Author: Meg

BOOKENDS: What I Read in February 2023

- Meg

I read ten books in February, and it’s the most of the year so far. It’s also the month where I read the most from the library, which is great because I am attempting to use the library and spend less on books this year. Part of that is because I tend to only read a lot of books once and then carry them on my shelves for years before they find new homes, and using the library gives me the opportunity to read the book once, enjoy it, and send it back right away. Reserving books and going into the branch to browse also scratches that shopping itch.

I didn’t have any real duds of a book this month, with all of these being 3-star reads and above. I may write a few reviews for these if I feel inclined too, but all of these are worth checking out for one reason or another. My favorites of the month are Margaret Rogerson’s Vespertine, Rin Chupeco’s Silver Under Nightfall, and Beth Revis’s Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel. I’d been meaning to read Sister Outsider for quite some time, and I’m glad to have read it in February. The God of Endings and Silver Under Nightfall were two more additions to my vampire reads of the year, and I wasn’t aware that when I started The God Of Endings that it was about vampires. Khaw’s The Salt Grows Heavy is a delightfully creepy mermaid novella that shows us that even though there are scary bitey mermaids, there’s always something much worse out there. Johanna Lindsey’s When Love Awaits is a very dated historical romance with plotlines and themes that wouldn’t jive today, but as I want to familiarize myself with the genre, I wanted to read some older published works and I couldn’t put this one down. I was entranced, and part of that was due to it being set in medieval times. Overall, February was a great reading month!

WHAT I READ

💖 purchased/owned | 🌠 library/borrowed | 🔮 review copy | 💞 reread | 👻 dnf

🌠 The God of Endings, by Jacqueline Holland
💖 Vespertine, by Margaret Rogerson
🌠 Silver Under Nightfall, by Rin Chupeco
🌠 A Psalm for the Wild Built, by Becky Chambers
🌠 You Sexy Thing, by Cat Rambo
🌠 The Final Strife, by Saara El-Arifi
💖 Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel, by Beth Revis
🔮 The Salt Grows Heavy, by Cassandra Khaw
💖 Sister Outsider, by Audre Lorde

BOOKENDS: What I Read in January 2023

- Meg

I read one of the worst books of the year already in January, but I also read some really excellent ones as well! I have also condensed my emoji indicators for whether or not it’s something I purchased, received for review, etc! It’s been a few years, and with this new layout and it being a new year/new approach to my blog, I decided to make a small update! I don’t particularly track whether or not something is in audio or ebook for end of year review, so those went away. As I have a track record for not posting my Bookends posts in a relatively timely manner, I’m not including what I’m currently reading in wrap up posts! Even though I have been posting two or more months in a wrap up, I will be posting each month individually every Friday for January through April to catch up, and then my wrap ups will be monthly!

WHAT I READ

💖 purchased/owned | 🌠 library/borrowed | 🔮 review copy | 💞 reread | 👻 dnf

💖 Spells for Forgetting, by Adrienne Young
💖 Babel: An Arcane History, by R.F. Kuang
🌠👻 Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match, by Sally Thorne
💖💞 Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
💖 The Gossamer Mage, by Julie E. Czerneda
💖 A Kiss at Midnight, by Eloisa James
💖 Dark Prince, by Christine Feehan

I read eight books in January! I think my favorite of the month was Babel: An Arcane History, but I enjoyed Spells for Forgetting and Up All Night With a Good Duke!! Ella Enchanted is a favorite of mine, and I reread it to avoid getting stuck in a book slump after DNFing the Sally Thorne book which was arguably one of the worst books I’ve read this year if not one of the worst books I’ve attempted to read in a while due to its weird interpretation of Frankenstein but as a romance. It gave me the super ick. The Gossamer Mage and A Kiss at Midnight were fine, and I enjoyed Dark Prince more than I thought I would! Vampires seem to have a resurgence lately, and I’m ready for it.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: 2023 Debut Books I’m Looking Forward To

- Meg 7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly discussion hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl (and formerly hosted by The Broke and the Bookish). This week’s topic is 2023 debuts I’m looking forward to! These come from a variety of different genres and audiences

She Is a Haunting, by Trang Thanh Tran — this has comps to Mexican Gothic, and that’s all I needed to know to put this on my radar!! This cover looks amazing, the story sounds sufficiently spooky for me, and I can’t wait to read how everything plays out. (February 28, 2023 / Bloomsbury YA)

Weyward, by Emilia Hart — a novel about three women connected throughout time that celebrates nature, female power, and breaking free. I’ve already seen several positive reviews from people I follow, and witchy stories definitely appeal to me. (March 7, 2023 / St. Martin’s Press)

Seven Faceless Saints, by M.K. Lobb — the premise of this reminds me a bit of Six of Crows with a holy war at its center. The cover looks amazing, and I’m always up for reading anything with a Six of Crows comp, especially if there’s a murder-mystery twist involved. (February 7, 2023 / Little, Brown Books)

Flowerheart, by Catherine Bakewell — the first time I saw this book mentioned, the ‘cottagecore’ descriptor was attached to it, and that alone made me interested in it. I love that this is a standalone, and the Margaret Rogerson and Tamora Pierce comps have gotten me more excited to read this. (March 14, 2023 / HarperTeen)

The Writing Retreat, by Julia Bartz — in this book, writers who attend a writing retreat are told they must complete an entire novel from scratch during the next month, and the author of the best one will receive a life-changing seven-figure publishing deal. This with an alleged haunting of the mansion itself seems like it’s exactly what I’d enjoy reading!! (February 21, 2023 / Atria/Emily Bestler)

Godkiller, by Hannah Kaner — the premise of this sounds interesting: a godkiller finds a god she cannot kill, the god of white lies, who is connected to a little noble girl on the run. It’s a quest novel, and I feel like I haven’t read one of those in a bit! (January 19, 2023 / Harper Voyager)

Spice Road, by Maiya Ibrahim — a YA fantasy series set in an Arabian-inspired land with secret spice magic and tea magic. I enjoy Arabian-inspired fantasy, and I hope I’ll enjoy this one too! (January 24, 2023 / Delacorte Press)

The Daughters of Izdihar, by Hadeer Elsbai — set in a world inspired by Egyptian history, two young women – a spoiled aristocrat and a poor bookshop worker – find they have more in common than initially expected, particularly in their struggle for the rights of women and their ability to fight for it with forbidden elemental magic. I love the duality of rich vs poor, magic, and bookshops!! (January 10, 2023 / Harper Voyager)

Sizzle Reel, by Carlyn Greenwald — a queer romcom that’s Booksmart meets The Devil Wears Prada??? I love stories set in Hollywood, no matter what decade, and a romcom with insider Hollywood vibes sounds like it’s going to be a perfect read for summer. (April 18, 2023 / Vintage)

On Earth as It Is on Television, by Emily Jane — I love the title of this so much!! It’s a first-contact story, and I want to read it based on the title and general concept alone. (June 13, 2023 / Hyperion Avenue)

What debuts are you looking forward to?

BOOKENDS: September, October, November, & December

- Meg

I am an irregular blogger, and I accept this about myself. Without further delay, here is what I read last four months of 2021! January’s wrap-up is in the works!

FINISHED READING

Each month is separated!

I read six books in September! This was the shortest reading month of the year, partially due to a start of a new semester at work that ate away at my brain space and being in a reading slump. My favorite of the month was The Hacienda, and my least favorite of the month was And Then There Were None. I think I may enjoy watching Agatha Christie adaptations more than reading them.

📚 bookshelf pick  |  📓 physical review copy  |  📱 digital review copy | ⌛️ library/borrowed | 💾 ebook | 🎧 audiobook  |  💞 reread
⌛️ Act of Service – Lillian Fishman
📚The Ghost Bride – Yangsze Choo
⌛️The Hacienda – Isabel Cañas
📚💞 Twenty-Five Books That Shaped America – Thomas C. Foster
📚 And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
🎧💞 Lirael – Garth Nix, read by Tim Curry

 

I read eleven books in October, a lot of manga to try to catch up on my reading goal for the year! This was a solid reading month with no real duds for me!

📚 bookshelf pick  |  📓 physical review copy  |  📱 digital review copy | ⌛️ library/borrowed | 💾 ebook | 🎧 audiobook  |  💞 reread

📚 I’m Glad My Mom Died – Jennette McCurdy
⌛️ Small Favors – Erin A. Craig
📚 The Year of the Witching – Alexis Henderson
📱 Duke Gone Rogue – Christy Carlyle (Thank you, Avon!)
📱 Tsubaki-Chou Lonely Planet, vol 1 – Mika Yamamori (Thank you, Yen Press!)
📚 Foreigner – C.J. Cherryh
⌛️ The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World, vol 1 – Kyouka Izumi, Oumiya, Reiko Sakurada
⌛️ The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World, vol 2 – Kyouka Izumi, Oumiya, Reiko Sakurada
⌛️ Practical Magic – Alice Hoffman
📚 Nights With a Cat, vol 1 – KyuryuZ
📚 Nights With a Cat, vol 2 – KyuryuZ

 

I read thirteen books in November. A lot of them were novellas, but I still count them! I also enjoyed the experience of listening to all of the novellas in the Into Shadow collection.

📚 bookshelf pick  |  📓 physical review copy  |  📱 digital review copy | ⌛️ library/borrowed | 💾 ebook | 🎧 audiobook  |  💞 reread

📚 Joan of Arc: A Life Transfigured – Kathryn Harrison
📱 Happy Place – Emily Henry (thank you, Berkley!)
🎧 The Six Deaths of the Saint – Alix E. Harrow
📚 Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor – Xiran Jay Zhao
⌛️ The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World – Kyouka Izumi, Oumiya, Reiko Sakurada
🎧 The Garden – Tomi Adeymei
🎧 The Candles are Burning – Veronica G. Henry
🎧 Persephone – Lev Grossman
🎧 What the Dead Know – Nghi Vo
⌛️ Castles in Their Bones – Laura Sebastian
📚 No Longer Human – Osamu Dozai
🎧 Out of the Mirror, Darkness – Garth Nix
📱 Maeve Fly – C.J. Leede (thank you, Tor Nightfire!)

 

I read eight books in December! The Book of Gothel was a great fictional historical history of the Rapunzel fairy tale from the mother’s point of view. Undercover only made me want to read more by Tamsyn Muir and revisit The Locked Tomb series. I liked The Queen of the Tearling but I hadn’t realized when I started it that it’s set in the FUTURE, yet it feels very… traditional fantasy sort of thing. I’m interested to see where the rest of the trilogy goes.

📚 bookshelf pick  |  📓 physical review copy  |  📱 digital review copy | ⌛️ library/borrowed | 💾 ebook | 🎧 audiobook  |  💞 reread

⌛️ The Book of Gothel – Mary McMyne
🎧 Undercover – Tamsyn Muir
📚 Star Wars X-Wing: Rogue Squadron – Michael A. Stackpole
📱 Burning Roses – S.L. Huang (Thank you, tordotcom!)
⌛️ How to Keep House While Drowning – K.C. Davis
⌛️ The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman
📓 Egypt’s Golden Couple – John Darnell and Colleen Darnell (Thank you, St. Martin’s Press!)

 

CLOSING OUT

2022 was a weird reading year. I wasn’t motivated to read certain things I’d picked out for myself, for review and for myself, and I came to the conclusion that I’m going to be focusing less on chasing review copies and more about reading for myself and going back to what it was like when I started this blog. I was reading and posting stuff for me, not for obligation and internet points or whatever. I want to maintain the relationships I currently have with a few publishers and contacts, and I still will request things if they come through my inbox, and I’m able to get to them in a timely manner. I also have Edelweiss and Netgalley at my leisure. Posts will be likely infrequent and sporadic, with a few changes here and there in formatting and approach, but I think having less external pressure to have things submitted and put up and done will help with the pressure I put on myself, too.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: 10 Books on My Fall 2022 TBR

- Meg

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly discussion hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl (and formerly hosted by The Broke and the Bookish), and this week’s topic is “Typographical Covers” but I wanted to revisit the previous week’s topic of ‘Books on Your Fall TBR!’ I’ve not really focused on TBRs in the last year or so, but sometimes setting aside a few books I want to focus on has actually led me to focus on them, so I’m swinging back to trying these out again. Maybe seasonally instead of monthly work better for me as I tend to be a mood reader and a library due date-driven reader!!

  • Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons, by Ben Riggs – A history of one of the most popular TTRPG! I don’t know much about the history of it, and this is a perfect-looking length of a general introduction!
  • Babel: An Arcane History, by R.F. Kuang – Fantasy dark academia is perfect for this time of year, and I can’t wait to dive into this. I’ve heard so many great things about it already!
  • The Year of the Witching, by Alexis Henderson – I’ve just started reading this after having it on numerous TBRs since it came out, and it’s just what I’ve been needing! I can definitely see this being for someone who enjoyed the movie The VVitch.
  • Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, by Shea Ernshaw – I’m curious about a YA novel about Sally after she marries Jack, and I couldn’t resist getting a copy of the BN exclusive edition because the cover is so much more appealing to me!!
  • For the Wolf, by Hannah Whitten – This is another one that has been on several TBRs since I picked it up, and something about the cover and the fall season makes me want to read fairy tale reimaginings.
  • The Dead Romantics, by Ashley Poston – Everything about this screams spooky season, and I’m interested in seeing how a romance works between a ghostwriter and a ghost.
  • Dead Astronauts, by Jeff VanderMeer – This is another one that’s been on so many TBRs over the last two years, and I keep staring at it, partially wanting to savor VanderMeer’s stuff forever and partially because sometimes his work intimidates me and I know it’s a whole to-do for me when I do read his work.
  • The Night Ocean, by Paul La Farge – A book about Lovecraft and his circle that seems perfect for fall (and has also been on so many TBRs). This is the season of knocking out my backlist!!!
  • The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror , by Robert Louis Stevenson – I read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde probably about twenty years ago (ack) when I was fourteen/fifteen, and I never revisited it!
  • Silent in the Grave, by Deanna Raybourn – I’ve enjoyed her Veronica Speedwell series, and I found the first two of the Lady Julia Grey series at a used bookstore a few years back, so I’m curious and excited to read her earlier series!

What is on your fall TBR this year? What types of books do you like to read seasonally?