Quindlen (⭐️⭐️)

Amazon.com: She Drives Me Crazy: 9781250209153: Quindlen, Kelly: Books

The Unbinding of Mary Reade – Miriam McNamara (⭐️⭐️.5)

Amazon.com: The Unbinding of Mary Reade: 9781510727052: McNamara, Miriam:  Books

Curses – Lish McBride (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)

Amazon.com: Curses: 9781984815590: McBride, Lish: Books

Broken Web (Shamanborn, #2) – Lori M. Lee (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

Broken Web (Shamanborn, #2) by Lori M. Lee

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall, Hugo Martinez (illustrator) (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts: Hall, Rebecca,  Martínez, Hugo: 9781982115180: Amazon.com: Books

POSTS AND SUCH:

SONGS:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

Tell the Machine Goodnight – Katie Williams

Tell the Machine Goodnight: A Novel: Williams, Katie: 9780525533122:  Amazon.com: Books

The Taking of Jake Livingston – Ryan Douglass

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass: 9781984812537 |  PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

Come On In: 15 Stories about Immigration and Finding Home – Adi Alsaid et. al.

Amazon.com: Come On In: 15 Stories about Immigration and Finding Home:  9781335146496: Alsaid, Adi, Bajaj, Varsha, Andreu, Maria E., Morse, Sharon,  Sugiura, Misa, Azad, Nafiza, Goo, Maurene, Charaipotra, Sona, Méndez,  Yamile Saied,

Kindred – Octavia E. Butler

Amazon.com: Kindred: 0046442083690: Octavia E. Butler: Books

Harley in the Sky – Akemi Dawn Bowman

Amazon.com: Harley in the Sky: 9781534437128: Bowman, Akemi Dawn: Books

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Monthly Wrap-Ups

August 2021 Wrap-Up 🍰

Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

And here we are. August, the end of summer and the start of the school year. My birthday month too, so that’s always a lot of fun. Still can’t believe we’re four months away from 2022 though…

[ahem] that aside…

GENERAL THOUGHTS:

school GIFs - Primo GIF - Latest Animated GIFs

For the most part, August was a pretty nice month. I didn’t plan on getting bitten by mosquitoes in Florida (okay: not that many mosquitoes, getting bug bites in Florida is kind of a given), but I got to read some good books while I was there. Plus, Kaz cane. Other than that, I just enjoyed summer’s last hurrah, reading, watching movies with friends, and soaking up the last of the warm weather. I had my birthday later in the month as well, and I had a lot of fun celebrating with family!

I started school about two weeks ago, and I’m slowly easing back in, and knock on wood, I’ll be able to keep all the A’s I have so far. 🤞I’m still in mostly honors/AP classes, but I’m glad that I have those classes in the subjects I’m good at. After AP Bio, I don’t think I could take another honors/AP science class…

After getting through Camp NaNoWriMo, I’ve had mostly steady progress in my sci-fi WIP for most of the month! I’m close to the end of the draft, and I’ve gotten to write some of my favorite scenes in the whole story this month. My progress petered out a little bit once I had to adjust to my new school schedule, but I’m getting back on track now. As I’m writing this, I’ve just finished up the climax, so I’m getting close!

Ive Been Looking Forward To This Dooku GIF - Ive Been Looking Forward To  This Dooku Revenge - Discover & Share GIFs

Other than that, I’ve just been volunteering at the library, working my way through It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Gravity Falls, and What If?, going to my first live concert since the pandemic started (Wilco!),doodling still more aliens, watching The Suicide Squad, and eating all the cake and candy leftover from my birthday.

READING AND BLOGGING:

I read 20 books this month! I think this month is tied with January and June for the least amount of books read, and I can probably attribute that to a) a few really chunky books and b) getting back into the school routine. Nevertheless, I found some unexpected favorites in the bunch!

2 – 2.75 stars:

Amazon.com: When My Heart Joins the Thousand eBook : Steiger, A. J.: Kindle  Store
When My Heart Joins the Thousand

3 – 3.75 stars:

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon, #2) by RoAnna Sylver
The Lifeline Signal

4 – 4.75 stars:

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1) by Becky Chambers
A Psalm for the Wild-Built

5 stars:

The Darkness Outside Us | eliot-schrefer
The Darkness Outside Us

FAVORITE BOOK OF THE MONTH (NOT COUNTING RE-READS): The Darkness Outside Us – 5 stars

Amazon.com: The Darkness Outside Us: 9780062888280: Schrefer, Eliot: Books
The Darkness Outside Us

SOME POSTS I’M PROUD OF:

POSTS I ENJOYED FROM OTHER WONDERFUL PEOPLE:

SONGS/ALBUMS I’VE ENJOYED:

the joy this song brings me oh my god
there isn’t a bad song on this album. on either of the discs. none.
shhhhh I swear I like this song for more reasons than the fact that St. Vincent produced it
god this song is beautiful…I had a dream about it the other night
never gets old

DID I FOLLOW THROUGH ON MY AUGUST GOALS?

Eat Cake GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY
  • Read at least 20 books: 20!
  • Enjoy the last weeks of summer: certainly did!
  • Start the school year off on a good note: all A’s and I got an A on my first math quiz, I’d call that a good note!
  • ENJOY MY BIRTHDAY: very much so!

GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER:

giphy (22) - Made in Salford
  • Read at least 20 books
  • Don’t stress too much about college stuff oof
  • Take care of yourself

Since I already posted once today, check out today’s Book Review Tuesday for today’s song.

That’s it for this month in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 23-29, 2021

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you well.

This was my first full week of school, and…well, it had its ups and downs. College applications have been a bit stressful, but now that I’ve seen everything a little more simplified, it’s slightly less so. Still stressful, but at least I know how everything works now. But on the other hand, I had some great things happen this week! I aced a math quiz, I have As in all of my classes so far (I don’t care that it’s the second week of school, I’m still proud of myself), and I’m slowly getting more people into book club.

Reading-wise, I’ve just been reading through all of the books I bought/was gifted for my birthday. Most of them have been pretty good, but re-reading The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea was just what I needed to take my mind off of college. I got some cool-looking books at the library, so I’m excited for that! As for writing, I haven’t been doing it as frequently as I’ve been getting used to my school schedule, but I’m slowly but surely working through the climax of my sci-fi WIP.

Other than that, I watched The Suicide Squad (solid 3/5 for me, fantastic cinematography and also the best live action Harley look), had a busy shift at the library, and busily tried to convert people to my school’s book club. But the latter isn’t too out of the ordinary for me, really.

Oh, and in case you’re having a bad day, enjoy this picture of one of my cats (her name is Hobbes) with my library books:

look at my precious baby

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

Ahsoka (Star Wars) – E.K. Johnston (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

Amazon.com: Star Wars Ahsoka: 9781484705667: E.K. Johnston, Wojtowicz,  Jason P: Books

Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes, #1) – Elizabeth Lim (⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)

Amazon.com: Six Crimson Cranes: 9780593300916: Lim, Elizabeth: Books

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea – Maggie Tokuda-Hall (re-read) (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

My review of THE MERMAID, THE WITCH, AND THE SEA by Maggie Tokuda-Hall |  Maria Hossain

The Good Luck Girls – Charlotte Nicole Davis (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

Girls at the Edge of the World – Laura Brooke Robson (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Amazon.com: Girls at the Edge of the World: 9780525554035: Robson, Laura  Brooke: Books

POSTS AND SUCH:

SONGS:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

She Drives Me Crazy – Kelly Quindlen

Amazon.com: She Drives Me Crazy: 9781250209153: Quindlen, Kelly: Books

Broken Web (Shamanborn, #2) – Lori M. Lee

Broken Web (Shamanborn, #2) by Lori M. Lee

Curses – Lish McBride

Amazon.com: Curses: 9781984815590: McBride, Lish: Books

The Unbinding of Mary Reade – Miriam McNamara

Amazon.com: The Unbinding of Mary Reade: 9781510727052: McNamara, Miriam:  Books

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall, Hugo Martinez

Amazon.com: Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts eBook :  Hall, Rebecca, Martínez, Hugo: Kindle Store

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 16 – 22, 2021

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you well.

Summer ended for me this week, and I started back at school on Wednesday. It’s good to see my friends again, but…yeah. Too many people. At least they’re requiring masks at my school. Thankfully, we didn’t have much homework this week, though.

I’ve had a hit-or-miss reading week – most of them fell in the 3.5 star range, but I found a great book and another one that didn’t do it for me as much. I think I have a good reading week ahead of me, though!

This weekend’s been good though! We celebrated my birthday over the weekend, and we went to a new location of my favorite bookstore and got some great-looking books! We also visited the Wild Animal Sanctuary this morning, and it was great to be there after not going for so long! (Look it up – it’s a great place to go if you’re in the Colorado area!)

Other than that, I’ve just been working my way through the climax of my sci-fi WIP, volunteering at the library, drawing, playing guitar, and slapping nerdy bumper stickers on my car. I also rewatched Guardians of the Galaxy with my friend on the last day of summer. Never gets old.

Ac Fa Ba Bec GIF | Gfycat

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

A Quiet Kind of Thunder – Sara Barnard (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

Amazon.com: A Quiet Kind of Thunder: 9781534402416: Barnard, Sara: Books

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1) – Becky Chambers (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1) by Becky Chambers

When My Heart Joins the Thousand – A.J. Steiger (⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Amazon.com: When My Heart Joins the Thousand: 9780062656476: Steiger, A.  J.: Books

Plain Bad Heroines – Emily M. Danforth (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

Amazon.com: Plain Bad Heroines: A Novel: 9780062942852: Danforth, Emily M.,  Lautman, Sara: Books

The Ever Cruel Kingdom (The Never Tilting World, #2) – Rin Chupeco (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The Ever Cruel Kingdom by Rin Chupeco

POSTS AND SUCH:

SONGS:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

The Good Luck Girls – Charlotte Nicole Davis

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

Ahsoka – E.K. Johnston

Amazon.com: Star Wars Ahsoka: 9781484705667: E.K. Johnston, Wojtowicz,  Jason P: Books

Six Crimson Cranes – Elizabeth Lim

Amazon.com: Six Crimson Cranes: 9780593300916: Lim, Elizabeth: Books

Girls at the Edge of the World – Laura Brooke Robson

Amazon.com: Girls at the Edge of the World: 9780525554035: Robson, Laura  Brooke: Books

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 9 – 15, 2021

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you all well.

Well…for me, this week was the last full week of summer before school starts back. (And a related heads-up – I’m starting school next week, so for the next few months, I probably won’t be posting as much, depending on my workload.) But it was a good week, I’d say. I’m back from Florida now, and on Tuesday night, I went to my first live concert since before the pandemic! It was Wilco and Sleater-Kinney – we came for Wilco, and they were INCREDIBLE! Gah, hearing them play “Ashes of American Flags” was so beautiful…

Reading-wise, it was a bit of a hit-or-miss week – I had some great read, but some that were just decent or meh. I got to go to the comics shop this week too, and I picked up some good stuff from there too! And what are the chances…I SAW SOMEBODY IN THE PARKING LOT WITH AN AURORA RISING BUMPER STICKER

The Muppets Screaming Gif - IceGif

Also, moment of silence for the fact that the Runaways comic ended…

Other than that, I’ve been slowly working my way through my sci-fi WIP, drawing, and getting everything ready for the start of school. It’ll be so good to actually see everybody in-person again…

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon, #2) – RoAnna Sylver (⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon, #2) by RoAnna Sylver

Suns Will Rise (System Divine, #3) – Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Suns Will Rise | Book by Jessica Brody, Joanne Rendell | Official Publisher  Page | Simon & Schuster

By the Book – Amanda Sellet (⭐️⭐️.5)

REVIEW: 'By the Book' by Amanda Sellet sells itself short - Bookstacked

Filthy Animals – Brandon Taylor (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor

POSTS AND SUCH:

SONGS:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

A Quiet Kind of Thunder – Sara Barnard

Amazon.com: A Quiet Kind of Thunder: 9781534402416: Barnard, Sara: Books

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1) – Becky Chambers

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, 1): Chambers, Becky:  9781250236210: Amazon.com: Books

When My Heart Joins the Thousand – A.J. Steiger

Amazon.com: When My Heart Joins the Thousand: 9780062656476: Steiger, A.  J.: Books

The Ever Cruel Kingdom (The Never Tilting World, #2) – Rin Chupeco

The Ever Cruel Kingdom by Rin Chupeco

Plain Bad Heroines – Emily M. Danforth, Sara Lautman (illustrations)

Book Review: Plain Bad Heroines - Belmont Public Library

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 2-8, 2021

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you well.

The first part of my week wasn’t terribly eventful, but I’ve been in Florida for some family stuff since Thursday, and my flight leaves tomorrow. It’s been…very hot to say the least, but I’ve had plenty of time to read, write and draw, so it’s okay. Plus, I found that awesome Kaz cane the other day! (See the Grishaverse Book Tag linked below for a picture…) I can’t wait until we can ship it home…

𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖆𝖛𝖎𝖔𝖗 𝖔𝖗 𝖉𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖞𝖊𝖗 "𝘆𝗼𝘂… #fanfiction  # Fanfiction # amreading # books # wat… in 2021 | Freddy carter, Six of  crows, The grisha trilogy

Reading-wise, I’ve been reading everything on my Kindle this week, both library holds and books I bought for the trip. I got an unexpected 5-star read though, so expect a review next week! I’ve had a lot of writing progress as well, which I can mostly owe to the fact that I got to my favorite favorite scene in my sci-fi WIP and ended up chugging out a longish chapter.

Other than that, I’ve just been drawing, playing a bit of Minecraft, watching a few episodes of Alien Worlds (for a show with a name like that, there’s…less aliens than I expected?), and trying to beat this Florida heat.

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

The Fell of Dark – Caleb Roehrig (⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Amazon.com: The Fell of Dark (9781250155849): Roehrig, Caleb: Books

The Tiger at Midnight – Swati Teerdhala (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

Amazon.com: The Tiger at Midnight (Tiger at Midnight, 1) (9780062869210):  Teerdhala, Swati: Books

The Darkness Outside Us – Eliot Schrefer (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Amazon.com: The Darkness Outside Us eBook: Schrefer, Eliot: Kindle Store

Forgotten Star – Colin Weldon (⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Forgotten Star: Weldon, Colin: 9798667032830: Amazon.com: Books

Queen of Coin and Whispers – Helen Corcoran (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Amazon.com: Queen of Coin and Whispers: A kingdom of secrets and a game of  lies (9781788491181): Corcoran, Helen: Books

POSTS AND SUCH:

SONGS:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon, #2) – RoAnna Sylver

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon, #2) by RoAnna Sylver

Suns Will Rise (System Divine, #3) – Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

Suns Will Rise | Book by Jessica Brody, Joanne Rendell | Official Publisher  Page | Simon & Schuster

Today’s song:

oops I know you’re all probably sick of my constant Blur posting but this was on my playlist right before I got out of bed and I love it so

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: July 26 – August 1, 2021

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles, and happy first day of August! I hope this week has treated you all well.

I feel like this week has been nice and productive – I read a lot, I finished up Camp NaNoWriMo and passed my word count goal, and I’m almost done with all my summer homework! As far as the reading itself, it’s all been in the 3-4 star range, which I’m not complaining about.

I had a lot of fun blogging this week too – I loved making my Popular YA Books that I Couldn’t Get on Board With post (linked under “Posts and Such”), and I had a lot of fun reviewing and cataloguing some of my books.

Other than that, I did some hiking on Friday, drew, and watched Yellow Submarine! (OKAY BUT THE “LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS” SEQUENCE AAAAH) I’m also going to go see The Green Knight this evening, which I’m pretty excited about!

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds from Yellow Submarine | Aesthetic animation,  Beatles painting, Yellow submarine
I could go on and on about this movie

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

In Deeper Waters – F.T. Lukens (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

In Deeper Waters | Book by F.T. Lukens | Official Publisher Page | Simon &  Schuster

The Boy Who Steals Houses – C.G. Drews (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

The Boy Who Steals House by C.G. Drews – Great Escape Books

The Magic Fish – Trung Le Nguyen (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen: 9780593125298 | PenguinRandomHouse.com:  Books

Sorrowland – Rivers Solomon (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Sorrowland | Rivers Solomon | First Edition

The Iron Woman (The Iron Man, #2) – Ted Hughes (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes

What’s Your Pronoun?: Beyond He and She – Dennis Baron (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Amazon.com: What's Your Pronoun?: Beyond He and She (9781631496042): Baron,  Dennis: Books

POSTS AND SUCH:

SONGS:

CURRENTLY READING/TO READ NEXT WEEK:

The Fell of Dark – Caleb Roehrig

Amazon.com: The Fell of Dark eBook: Roehrig, Caleb: Kindle Store

The Tiger at Midnight – Swati Teerdhala

Amazon.com: The Tiger at Midnight (Tiger at Midnight, 1) (9780062869210):  Teerdhala, Swati: Books

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon, #2) – RoAnna Sylver

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon, #2) by RoAnna Sylver

Queen of Coin and Whispers – Helen Corcoran

Buy Queen of Coin and Whispers: A kingdom of secrets and a game of lies  Book Online at Low Prices in India | Queen of Coin and Whispers: A kingdom  of secrets

Forgotten Star – Colin Weldon

Amazon.com: Forgotten Star eBook: Weldon, Colin: Kindle Store

Today’s song:

man I haven’t listened to this since…6th grade or something

That’s it for this week in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!