Because I’ve been gone for quite awhile, I thought we might be due for a catch up today! We moved on July 1 and I scrambled to take some photos before all my books got packed up (and they are still packed 😫) but moving and getting settled ended up being super busy and exhausting. I felt like I was in a time warp!

Now that my brain and life are settling down a bit, I’m finally celebrating the release of “The Serpent’s Curse” by Lisa Maxwell. (Thank you to

 for gifting me this copy!) A couple of my friends zipped through it the day it released and were surprised that there is another book to come. ha. Somehow we all got it into our heads that it was going to be a trilogy. I’m not mad about it, because these are some of my favorite covers and I have been enjoying the story.

What have you been up to lately? Hopefully you’ll be seeing regular posting from me again and I can’t wait to catch up with you guys on your accounts as well.

 Because I’ve been gone for quite awhile, I thought we might

Which actors have you loved bringing to life a favorite book character? I loved Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, Lana Condor as Lara Jean, Noah Centineo as Peter K, Gemma Chan as Astrid Leong, Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson, just to name a few!

I finally watched “Mismatched” on Netflix after I was gifted a copy of the film adaptation book cover of “When Dimple Met Rishi” from

. It showed up in the mail and I admit that I totally forgot the adaptation until I saw the book cover! I know it was released on Netflix India, but you’d think we’d have made a bigger fuss about it on Bookstagram when it released back in November!

I love all of Sandhya Menon’s books, but Dimple and Rishi are my favorites and their characters were great! Rohit Saraf plays Rishi and Prajakta Koli plays Dimple and they were so fun to watch. I have a new huge crush on Rohit Saraf for the wonderful way he brought Rishi to life (and for also being gorgeous and for having amazing hair). Also, it’s not a film! It was a six episode first season and I’m hoping that they bring it back for a second season. (So everyone go watch it so it has more views.) Now, I need to do a reread of the book because once I started watching I realized there were a few things I couldn’t remember being from the book or made up for the show!

What are you reading or watching this weekend?

 Which actors have you loved bringing to life a favorite

Who is a side character that you’d like a full series for? Because I have “Shadow and Bone” on the brain, I’d love dedicated novels to The Darkling’s life, or even the Grisha trilogy from his POV.

Any “Iron Fey” fans already started “The Iron Raven”? (which is a continuation of the Iron Fey series, but with Puck as the main voice?) Thank you to

 for gifting me this copy! I haven’t finished the Iron Fey series yet so I’m holding off on starting Raven, but I love Julie Kagawa so her books are always in my line up as I make my way through all of her series.

I love hearing backstory from different POVs and often wish authors would write them for my favorite books. Continuations always come with mixed feelings for me, but I always love the idea of returning to a world and characters I love with more information!

You may have heard of me... Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Prankster, joker, raven, fool… King Oberon’s right-hand jester from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The legends are many, but the truth will now be known as never before, as Puck finally tells his own story and faces a threat to the lands of Faery and the human world unlike any before. With the Iron Queen Meghan Chase and her prince consort, Puck’s longtime rival Ash, and allies old and new by his side, Puck begins a fantastical and dangerous adventure not to be missed or forgotten.

 Who is a side character that you’d like a full series for?

What kind of reviews make you want to read a book the most? For me, nothing peaks my interest more than a mixed review. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️. So when

posted her review with mixed feelings on “The Au Pair” last month I picked the copy I had on my shelf up immediately. 😂. Her thoughts had me super intrigued. (Thank you to

FOR REASONS I can see why the way this book ended could get some major side eye. But for whatever reason, when it came to the main reveal, I decided that this time I was just going to go with it. I felt like I could suspend enough disbelief to go along with it, especially since I had been enjoying the book. But there was one side plot that I felt wasn’t resolved enough for me. And of all the twists and turns in this book, that ended up being the thing I wanted to know the most about!! .

So I’m on the mixed review train now, but in the kind of way that I’d pick this for a book club to talk about it. Also, I’m someone who enjoys thrillers, but nothing TOO scary (like ruin my life or make it so I’ll never let my daughter go on Spring Break) This one, despite some of my issues with the ending, hit a good balance of intrigue, mystery, and story for me. .

The day that twins Seraphine and Danny Mayes were born, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the gossip in the small village went wild. Now an adult, Seraphine is mourning the recent death of her father. While going through his belonging she finds a family photograph that raises some dangerous questions. Taken the day the twins were born and before her mother’s suicide—Seraphine sees that her mother is holding only one baby. Who is the baby and what really happened that day. And only one person knows the truth. . .

 What kind of reviews make you want to read a book the most?

Just a few things I’m very excited about! This year my reading has been all over the place. I have been trying my hardest to get through a lot of my backlist TBR and find a good balance of reading those and the new books I’m excited about. But this little upcoming book stack trumps my backlist TBR for the time being and I’ll be working my way through these in the next couple weeks! .

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston, Wicked Fox by Kat Cho, Suggested Reading by Dave Connis, Into The Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson, If You Want To Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais. .

It’s a nice mix of contemporary and fantasy, YA and Adult that have caught my interest and are by some of my favorite authors. These are a few books you can expect to see reviews on here in the coming weeks! .

What are some books that you’re looking forward to reading this year? Are you reading anything good today? .

 Just a few things I’m very excited about! This year my

Stand alone or series? Do you have one you like better? Obviously both are great and have their place in my reading moods (and depending on type of plot), but I definitely love reaching for a series the best.

For that reason I am always excited when a standalone I loved gets a sequel I was not expecting. (For some reason if a series gets an addition after it’s complete I’m more skeptical and nervous) So I am super pumped for “Ready Player Two” because I really enjoyed the first book. (Thank you to

Truth is, I haven’t been hearing great reviews for RP2. I feel like RP1 was so well completed that if I like RP2 then bonus, but if it’s not great then it’ll be easy to pretend it doesn’t exist. haha. I was planning on diving right into this, but now I’m thinking I better do a RP1 reread first. I loved that book and it’s been awhile since I read it, so I think it’ll be a fun reread. I also feel like a reread will help me decide better on how I feel about RP2 when I read it.

This also reminds me that I never watched the RP1 film! I’m always behind in films so that’s no surprise. Maybe I’ll look that film up this weekend. If you’ve seen the film, did you like it?

 Stand alone or series? Do you have one you like better?

Are you a spontaneous person or do you need to have things follow a schedule? I’m not great at being spontaneous in my usual day to day, but when I have a day or am on vacation I love living in the moment.

The other day I was watching a Tiktok where the girl was doing a “story time”. She talked about how she had just finished her PhD and had worked really hard to get straight As, and ended up going to Vegas with friends to celebrate. And she ended up getting drunk and accidentally married a woman she doesn’t know. She decided she was going to take a chance and go to New York with her wife that she doesn’t know… In the end the girl revealed that was actually the plot to “Honey Girl”. I knew that acting like a book synopsis was actually your story was a trend on Tiktok, but this is the first one that totally fooled me! 😂. I had so many follow up questions!

It’s like the reading gods read my mind because “Honey Girl” by Morgan Rogers arrived in a surprise box from

 to celebrate PRIDE and I’ve pushed this to the top of my June TBR because I have to know how this story plays out. Have you read “Honey Girl”?

 Are you a spontaneous person or do you need to have things

I decided to read THE BEE KEEPER’S APPRENTICE 100% because of title and cover. I love bees 🐝 so when I was scrolling Libby for something that was both available and looked interesting, this met both the criteria. Haha. I had zero idea that this was Sherlock Holmes inspired story or that this story would have nothing to do with bees, really. 😂 .

In a nutshell, a young girl (Mary Russell) is out for a walk one day and basically trips over Sherlock Holmes out in a field because she was reading a book and not paying attention (Relatable). Mary and Sherlock talk for some time and Mary deduces he is watching bees and why. So impressed is this retired Sherlock Holmes that he invites her to his home for tea and conversation. .

Thus begins a (father/daughter) relationship between Sherlock and Mary— who has an extremely sharp mind and enjoys running experiments and learning all that Sherlock has to teach. But despite being “retired”, Sherlock finds himself called upon to solve a number of cases in which Mary becomes his partner. .

If you’re a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, the author mentioned in her letter that there would be references to past stories and cases within the book (I’m not brushed up, so I didn’t catch many) but overall, I feel like I’d consider it an entertaining and well done fan fiction! .

I enjoyed the cases and the conversation between Sherlock and Mary. Sherlock is the original “Criminal Minds” and I always love listening to Sherlock (or Mary, too, in this one) unravel the meaning of each clue . But I am curious what others thought of the Sherlock and Watson of this book. It’s hard to go into something new without carrying over your love and opinions of the original. Mind that these take place with both men in their 60s and with Sherlock ailing, but it was still hard for me to relinquish my opinions. haha. .

Overall, I enjoyed this story and was entertained. (Still looking for more bee themed stories though 😂). .

 I decided to read THE BEE KEEPER’S APPRENTICE 100% because

Did you be out to check out the super flower blood moon lunar eclipse? We got three lunar phenomena in one and I’m always in awe of these reminders that we exist, and are part of, a huge moving universe.

I thought there would be no better day to share the gorgeous designs of

ng foiled journals are on preorder this week (seriously, check out her page and her shop if you need something magical in your life) and I can honestly say that everything she designs and creates is perfection. I have pictured here her “Stay Wild Moon Child” mug and the super lux velvet tassled La Lune book sleeve (which I’ll actually be using to house some jewelry that is really important to me!) Thank you so much @thequirkycupcollective for gifting these to me!

Here’s a little La Lune tarot information I found to share: “The Moon is a card that represents two alternatives. You can either be sucked in to the stream of uncertainty, strangeness and weirdness that may presently appear to be in your surroundings; or you can hop onto your boat and float your way through it; all using the strength and wisdom of your inner being. This card is symbolic of needing to listen to your inner voice and take notice of it. When the Moon card appears in your spread it brings with it a caution that you should not take things at face value because much deeper things may be hidden from your view.”

 Did you be out to check out the super flower blood moon

Do you have any interests or hobbies that you picked up from reading a book?

I have a few tarot decks that I’ve collected over the years after reading The Raven Cycle and The Bone Season. I’m fascinated by them and there are so many stunning sets. I don’t use them because I don’t feel like I know how and honestly never felt called to try.

I recently was gifted this “Literary Witches Oracle” set of cards from

, which functions a bit differently than tarot cards ,and something about them just drew me in. I’ve had a lot of fun drawing cards for myself this week, my husband, and a couple friends over FaceTime. I’d flip through the booklet to talk about the meaning of each card and we’d chat about what they could mean for each others lives. It was actually really nice and helped me feel connected to myself and my friends. I feel like this is a deck that I’ll actually use often.

The booklet contains bios for each author and it was nice to learn about a few I wasnt very familiar with. Earlier this year I got the Jane Austen tarot set and I just love having some literary cards like this. Do you ever use oracle/intention/tarot cards? One day I’ll get my palm or my cards read by someone who actually knows what they are doing.

 Do you have any interests or hobbies that you picked up

What are some fascinations or interests that you have that have grown from reading books? For me, starting with "The Bone Season" by Samantha Shannon and then growing even more with "The Raven Cycle" by Maggie Stiefvater, I have been interested in tarot cards. Not the art of reading them, just the beauty of each different deck. .

I was gifted this deck of "Tattoo Tarot: Ink and Intuition" by

 and I couldn't resist the beauty of it. I've had a long time love of tattoo art as well, even if I don't have any tattoos of my own, so seeing these two things combined into a beautiful set was irresistible to me. It is now my third set of tarot, and I'm as much obsessed with the box as I am the cards. .

Tarot has origins in both Europe and Asia. "According to historians, the complete 78 card format we see today first emerged during the early fifteenth century in Northern Italy. During the sixteenth century France's Marseille card patterns were developed, producing a design style that underpins much of what we see in modern tarot cards and the Marseille designs have remained the staple among the 22 Major cards." Tattooing has been around even longer from ceremonial symbolism in early Egyptian and Greek civilizations and later embraced by the Japanese. At the turn of the century New York City witnessed its rebirth in a craze for tattoo flash art." .

I love the long history that comes with tattoos and the tarot! It's such fascinating reading! .

 What are some fascinations or interests that you have that

What was the last book hype you gave in to? I gave into the hype and bought a copy of Four Dead Queens and my feelings are all over the place. It’s hard for me to judge a standalone fantasy-type book (although I think this one lends itself more to sci-fi) because between the world building and all the relationships that need building, some times you have to just swallow that things are going to happen fast. (Unless it’s Priory of the Orange Tree😂) .

In alternating chapters between the perspectives of Keralie (a thief) and the Four Queens, we learn that Keralie finds herself entangled a conspiracy that leaves all four queens of Quadara dead. .

I will say that I never got around to liking Keralie. She made it hard for me to like the first half of the book. Her cocky and always-joking/snide comment personality might have been fun in a small doses, but for me it just left me weary of her. The perspective I really enjoyed was of the queens. I enjoyed their voices and trying to untangle this murder mystery from the POVs of the victims. .

Just when I was about to throw my hands up at this book and say that it wasn’t for me, the second half started to really pick up. An element that I did not see coming came up and debunked one of my biggest theories and I was pleasantly surprised at the change of direction. I found myself totally engrossed in the story in the final chapters and unable to put the book down as the plot began to unfold. .

I’m not going to rave about this one, but I’m also not sorry that I read it. Whenever a book can grab my attention like that, I consider it a worth it reading experience. And I really was invested in those final chapters as everything went down. It’s definitely a book that I’d pass along to people who enjoy lots of character sass and teens who are interested in murder mysteries. . .

 What was the last book hype you gave in to? I gave into the

I finished “The Binding” the other day, and… I have a lot of feelings. But first, thank you to the publisher for providing me with this beautiful review copy. .

This book is separated into three different parts, and quite frankly, between the synopsis and part one of this book, I felt like I was faked out a bit. I understand why the synopsis is written to focus specifically on “binding”, but between that and the part one, I felt really lead to believe this was a fantasy read. (It morphs into more magical realism) .

Emmett Farmer lives in a world where books are forbidden, and despite not having encountered many, he feels drawn to them. After nearly going mad with sickness, a recovering Emmett is summoned to apprentice with a book binder. Since he is no longer capable of doing farm work, Emmett goes away to learn how to craft elegant leather-bound books— each one waiting for the memories of someone ready to forget. You see, a binder can take any memory you’d rather live without, erase it from your mind, and then keep is safe within a book that will be locked away. But not all binders are good, and just when Emmett has finally started to settle into his new life, his life gets turned upside down. And amid this new disruption, Emmett finds a book with his own name on it. .

Part one of this book had me completely entranced, but then the story shifted into something that veered farther from the expectation I had based on part one. And even though I liked none of the characters for a long time, they slowly started to grow on me as the love story blossomed. And I DID enjoy reading it, but I guess my big hang up is that part one really set the tone for a story we never got. I kept waiting for this book to make the full circle and it did not. .

I could not figure out why certain elements were introduced just to never be expanded on or even mentioned again. I know a lot of people loved this book, and I think if you go into it knowing it’ll be a magical realism love story more than anything else, it’ll be a more satisfying read. .

 I finished “The Binding” the other day, and… I have a lot

Do you know where your favorite mythological creatures originated from? What are some of your faves? (Oni from Japan, Huli Jing from China, Baba Jaga from Russia, Kelpie from Scotland, Leprechauns from Ireland, and basically every mythological creature from Greece— these are some of my favorite monsters since childhood.) .

 for sending me a copy of “The Atlas of Monsters” (which will be housed on my Wizard’s Library shelf) because this book just speaks to my map and mythology loving heart. .

Grouped by continent, this atlas lists and defines magical creatures from folklore all around the world. I’ve spent a lot of time in this atlas since it’s arrival. It made me really aware of where my fairytales came from (mostly Asia, South America, Russia, Greece, and the United Kingdom) because when I started flipping to places like Australia or Africa, I realized that there was a whole world of monsters and myths and stories that are completely unknown to me. .

The atlas is presented as a record created by a 15th century voyager and it includes his personal anecdotes as he encounters each monster on his journey. There are also notes from a library who supposedly found the atlas and is trying to figure out if the stories were made up or if the monsters are real. Each  page also includes a code for readers to crack! .

Basically this book was a pure delight for someone like me. I love information, I love mythology, and I love maps— and I truly had fun with this book and learning about monsters and creatures I’d never heard of before! Highly recommend this beauty! .

 Do you know where your favorite mythological creatures

As promised, it’s time for a Book Nerd giveaway! Our friends over at

 will provide winners with Book Nerd gear (like this sweater and the Book Nerd hat I wore in a previous post) so you can wear your book nerd pride everywhere you go. .

Entry details: (US entries only. Entrants must be 13+)

📚 Comment what you read while you were on Spring Break .

📚 For an extra entry, tag a friend in a separate comment who would be genuinely interested in this giveaway. .

This giveaway will run until April 28 and winners will be drawn by

. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. See Official Rules at http://bit.ly/2UgoCos. .

For extra opportunities to enter, you can visit:

he_spines and enter on their accounts too. .

 As promised, it’s time for a Book Nerd giveaway! Our

Did you go to school dances as a teen? Did you ever ask someone, or get asked, in a fun way? I love watching Promposals 😂 We used to come up with fun ways to ask to every dance! For Homecoming my then boyfriend had a bunch of guys come into my house and sing and play the piano in tuxes to ask me! And I once filled a guys driveway with candles and a sign that said “I’d be de-lighted if you’d go to Sweethearts with me” 😂

The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch is all about Sky Baker’s plan to make his senior year the best he can by living loud and proud of who he is. He decides to ask his crush to the dance with the gayest promposal his town has ever seen! (Full synopsis in comments) I’ve been crazy packing and getting ready to move this week, but I’m still doing my best to celebrate Pride and summer reads in my offline circles and this book was just calling to me. It was pitched as a book for fans of TATBILB and you know I’m all over that!  Hopefully in a month or so I can get back to regular posting!

How is your summer going? Have you read this one yet?

 Did you go to school dances as a teen? Did you ever ask

What are your favorite types of books to discuss? I love all kinds of book discussion, but I love the discussions where there are many differing or opposing views because the conversation is always better. These usually happen with more controversial or serious themed books (although I’ve gotten into some hilarious conversations about book crushes before! Haha) but those are the times that I learn so much about the world and the people around me. It really helps you gauge your own knowledge and beliefs.

I’ve kept meaning to have “The Project” read by now, but the last two weeks have been so crazy for me! (Thank you to

_uriarte has been waiting for me to finish so we can book club it together, even though we’ve already had some really interesting discussion on religion and cults when she started the book. (I’m religious and she is not and our conversations have always been so good and interesting.) Anyway, I still want to celebrate the release (even though I’m late now) so I’m just going to have to celebrate without my review and update you all later when I finish!

I love Courtney Summer’s books. (Book synopsis in comments) They always leave me emotionally drained and thoughtful and I live for a reading experience that can impact me deeply in various ways. What are some authors or books that always get you in the feels?

 What are your favorite types of books to discuss? I love

. I’ve given up on meeting my reading goal this year. I’m 13 books from meeting my goal of 100, and I anticipate only getting through 4 or 5 more books this month. I love reading for escape and education, but reading is also a luxury pastime that this year just didn’t always fit with my anxiety brain, home schooling, and shifting day time responsibilities I’d usually do while my daughter was at school to the evening when I usually had free time.

So I’ve tossed my goal aside and am celebrating the amazing books I’ve read this year and currently enjoying “Dragon Blood” by Mary Beesley. Dragons are always a good idea for me. I’ll keep you updated on how it goes! Are you going to meet your reading goal this year? Or are you like me and readjusting your expectations?

Cal, a hungry sixteen-year-old sick of mining the sand, wants to fit in and make his ma proud, but instead, his violent tendencies bring shame. And the truth. He’s the son of a Draco Sang. Carriers of the Dragon’s blood, the Draco Sang transform into half human half beast as they mature into adults. And if Cal can't control the dark impulses of his dragon blood, he'll grow into a man-beast—and he'll be hunted.

Ferth, son of a Draco Sang chief and last of his class to grow claws, needs to prove his worth to his father, or he'll be sent to the slave house. Hiding his human heart, he joins the army headed south to conquer the fertile human lands. Neither brother feels they belong. Cal is human, fighting against becoming a beastly Draco Sang, while Ferth is struggling to push back his humanity and transform into a worthy Draco warrior. Before ever meeting in open battle, Ferth is sent to kill Cal. But when he learns they are brothers, he must decide which loyalty is stronger, blood or country. And whether to finally give in to his humanity.

 #currentlyreading . I’ve given up on meeting my reading

“The nitrogen in our DNA. The calcium in our teeth. The iron in our blood. The carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of star stuff— Carl Sagan .

Happy Book Birthday to this rollercoaster ride! Due to the nature of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s previous collaboration, and the totally-not-stressful ride that was <sarcasm detected> I’ve decided that I don’t want to do too much of a detailed review here to give readers full impact. 😂 If you are not familiar with Illuminae, I will say readers can expect witty humor, crazy situations, a dose of creepy, awesome characters, and enough space adoration (and nods to some of my favorite space and non-space fandoms) to fill your space nerd loving heart. I went into this one without having read the synopsis, and I enjoyed having no clue what I was in for. If you haven’t read any books by Kaufman or Kristoff, then I highly suggest picking their stuff up immediately and join us in the delightful suffering that comes from reading their work. .

I cannot wait for the next book to be in my hands! This book made me unexpectedly thoughtful, and I definitely wasn’t able to pick up another book for 24 hours while I processed what happened, my emotions, and alllll the theories. haha. .

Warrior (tank), diplomat (face), scientist (brain), techie (gearhead), pilot (ace), captain (alpha): which one of these positions do you think you’d fill best? When I took the Aurora Rising test online I got Face/Diplomat, and even though I wish I was a tank, the Face is actually what I think I would be in real life. .

.bookish.photog for helping to make me Aurora for this photo! .

 “The nitrogen in our DNA. The calcium in our teeth. The

Do you have certain books that you don’t remember if you’ve read or not? Possibly because you’ve seen the film so many times? Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Little Women were mine (I finally read Alice and Peter a couple years ago.) .

 for gifting me this beautiful Little Women box set (containing Little Women, Good Wives, Little Men, and Jo’s Boys) My friend and I were talking the other day about going to see the new “Little Women” film and how we couldn’t remember if we’d actually ever read the book! I’ve seen the Wynona Rider/Christian Bale version so many times since childhood that I think I faked myself out. So I’ve added it to my short list of 2020 books I WILL read. <whispers, Christian Bale foreeeeeveeeer> .

I’m very excited to see the new film! I’ve had a few friends already see it and say it was wonderful. Have you seen it? When Crimes of Grindlewald came out, I went to the theater by myself because I didn’t want to be distracted by anyone. haha. And I think I want to go see “Little Women” myself too. It’s one of those films that I love so much that I want to go and fully enjoy it on my own! .

 Do you have certain books that you don’t remember if you’ve

What’s the last book you read based on a recommendation? When I was at Victoria Schwab’s signing for “Tunnel of Bones” a few months ago, she talked about Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow and I remembered that it was a book that I had wanted to read a couple years ago, but forgotten about. Based on her amazing comments about it, I immediately went home and put it on hold from the library. Well, my hold came up last week and I devoured this book in a single day. .

This middle grade is was so magical and quirky. I saw one reviewer on GR call it a mix of Harry Potter and Willy Wonka and I thought that was a really good mashup comparison. We follow Morrigan Crow, a cursed girl who is the cause of destruction wherever she goes. Because of this, she is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.(the way her government gets rid of cursed children) I have to say that reading about Morrigan’s life with her family was so heartbreaking, (because who really cares about a cursed child that’s going to die anyway, right?) so when strange things begin to happen to Morrigan leading up to the night of her death, I was rooting hard for her. .

What follows is the strange and wonderful journey Morrigan takes as she learns what her curse means. If you read the full synopsis online, you’ll get significantly more detail about this story, but I think it’s more fun going into this one without knowing too much. I loved the magical world of Nevermoor SO much and I loved following Morrigan in her arc. I seriously could not put this book down and can’t wait to get the second book. Highly recommend to fantasy fans, no matter what age. .

 What’s the last book you read based on a recommendation?

If you could time travel, would you prefer to visit the past or the future?

. There are so many reasons not to go back in time, but I think I’d at least try to take a peek at Ancient Rome or Greece.

One of my many favorite things about the Peculiar book series is all the different locations and time periods. I admit that I wasn’t so sure about the series coming to the United States in “Map of Days”, but I ended up loving it and just being rocked by the new challenges presented with these characters!

I have been following this series closely since I discovered it on Bookstagram 7 years ago and read every book immediately at release. I think the concept of taking old photographs and writing stories around them was a very clever idea and added a whole different layer of enjoyment for me. It seems weird to finally be at the end now after these last several years, but I’m ready. Desolation comes out next week and I’m starting it this week now that I have a copy! Have you been following this series? It’s been one of my favorite series for being dark and unique!

 If you could time travel, would you prefer to visit the

This book. So many feelings. First of all, I was extremely excited for the release of THE DREAMERS last month (thank you

 for gifting me this copy) because I read and really loved THE AGE OF MIRACLES a couple years ago. After reading that, I just knew that Karen Thompson Walker was my kind of author. Her stories have this thread of dystopian/sci-fi unease and tension that run through them that is page turning. .

THE DREAMERS, in a nutshell, is about a town that is suddenly and mysteriously taken over by a sleeping sickness. One by one, people are dropping into deep and unwakeable sleep. Some will get into bed and fail to wake up while others will fall asleep wherever they are standing. All the while, it is clear from the doctors observing them that they are furiously dreaming— their brain activity higher than that of someone awake. .

This story follows four different perspectives throughout the spreading of the sickness. The third person telling gives you the sense you are watching from a distance, while still allowing readers to form personal connections. One, a couple with a newborn baby, was the most panic inducing for me. Can you imagine having a baby and constantly fearing that everyone would fall asleep and leave your baby helpless? .

I tore through this book with the kind of curiosity that I haven’t had for a book in awhile. Walker’s style is so different that it’s not the type of book you feel like you can figure out. It compels you forward. .

However, I did get bored somewhere in the last 100 pages. (Around the time that you’ve had tension and no answers for so long that your curiosity slackens.) It’s an introspective kind of ending and I didn’t find it completely satisfying. I’m sure some people will really hate it  and some people will love it. I don’t even know if it really made any sense to me. And still, I know I’ll read whatever Walker puts out. I enjoy her stories and the way her brain works, and I’m pretty sure I’ll give this a reread in the future.

 This book. So many feelings. First of all, I was extremely

Who else is often swayed to pick up a book or watch a film if they see the words “based on a true story”? (Any favorites?) Any time I find out something is based on real events or people, I’m interested. While I love my fiction, I think we are all drawn to an experience that is true. .

 for gifting me this copy of “A Wolf Called Wander”— a story inspired by the extraordinary true story of a wolf named OR-7 (or Journey) and the tale of his survival. What would it be like to be one of the most misunderstood animals on earth? WOLF also includes black and white illustrations throughout the book, a map, as well as information on the real wolf who inspired the novel. .

Synopsis: Swift, a young wolf cub, lives with his pack in the mountains learning to hunt, competing with his brothers and sisters for hierarchy, and watching over a new litter of cubs. Then a rival pack attacks, and Swift and his family scatter. Alone and scared, Swift must flee and find a new home. His journey takes him a remarkable one thousand miles across the Pacific Northwest. The trip is full of peril, and Swift encounters forest fires, hunters, highways, and hunger before he finds his new home. .

I was initially interested in this one because the cover reminds me of PAX, and am sure my husband will steal this book for his own shelf before the day is out. Haha .

 Who else is often swayed to pick up a book or watch a film

Have you ever preferred a retelling to the original story? I love retellings so much. I love seeing the clever ways authors incorporate elements from the original or how they can tell the same story in situations worlds away.

“The Chosen and the Beautiful” by Nghi Vo is a sapphic Great Gatsby retelling with magic! I haven’t read Gatsby since it was required reading in high school and I admit that I never really had a ton of interest in a reread-- but the synopsis for “The Chosen and the Beautiful” instantly drew me to this story and it sounds amazing. I’ve had several people tell me they preferred this one to the original! As I’m packing and preparing for my move, it’s been hard to keep up with reading physical books so I’m glad this book is out now so I can grab the audio this week. Have you read this one yet? Are you a Gatsby fan?

Immigrant. Socialite. Magician. Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society—she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She’s also queer, Asian, adopted, and treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her. But the world is full of wonders: infernal pacts and dazzling illusions, lost ghosts and elemental mysteries. In all paper is fire, and Jordan can burn the cut paper heart out of a man. She just has to learn how.

 Have you ever preferred a retelling to the original story?

Of the mythical creature sightings in our world history, do you have one that you hope is real? Bigfoot, The Lochness Monster, Chupacabra, Yeti, and Mermaids… these are a few mythical (??) creatures that seem to have blurred the line between reality and the fantastical world and admittedly, I’ve always wanted the Lochness Monster to be real. .

Maybe it’s because she makes her home in the water and I feel less threatened here on land. (And honestly, we don’t even know half of what lives under the waters of this planet) but for some reason the Lochness Monster feels magical to me. I recently received “Malamander” from

 and brought it as my plane read a few weeks ago. I devoured this middle-grade read in one sitting and loved it. .

We follow Herbert Lemon, the Lost-and-Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel in the town of Eerie-on-Sea. When Violet Parma appears at his door telling him that she needs him to help her find her parents. Violet was left as a baby at the Grand Nautilus hotel a decade ago and she needs Herbie’s investigative talents to help her find out what happened. The story becomes inextricably twined with the legend of the Malamander and mysterious powers that the legendary monster may or may not have. .

I loved Herbie so much. I loved his job as the keeper of the lost and found items that were left behind at the hotel (I want that job) and his willingness to help Violet track down what happened to her parents. I love the moments when the line between legend and reality start to become blurred and its the kind of book that made me feel like you should never rule these mysteries out as tall tales. Any book that makes me say “what if” to magic long after I’ve put the book down is a great read to me. .

My husband loves sea-based stories and I handed this one off to him immediately when I finished. If you love magical creatures, quirky mysteries, and middle grade reads, I totally recommend this one. .

 Of the mythical creature sightings in our world history, do

Happy Sunday! What are you reading this weekend? I’ve been listening to “Red, White, and Royal Blue” while doing some projects around the house and it’s been making laugh out loud! It’s exactly what I needed this weekend. I don’t know why I thought this was a YA romance, but it is definitely adult! *blushes*

This beauty, “Wings of Ebony”, was gifted to me by

 and I was immediately interested when I saw it was about gods and Demi-gods.There was a letter from the author, J. Elle, included with the book where she wrote about how this book was also about showing “the hood” in its true light. Not the way the media portrays it “but the heart, the hope, the ingenuity, the tenacity, the rich heritage, the close bonds, the places that birth hearts like Nipsey’s, wisdom like Pac’s, hustle like Jay Z’s, talent like Queen Bey’s”. She continued by writing “it was critical to me to speak to the pressure Black people from neighborhoods like mine face to minimize our lived experiences; I wanted the world to know where I come from and that I’m not ashamed. And I wanted to tie all that in with encouragement to a YA audience… that despite what the worlds narrative is, we are taking the pen and writing a new one.”

Her letter was powerful for me to read and I’m looking forward to reading this! Have you read it already?

 Happy Sunday! What are you reading this weekend? I’ve been

What are some books you recommend for young readers? With summer coming up, I’ve been working on a list of summer reading for my daughter’s school and I have so many favorites. .

) to share a favorite of mine for young readers who like a darker, mystery read— the

. My daughter is a big fan of Goosebumps, Coraline, and Grimm Fairytales, and the Serafina series is similarly dark and fun. It’s got history and magic, which is my favorite combination. .

My personal favorite part is Serafina. She’s quirky, clever, and courageous and I have to admit my heart breaks a little for her as the circumstances around her birth keep her secluded and longing for friends. She protects the Biltmore Estate (as the chief rat catcher) from dark forces, and I’m  excited to root for her this summer when we finish the series. .

A brave and unusual girl named Serafina lives secretly in the basement of the grand  Biltmore Estate amidst the splendor of the Gilded Age. Serafina's pa, the estate's maintenance man, has warned her to keep herself hidden from the fancy folk who live on the floors above, but when children at the estate start disappearing, Serafina and her friend Braeden Vanderbilt must work together to solve a dark and dangerous mystery. .

 What are some books you recommend for young readers? With

I’m sure that the majority of us would love to go to a magic school, but would you still want to go if the school was actively trying to kill you? After reading “A Deadly Education”  by Naomi Novik I think I’d probably pass on attending the Scholomance. 😂😅. I’d like to THINK I’m tough enough to deal with a school full of monsters that make it dangerous to go to the bathroom, but it sounds exhausting trying to be on your guard the whole time!

(Edit: please see GR reviews on a harmful passage about locs and Novik’s statement and apology for it) “A Deadly Education” was one of my top anticipated releases this year and it did not disappoint. Thank you to

 for gifting me this copy. I devoured this book in a day. While I enjoyed the characters (and really loved main character Galadriel) it was the world building of this book that was the star for me. I loved reading about how the magic works! The magic system was super fascinating and not like anything I’d ever read before. The rules and dynamics of the school and how students learn magic there was equally fascinating and I felt completely immersed in this school.

I know a lot of people are anticipating this book so I’m not going to say too much about it this early on. But if you like strong characters, focus on friendships, and interesting magic I highly recommend this book. I’m a huge Naomi Novik fan and this is a book I’ll read again and again. This book is just hitting shelves and I’m already DYING for the next book in this series. *cries wretchedly*

Also, to note, this book is written in a way that if not for the occasional “F-word” (I think there was 2 or 3) I’d hand this to any 12+ and up kid without any reservations. Just something to note since I feel like there are a lot of people I’d love to hand this book to, but feel like that would need to be shared!

 I’m sure that the majority of us would love to go to a

Do you think you could live without the ability to lie? I think back on my teen years and can’t decide if my life would have been better or worse without the ability 🙈😂 I could honestly go in pretty deep on a conversation about this 😂 .

⚔️ I just finished “The Wicked King” last week and one of my favorite parts of reading these books is how so much is weighed on someone’s word. Since the fair folk can’t lie, they have to spin their deceptions with true words. And since humans can lie, every conversation is a balancing act. .

⚔️ Admittedly, I was not as obsessed with “The Cruel Prince” when it first came out. I  definitely enjoyed the story and all the descriptions, but basically hated everyone and found the twists to be predictable. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ But I picked sides when I read it and I live for revenge plots, so I knew I was going to continue and I’m glad I did! I loved “The Wicked King” more than “The Cruel Prince” and after finishing it my alliances are set. I’m ready to see some characters burn for what they’ve done! .

⚔️ I also feel like this book helped me get a solid feel for the characters—so when it ended the way it did, I found myself thinking of the characters and trying to decipher their motives. I like when I feel like I know a character enough that I consider their emotions and behaviors the way I would a real friend or acquaintance. .

⚔️ I’m glad that Holly Black moved the publish date up for the final book because I’m ready for revenge. 😂 Main plot aside, I’m ready to see some characters go down for what they have done 😂😂😂 .

 Do you think you could live without the ability to lie? I

Does your name have any special meaning behind it? Or have you (or plan to) named someone/thing for specific or special reasons? My name means “Light” and my parents have often told me they hoped I’d be a light in the world for faith and kindness. .

In Karamo Karega Brown’s (of the Netflix series QUEER EYE) book he starts it all off by telling that his name means “educated rebel” in Swahili. I believe in the power of names and I love the hope and power his parents put into a name like that. I haven’t finished reading this book yet, but I love Karamo’s voice and the stories he shares. .

In honor of Pride Month starting today and one of my favorite TV shows, I thought I’d share Karamo’s book today! I don’t think there is an episode of Queer Eye that hasnt made me tear up. So much kindness, healing, patience, love, listening, and fun are in that show and I always feel uplifted and hopeful to be helpful and loving to others after I watch it. Do you watch the show? I thought I could pick a favorite guy, but I love them all. 😂😍 .

 Does your name have any special meaning behind it? Or have

Do you have a favorite March woman? One that you relate to or love most? Are you Amy, Beth, Jo, or Meg? .

Yesterday we celebrated the sesquicentennial anniversary of “Little Women”. ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS of this book influencing people’s lives, and probably 150 more years to come. I just can’t imagine something I ever do carrying on through time like that and still being relevant. It’s time like these that I look at the authors of these classics and wonder if they could have had any idea their words would become timeless. .

“Little Women” first came into my life via the movie starring Wynona Rider as Jo (and Christian Bale as Laurie) and the book followed after. This story has meant different things to me in each season of my life, and I’ve found that I’ve been able to relate to each sister at some point too. It’s funny how a book and its characters can grow to fit you. I have always loved Marmee, but the truth is it wasn’t until recently that I started to really focus on her more than Amy, Beth, Jo, and Meg. .

This 150th annotated Penguin Classics Deluxe anniversary edition of “Little Women” was gifted to me by

 with an introduction and notes by Anne Boyd Rioux and foreword by Patti Smith. (cover art by Carole Hénaff) I particularly enjoyed the contextual essays in the back of the book and the illustrations from the early editions (1868 and 1869) The illustration of a Charlie Chaplain-esque Laurie cracks me up because Christian Bale is forever my Laurie now. haha. .