Top 5 Wednesday: The Bookish Grinch

Here's another thing I hope to be getting more into, for some interesting topic ideas.

It's called Top 5 Wednesday, and it's another group on goodreads found Here. Essentially it helps give topics every Wednesday of the month as helpful discussion starters and has them in this type of numerical list order. So this week is "Bookish things you're a Grinch about"

Now this isn't supposed to be serious topics, like the lack of diversity, or abusive relationships, etc... but rather more opinionated topics like book covers and tropes.

So let's discuss my top five bookish Grinchy issues.

5) Dog Earring Pages

I understand why, I get it. I used to do it. My boyfriend continues to do it to his books. But I've complained so much about it that he's almost afraid to pick up any of my books. I like keeping my books in pristine condition. I don't know why, it's not like they'll be worth anything later (I mean this is arguable, but I don't have very many books that could be considered "collector's editions.) My boyfriend has pointed out that if I plan on leaving them to our future kids it's not going to look like I even read them. He also likes used books because you can tell they've been handled and used due to their worn covers....no...I can't....If it's my own fine, that's my books story and it's travels with me. But I can't buy a used book with dog eared pages and broken spine...

4) Hardback to Paper Back Cover Changes

Hardback

Paperback

I feel like if there's going to be a cover change, it needs to apply to all editions. I love hardback books, they work better for me. I have a hard time with paperback, but sometimes I enjoy their covers better, but they aren't available in hardcover.

3) Limited Hardcovers

I've run into this issue from time to time. I'm not sure if it's because I think there should be a hardcover version of a book but really they just never published one, but I'm finding with older books that unless they're in a collectors or pocket edition (and that's usually limited to classics) they're not available in hardcover. I've looked at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, etc... Book Depository tends to be good at letting me know if they were ever available in hard cover or not, and even if they don't have it they usually point to Abesbooks or elsewhere so I can keep looking. 

2) The Fourth Date Marriage Trope

Now I'm going to be mentioning this in my December Review, I'll let you know that right now. And I'm not sure if this is so much a trope as it is a cliche, but it really ruins a book for me when a couple, especially a young couple get married after so little time has past. The book itself could be great with a slow burn romance, have enough of an adventure and trial with enough time lapse that give the couple that anxiety and angst that by the time they get together, I'm popping a bottle of champagne yelling "FINALLY!!" Then the book ends with marriage with little to no time laps or trials from when they got together and it's just so cliche and sudden that I feel more irritated than anything, because I feel like the author should know better. 

This is probably me looking too much into it, but when it does happen, what comes to mind is how they move on from their trials, how do they cope now that they're together and they don't have these trials to deal with anymore? How do we know that those trials aren't what sparked their "love" and having a "normal" life after that isn't going to effect how they see each other in a more "mundane" setting? Or PTSD? How are they going to handle that? It leaves more questions making a "happy ending" feel forced and rushed. The one, I feel that takes all of that into consideration is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

1) Sizing Differences 

This was 2...but after writing this I realized how irritated this makes me so here it is at number one.

You know that slide show that goes around facebook and the like, where there's little things that have gone wrong, it's not that big of a deal, it's not dire and doesn't effect anyone in a harmful way but it drives you crazy and you want to hurt who ever did it? Those ones that will "Drive your OCD friends insane" like someone taking a bit out of a whole cheese stick, or this lovely number:

Most of these bookish things could be considered the same way, but mine in particular is a size change in the books in the middle of the series. I'm not talking width, I'm talking height. It's usually not the original publisher's fault. For some reason another publisher will decide they too want to publish the series, but change the format just ever so slightly. The one that comes to mind immediately is Winter by Marissa Meyer. I have the Lunar Chronicles in paperback. Yes I typically like hard cover, we've established that, but I will by paper back if I have to, and if it's a series, I will continue to buy that same format. So I patiently waited for the paperback of Winter be be published, ordered it quickly off Amazon, only for it to arrive and not fit with the rest of the series, because it wasn't the same publisher, it was a half and inch smaller in height but almost double the width of the rest of the series. I refused to read it, donated it to a local book store and have been cautiously waiting for the correct publishers paperback edition to appear at my local book store. I know it's the same story (it better be) there's no difference there, but it doesn't look nice in the series on my bookshelf!

Those are my bookish Grinch items, what are some of yours?

Until next time!

Litta

November Review

I'm going to try not to think too much on why I only read two books again for the month....or the fact that I seemed to finish them on the same days that I finished the two books I read in October...

I am one book behind in terms of the Around the Year in 52 books goodreads challenge.

But again not going to worry about it, because, this isn't a competition, we all have lives, and it's not always easy to read a lot of books, especially as we approach the holidays....though somehow it seemed easier last year.

The books I read this month were:

Scythe by Neil Shusterman

Published November 2016, by Simon Schuster books for Young Readers

This book is about a world where disease, hunger, war and misery have been vanquished. Science has been able to find ways to rid death. Due to this, there is no longer any government. Instead the world is made safe by the Thunderhead. An evolved version of the cloud that has gained it's own consciousness. To keep population control in check there is the Scythedom. An order in which people are chosen and go under apprenticeships to "glean" (kill) people enable to keep the population numbers down. Citra and Rowan are chosen for an apprenticeship with the Scythedom. But neither of them want it, but if they fail it could have some deadly consequences.

I had been excited about the concept of this book, but it was one of those ones where I was excited when it came out, but didn't buy it right away, then more books came out, I was still interested but it wasn't my priority. My boyfriend had heard about it and wanted to get it. I finally bought it, he read it and kept bugging me to read it. I finally picked it up, and I'm really happy I did.

Citra and Rowan were interesting characters with each their own individual identity and personalities and it was interesting to follow them as they entered the apprenticeship and how that effected their personalities and their moral stability. In a way though toward the middle of the book, I started thinking of Rowans point of view like Peeta's point of view that we never got from the Hunger Games.... I don't know if that makes sense at all. I kept thinking that towards the end Rowan would end up being morally corrupted and go after Citra. I don't know if I'm disappointed or not that that didn't happen.

In the beginning I found I enjoyed Rowan more than Citra then towards the end I enjoyed Citra more than Rowan, which I found interesting.

This book was interesting as it lent itself more politically and the corruption of politics and people than anything, which, again, was interesting but not what I expected really...but I can't really say what I expected.

four out of five stars

The next book I read was:

The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

Published September 2017, by Harper

Child Finder is about Naomi. She's a private investigator that searches for missing children. Having had a complex childhood herself, she feels a calling to try and find missing children. Three years ago Madison Culver was lost in the high mountains of Oregon in a snow storm. Now her parents seek Naomi to find her. But there's something different about this case. Naomi starts remembering more and more about her childhood and the trauma that she was blocking out since she was saved. Is it the case? Is it the area? All is unknown as she tries to retrace Madison's foot steps in the deadly icy forest.

I had picked this book up on a whim at Costco and thought it'd be a really good read as we head towards winter. It was chilling, both in terms of a mystery as well as environment. Naomi was a complex character and it was interesting to get more and more of her past as the book went on. All the while we get Madison Culver's point of view after she is lost in the mountains of Oregon, which was interesting and helpful to the story but the issue I was having was that because Naomi's having flash back of her child hood, with Madison's POV, it became hard to distinguish at times, perhaps if they were separated by chapters?

Over all four out of five stars. I did enjoy this, the ending wrapped everything up nicely for the most part....I still wanted to know if Naomi officially got with Jerome and wanted to know the conclusion about her finding her sister...but, over all, not bad.

Alright that's it for the month of November! Let me know if you read either of these and let me know your thoughts. What books did you read for November?

Until next time!

Litta

Monthly Recs: Books I am Thankful For

So this is going to be a first and I think it will adhere to some interesting content. Forgive me if these continue on and I just don't have enough to put into the post, as I realize I do need and want to read more content.

Monthly Recommendations is a Goodreads group found Here by Trina from the book-tube channel Between Chapters and Kayla from the book-tube channel KaylaRayne

Monthly Recommendations basically just gives you themes to give book recommendations each month. And with November comes the theme: Books You are Thankful for.

The first book/series I am thankful for is: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Why? Its a unique story, but also because it's a series that I was challenged to read. My mom got me the first three books in the series in promise that I would read at least the first three before the movie with Jim Carrey came out. I did, plus more, and she took my brother's and I to see it in theaters where I proceeded to point out everything that was wrong. This book helped me realize I am not one to read a book then see the movie adaptation but rather watch the movie then read the book. But this series also just started getting me into series as a whole in elementary school. Just in time for middle school where I am thankful for these two oddities on the list.

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya and Tokyo Mew Mew by Mia Ikumi

...yeah these came out of left field. No I haven't picked them up since 2003, but they're still dear to me. I am thankful for these two manga series because it got me closer to my two best friends that I am lucky to still have today. And oddly these books kind of fit them perfectly. I don't own these two any more but I always regretted giving them up. My friends and I were a bit obsessed with anime and manga in middle school. We'd crush over guys in manga and anime, write fan fiction....yeah you know just a bit obsessed. We'd all meet up early in the morning in the library and read in the corner by the heater. I am thankful for these books to help me build the foundation of my friendships.

I don't think anyone has left out J.K. Rowling, and I'm not about to start:

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

I read the Hunger Games before I read Harry Potter. I watched Twilight before I read Harry Potter. I watched Harry Potter before I read Harry Potter. But despite my late decent into the books, I still hold them dear. I'm a proud Huffle-claw/Raven-puff. And although I think J.K. Rowling can and should just stop and just do a re-release every ten/twenty years, I love the constant development. No I don't want her to re-write the series from Snape's perspective. No I don't want her to right a new series focusing on the Marauders. But I enjoy reading the back stories to characters I wish were a little more present in the books in Pottermore. I enjoy hearing how she came up with Quidditch in a pub. I don't feel like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was necessary. Yes I enjoy, no it's not needed. Yes I could have lived with out it. I am Thankful for Harry Potter's World, and letting me escape as I entered college.

And I'm Thankful for Neil Gaiman

I had liked Neil Gaiman for Coraline a couple years ago but wasn't sure about any of his other books at the time. Until my youngest brother had suggested Norse Mythology on Audio. I was hooked. Not just with Neil Gaiman's voice, but his stories, his characters. I am thankful for Neil Gaiman's imagination, creativity and writing. For taking me across the United States to other world's with him.

What books are you thankful for this November?

Until next time

Litta

Fall Time, Cozy Time Book Tag

Have been meaning to do a fall type book tag for a bit now, and figured this one would fit pretty perfectly:

Fall Time Cozy Time Book Tag by Sam from Sam's Nonsense

Like always I will leave the questions down below if you want to do them yourself.


1) Crunching Leaves: The world is full of color - Choose a book that has reads/oranges/yellows on the cover

I'm not sure if I should be choosing one that I own that's on my shelf or one I want for my shelf...I'll do both.

From my shelf:

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan

The orangest book I own, I think the black vines and yellow flowers help with that fall feel.

From my "to-buy" list:

Risen by Cole Gisben

This book doesn't come out until March of 2018 but this cover is fall.

2) Cozy Sweater: It's finally cool enough to don warm and cozy clothing: What book gives you the warm fuzzies?

My Grandmother Told Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman translated by Henning Koch

This book is just so heart warming. Told from the view point of a seven year old, it's just so endearing and quirky.

3) Fall Storm: The wind is howling and the rain is pounding - choose your favorite book or genre that you like to read on a stormy day.

It's hard to pinpoint a genre or book specifically for me really, as I'm a mood reader I can't say I prefer one genre over another pending on the season. But I guess if I had to choose, it'd be more towards fantasy or thriller/mystery

Guess the perfect example of this would be:

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

I listened to this in June but it would have been a good one for fall. As the time line kind of lends itself to the fall/winter seasons.

4) Cool Crisp Air: What's the coolest character you'd want to trade places with?

Hermoine Granger....

In all honestly from the first like 4 or 5 books of the Harry Potter Series, particularly Prisoner of Azkaban because I would have totally gotten myself a Time Turner to take more classes (in fact I wore one every time I chose classes for college because there was always way more I wanted to take than my schedule would allow)

Otherwise probably Citra from:

Scythe by Neil Shusterman

So spoiler alert for my November Review, I just finished this book, and Citra is such a bad ass. She's cunning and sly and I just admire her courage to speak up for what she knows is right and her dedication to pursue the right path.

5) Hot Apple Cider: What under hyped book do you want to see become the next biggest hottest thing?

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

I haven't heard much of anything from anyone about this book and I think it's just so important to read. This book follows Subhi who was born into a refugee camp and has been waiting there with his family for years to be able to be let into the country of Australia, or for his dad to come get them and take them back to ....I think it's Guam...If not I am so sorry. The story if fiction but is based around the treatment of refugees in Australia. Fraillon also goes into how refugees are treated similarly in other countries in a blurb at the end of the book. It's an eye opener for sure.

6) Coat, Scarves and Mittens: The weather has turned cold and it's time to cover up - What's the most embarrassing book cover you own that you will keep hidden in public?

Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

Enjoyed the story of this book. Despise this cover so much. Yes, no joke, to the point where I wouldn't take it in public. I'm aware it's not Katrina Leno's fault, authors tend not to have any control of the cover art of their book. I'm looking at you Harpercollins.

7) Pumpkin Spice: What your favorite fall time comfort food/foods?

Chai tea, or anything with cinnamon

and

Macaroni and Cheese, or anything warm with noodles and garlic bread.

Alright that was in for the Fall Time, Cozy Time Book tag

Until next time!

Litta



Questions:

1) Crunching Leaves: The world is full of color - Choose a book that has reads/oranges/yellows on the cover

2) Cozy Sweater: It's finally cool enough to don warm and cozy clothing: What book gives you the warm fuzzies?

3)Fall Storm: The wind is howling and the rain is pounding - choose your favorite book or genre that you like to read on a stormy day.

4) Cool Crisp Air: What's the coolest character you'd want to trade places with?

5) Hot Apple Cider: What under hyped book do you want to see become the next biggest hottest thing?

6) Coat, Scarves and Mittens: The weather has turned cold and it's time to cover up - What's the most embarrassing book cover you own that you will keep hidden in public?

7) Pumpkin Spice: What your favorite fall time comfort food/foods?

October Review

So October was a whirl wind of emotions and events, needless to say I didn't read much at all. Two books. I suppose that's better than nothing but I still feel a bit "meh" about it. Cuz you know, "meh" is a valid feeling to have.

The first book I read I had started in September and finished in October, it took me a bit because it was a little hard to get into and that book was:

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

Published September 2016, By Little, Brown and Company

This book follows Lib, a nurse who has been hired to observe a proclaimed "wonder" of God. Tourists flock to Ireland to see the eleven year old girl who can live off manna from heaven, Anna O'Donnell. To assure she is indeed a "wonder" and out of concern for her health, Lib Wright is hired to observe the girl, a veteran of the Florence Nightingale's Crimean Campaign, she's skeptical and thinks this job will be over quickly.

So I got this as an extra in my October BOTM, that's one thing I love about them, this book was actually an option in October of 2016, but books of the past are readily available as an extra purchase (assuming it's not sold out) for only $9.99. Other book subscriptions do have past boxes available occasionally but I found it's usually a special sale for a holiday.

Anyway...At the time it came out this book intrigued me but I was still cautious with this whole book subscription dealio and was still having issues trying to pick a "good" book for me to choose when it came to Book of the Month. But ever since then, I've been seeing it, and ultimately the cover was what kept drawing me in. And every time I picked it up I would grow curiouser and curiouser about the story. Finally I caved and purchased it. As I said before it took me a little bit to get into, it's a little slow paced. The setting is in Ireland shortly after the potato famine. But when I did start getting into it, I didn't want to put it down. Lib had so much growth in the book, and her past gets revealed little by little, as does Anna O'Donnell's. This book has an interesting angle on pitting faith and moral sensibility against each other, and every step of the way I was questioning everyone's involvement.

Think I gave this 3.75 out of 5 stars.

The Next book I read I actually forgot to mention in my October Haul and that was:

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Published September 2017, by Harperteen

This book follows Mateo and Ruffus in a future not so different from ours, the only thing is Death Cast, an agency that can predict when you are going to die, but not how and not the specific time. Death Cast calls it's victims? clients? Between 12 am - 3 am to let them know that with in the next 24 hours, they will die. Death Cast then helps you organize burial or cremation plans. This book is the 24 hour perspectives of Mateo and Ruffus and how their 24 hours goes for each of them, as well as a couple other side characters.

I don't think I did justice to the synopsis. I listened to this on Audible, which is why I think I didn't add it into my October Haul as I often go off my physical book pile.

I didn't plan to read this originally, but after sampling it on audible, the guy who voiced Mateo stuck with me. The voice actors themselves were relatively great, the only thing I had issues with was due to the switching of perspective between Mateo and Ruffus and the voice actors trying to talk like the other in perspective switch as well as the narration not always saying who said what, it was hard to tell who was who at times. If that makes any sense at all. At times it would be Mateo's chapter and when Ruffus would talk the voice actor would try to sound like Ruffus but it wouldn't always work, and with dialogue it just became hard to distinguish between the two.

The story itself was interesting. Though I do wish it went a little further into Death Cast, and how they were able to know when people died. My other issue was if they altered people's death by telling them. So by telling them they were going to die that day, did they have an effect on people's deaths or was it bound to happen anyway? This will be a debatable question. But in my opinion yes, I feel like Death Cast may have influenced someone's death by revealing they were going to die.

Mateo I felt was a little too paranoid, and Ruffus's lingo bugged me. How "like" is a filler word for us was the same for "mad" with Ruffus, it was used for everything. Otherwise the voice actors who played them, I felt played them well. Mateo was the introverted gamer who just wanted to be able to live a life other's could see as worth living but was too afraid to do so, and all I wanted to do was protect him. While Ruffus was outgoing "thug" type who felt he was welcoming death due to his troubled past, who was also insightful and had a passion for photography that made me melt. They both had a "you could die at any moment" mentality that couldn't be more different than each other but their relationship blossomed in away that didn't feel like it was rushed despite being in 24 hours. I didn't want the title of the book to be true, but I didn't want it to mislead me either.

One thing I do have to say was that the ending fell a little flat. Yes it made me cry at various points, and I still gave it four out of five stars, but I was expecting to throw the book and sob, cursing Silvera for making me feel for characters and then ripping them away from me in a dramatic ending. And that just didn't happen. At the end I was left with a kind of "well fuck" feeling. Yeah it was still sad, but it was still kind of disappointing.

So that was it for my October Review, let me know if you've read either of these books, and what your thoughts were on them. If you want to discuss further feel free, I'm happy to do so. Some prompts for that can be: Would you want to know you were going to die with in 24 hours? What would you do?

Until next time!

Litta

Late October Haul

I am well aware that these are late, and I apologize, the beginning of this month has and emotional rollercoaster and I just haven't had it in me to blog. But here we go with my October Haul, which turned out bigger than I expected.

This first one I actually found at Costco

The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

Published September 2017, by Harper

Three years ago, Madison Oliver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon's Skookum National Forest. She would be eight years old now, assuming she survived. Certain that someone took their daughter the Culver's turn to Naomi, a private investigator with a talent for locating lost and missing children, having been one herself, once upon a time. Known to the police as The Child Finder Naomi is the Culver's last hope. But as Naomi relentlessly pursues and slowly uncovers the truth behind Madison's disappearance, Naomi's defenses start to crumble as she is reminded of a terrible loss she can feel but can't remember.

So I know thrillers are typically for "Halloween" reads, but I'm excited and hope to get to this by December. That's one thing I tend to enjoy is when an atmosphere in a book is reflected similarly to what I experience in my own. If it's cold in the book it's more relatable to me if weather is making it so I'm cold. If it's fall in the book I'd like it to be fall when I'm reading it, etc... That's always hard especially with books with longer time lines, or ever unnatural environments (fantasy books) But this looks like a good December read.

This next book I snagged at Northtown Books

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Published September 2017, By Simon Pulse

So this was mostly a cover by. I remember Kayla from BooksandLala talk about it on her youtube channel for a cover reveal...I think. But I just marked it as "to-read" because I thought the cover was gorgeous. Reading a little bit of the synopsis it's about a Japanese-American girl who has anxiety and stress. She doesn't end up getting into her dream art college and finds herself living with her abusive uncle. So when a friend invites her to the west coast to tour art colleges, she jumps at the idea, despite her worries and anxiety. So it sounds like a personal growth book, and it's about art, so I'm all for it.

The next three books I actually found at this place called the Book Legger, it's a second hand book store that has the occasional new release, but I was able to find a couple that have been on my radar for a while.

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Published September 2012 by Atom

Honestly I don't know jack about this book. It's supposed to be a little fantasy, a little paranormal, and the trilogy is supposed to be amazing. So I wanted to give this one a go.

Every Day by David Levithan

Published August 2012, by Young Readers

So this one seemed really really interesting, and trippy. So everyday this person/consciousness wakes up in a new body, a new life. There's no warning about where it will be or who it will be and this consciousness has made peace with that. But then one day this consciousness wakes up in the body of Justin, and meets Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon. From that moment on the rules no longer apply to this consciousness, because finally it has found someone it want's to be with, day in, day out, day after day after day.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Published October 2010, by Harper Perennial Canada

This one I don't know too much about either. Since reading Lily and the Octopus and having it be compared with this book I've been looking to find it. I actually had heard about it before I got Lily and the Octopus but wasn't able to find it. My boyfriend has read it and says that if Lily and the Octopus or Marley and Me made me cry, then I will definitely cry at this one. That and the cover is just adorable.

The next two books I got in my Book of the Month Box for October:

my selection for the month was Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

Published October 2017, by Scribner

Anna Kerrigan is twelve years old amidst the Great Depression. Her and her father go to a house of a man she thinks is crucial to the survival of her father and her family. Anna observes the uniformed servants, the lavishing of toys on the children and some secret pact between her father and Dexter Styles. Years later, her father disappears and the country is out war. Anna works at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where women are allowed to hold jobs that had always belonged to men. She becomes the first female diver, the most dangerous and exclusive of occupations, repairing the ships that will help America win the war. She is the sole provider of her mother, a farm girl who had a brief and glamorous career as a Ziegfield folly, and her lovely, severely disabled sister. At a night club she chances to meet Styles, the man she visited with her father before he vanished, and she begins to understand the complexity of her fathers life.

This one stood out the most to me, I love historical fiction, and the others just seemed kind of meh. But I'm glad I took the chance with this one, because it sounds very entertaining and thrilling.

I also was able to get (as an extra book for $9.99)

Sleeping Beauties by Stephen and Owen King

Published September 2017, by Scribner

What might happen if women disappeared from the world of men? In the so real future, something happens when women go to sleep; they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze. If they are awakened, if the gauze wrapping their bodies is disturbed or violated, the women become feral and violent, and while they sleep they go to another place. The men of our world are abandoned, left to their increasingly primal devises. One woman, however, the mysterious Evie, is immune to the blessing or curse of the sleeping disease. Is Evie a medical anomaly to be studied, or is she a demon who must be slain? Set in a small Appalachian town who's primary employer is a women's prison.

I had a co-worker reading the new release of Stephen King's It and there was an excerpt of this book on the back that I read, and it sounded really intriguing. And the cover is very lovely.

The next four books I got from Bookoutlet

the first being Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

Published August 2016, by Thomas Dunne Books

From what I know about this book, a girl joins a school for assassins to avenge her father. I didn't really want to know anymore about this book. I'm very attracted to both the covers.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer

Published 1996, by Random House Bullseye Books

This I wanted to re-read, I think I remember reading it in fifth grade as an assigned reading? But I remember it being fun, and I remember loving the movie. Milo thinks life is a bore and when a phantom tollbooth appears in his room, he drives through because what else is there to do?  From what I remember there's fun play on words and fairly funny.

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Published October 2011, by Simon Pulse

This book follows Chelsea, who just wants to gain experience as an ice cream connoisseur over the summer, and forget about her ex Ezra. But when she starts her new job and finds Ezra is also working there, she feels forgetting is going to be a challenge

I love this cover, it's adorable. Just a cute fiction. 

Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard

Published April 2015, by Disney Hyperion

This one is another one I'm not aware of what it's about, I just thought the cover was gorgeous.

This next one I got in my Uppercase box. One thing you may have noticed is that I stopped showing pictures of what I get in said box. That's because I found that I can lower my payment and just receive the book. Not that I don't love Uppercase's swag, I just find that all I really want is the book, and there's usually a 50/50 chance that I'll actually use/like that stuff that comes with it.

This box was a book that wasn't even on my radar:

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Published September 2017, By Margaret K. McElderry Books

In this world, Fey can't create something with out it crumbling to ash and dust, so human craft is well sought after. Isobel is a portrait painter and well demanded through the Fey Kingdom. When she's commissioned to to do her first Royal Portrait of Rook, the Autumn Prince, Isobel finds herself in hot water when she portrays human sorrow in the prince's eyes, a weakness that could cost the prince his life. Isobel is cast to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime but her and the prince are waylaid by the Wild Hunt's ghostly hounds, the tainted influence Alder King. Rook and Isobel must rely on each other for survival, but will they cross the laws that forbid them to be together?

I am not a big fan of people being on the cover of books, but this one is really entertaining to me, the one thing that irks me is actually the font color, I feel that is get's lost in her hair and wish it was all as bold as Ravens is in contrast.

The next three I got through another Book outlet buy. I'm blaming my boyfriend on this one, he wanted me to order something and I felt like just buying one book was weird, so I got two more to accompany it.

The book my boyfriend had me get is actually a sequel and that's:

Rip Tide by Kat Falls

Published August 2011, By Scholastic Press

So this is the sequel to Dark Life, which I'm not going to talk about much here but you can read what I thought here. Boyfriend already read this book, and loved it as much as the first. I'm a little apprehensive because it's a sequel.

The two book I got along with Rip Tide is

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys by April Genevieve Tucholke

Published August 2016, by Dial Books

So this is actually an Anthology, so there's multiple stories by multiple authors. Thrillers, horrors, etc... I don't own anthologies, and haven't read any since middle school, and that was Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. I figured it was a good Halloween buy. Still haven't read it and it's November but I'll get to it.

AND

Mosquitoland By David Arnold

Published March 2015, By Viking Children's

In all honesty this was a cover buy. I thought it looked cute and was kind of hoping for a graphic novel...no such luck....no just check again to be sure too.

This book follows Mim Malone. Mim's family has fallen apart and she find herself being dragged from her home in northern Ohio to the "wastelands" of Mississippi with her dad and new Step mom. Before the dust can even settle in the new town, Mim learns that her real mom is sick back in Cleveland. So she ditches her new life and catches a grey hound back to her real mom and her real home. Going on a journey where she'll meet a cast of travelers, will have to face her demons and re-define love and loyalty.

Alright these next two book are I actually won from Goodreads giveaways. So that's pretty exciting.

The first being:

The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman

Published April 2016, By Penguin Press

I had seen this book in my local book shop but wasn't sure if I would actually read it nor did I want it for full price, so I figured "why not" when I entered the giveaway. After reading the synopsis I figure it's going to be similar to Kraken by Wendy Williams: A non-fiction delving into some research about birds and how intelligent they are and just kind of summarizing research of a variety of different specialists. Which was fun with the Kraken in terms of Octopuses. Plus I'm a sucker for scientific illustrated covers

The last book I received I also got in a giveaway and that's:

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Published January 2017, By Del Rey Books

Ok before I even get into the synopsis of this book, I am in love with the title. Not so much the content of the title, though it's cute, but the filigree and the font and how strong it is. HOWEVER I feel like it takes away from the image itself. That title sticks with me, the image doesn't.

Ok I lied this is another I have no idea what it's about but I'm hoping it'll be a good winter read.


Alright and there you have it. I apologize I didn't know what some of these were about but I'm sure once I read them I'll let you know how I felt.

Until next time

Litta

OMG This Song Book Tag

Today's book tag is really fun, created by Kate at Kadtesbookdate

This tag combines music with books in a nice cohesive way.

The original questions are going to be down at the end of the post if you'd like to do this yourself.

On that note let's get started:

1. My Jam: A song you MUST listen to every time it comes on, no matter how old or how many times you've listened to it/a book you'll never get sick of.

Castle by Halsey. Haven't watched the movie the Huntsman....don't really plan on it, but I enjoyed this song.

Published 1997 by Scholastic Inc

Need I say more?


2. Throwback: A song that reminds you of the cringiest time of your life/a book that also reminds you of this time (or just something you wouldn't like as much if you picked it up for the first time now)

The Song I'm choosing for this is Yeah! by Usher Ft. Lil Jon and Ludacris. I still love this song, but any time I think about the time it came out and was super popular was middle school. Awkward dances of pre-teens thinking they were hot shit when half of them hadn't hit puberty yet. Groan....

The book series I chose for this is Internet Girls by Lauren Myracle

Published April 2004, By Harry N. Abrams

Funnily enough this was the same answer Kate used, and I had completely forgot about this series until she brought it up and it just made me laugh so hard. This series is kind of ridiculous in that it's written completely in Instant Messenger format. At the time I loved it and actually look back at it fondly but can't say I'd pick it up again ever. I think I read this in middle school, and let's be honest, is there even a cringiest time? (Don't answer that....)

3. Replay: A a recent song you have on repeat right now/a recent favorite book

Believer by Imagine Dragons....yeah nope can't stop listening to this one right now.

A recent favorite book is: Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

Published July 2017 by HarperCollins Children's Books

I really enjoyed this book. It's take on family communication, anxiety, grief and tying in with asking for help and dealing with inner emotions in a rational way was really refreshing. That and the references were spot on and a lot of the characters were adorable.

4. Gets Me: This song IS ME/this book is me in book form

I never thought I had one of these, but my last semester at college we had to pick songs to walk up to for my Native Grad, and this song came to mind immediately and I've been hooked on it ever since: Like a River by Bishop Briggs

The book was also hard to pick out for this one...But I finally ended up choosing: Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Andersen

Published March 2016 by Andrews McMeel publishing

In all of my books, this is the only one I can choose with out question. Everything else I was going "well what is that saying though if she ends up killing this dude..." or something. This fits. It's weird, it's cute. Me in a nutshell.


5. Wut: Weird but I like it?/a unique book that stuck out to you for whatever reason

Booty Swing by Parov Stelar.  Could not tell you why, I just really enjoy it.

I've talked about both of these and they both come to mind when thinking about this question:

The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill

Published February 2017 by Riverhead Books

and

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan

Published August 2009 by Simon and Schuster

These both have their flaws, and they're both odd. But they both hold just enough magic realism to keep me entertained and mystified. They are like a thick honey in my mind.

6. Let's Go: Best pump up song (for workouts or just life)/a book that inspired you

Happiest Man on Earth by Broken Back. This song just makes me feel giddy and excited, and no matter what kind of day I'm having it always seems to lift my spirits.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer is the book that came to mind in terms of it inspiring me.

Published November 2016, by Feiwel & Friends

So I've mentioned this book before and it may have had a different cover. This is the cover I do have, it's the Owl Crate exclusive cover, and I adore it. The book itself is light but has some dark elements in it. It's not a retelling exactly, but it's based off Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, before Alice. This follows the Queen of Hearts before she was queen. Which is a tragic and interesting perspective. But how this book was inspiring was through its imagery and it's detailed accounts of desserts and scenery. The desserts made me hungry, and the imagery, despite not being too familiar with Wonderlad and it's creatures were vivid. The emotion this book made me feel was brilliant and irritating. I loved it.

7. Chill: Fave chill, relaxing song/a book you'd curl up with an read on a rainy day

Hearts A Mess by Gotye, the music video alone matches question 5 and 4, I can't get over it. But it's the perfect song for a chilly rainy day. It's a little depressing, but I love it so much.

In terms of a book that I'd curl up with on a rainy day, it would no doubt be my sketch book. I don't know if that's considered cheating but that's what I'm putting.

8. Addicting: a guilty pleasure song/one that's catchy and addicting but not a whole lot of substance/guilty pleasure/trashy/fast/light read

Bad by Michael Jackson. I blame this one on Megamind. Every time I hear this song I bust a move, I just can't help it.

In terms of books, usually picture books. My favorite one currently is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett

Published 1978 by Scholastic

Pictures books don't tend to have much to them in terms of story or words, but when I find one with gorgeous illustrations, I can't help myself. This one in particular has gorgeous illustrations and a magical concept.

9. Nostalgia: Throwback you look back on fondly/a book you read forever ago that you look back on fondly or reminds you of a happy childhood time.

Rose Tattoo by Dropkick Murphys, I went and saw these guys my sophomore year of college. And although, at the time, it was another crnigy moment, I saw them with an ex (who was an ex at the time) and two of our friends, out of state, to stay the night and see these guys. But the concert itself was amazing. If you ever have get the chance to see these guys do it. Women got pulled up on stage for a song (Kiss Me I'm Shitfaced) and got to mosh and stage with the band, then for their encore they pulled up as many people as they could to mosh and sing  with them. This song in particular just warms my heart and I can't not listen to it.

In terms of books, PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives by Frank Warren

Published November 2005, by HC

This book has always had a special place. My best friend got it for me shortly after it was published. She introduced me to Frank Warren's project, which if you didn't know is essentially just encouraging people to create anonymous postcards with secrets and sending them his way. So are odd, some are weird, loving, caring, sad, depressing, and relatable. This particular book, my particular copy, I thought I lost only for it to come back to me. In 2005 my best friend gave this to me, and from then on I was hooked. In 2007 I let a boyfriend borrow it, along with a handful of other books, we broke up. 2013-ish came around and Frank Warren was to speak at the University and be signing books, by this time I had a couple others that were published but I wanted the first one. The one my best friend gave to me. My mom told me to forget about it, bought me one of the newly published ones to get signed, thinking that trying to track down my ex was too much effort and wasn't worth it. But I felt it was. I somehow got his number the night Frank Warren was supposed to be presenting, he told me there was a fire and that all but that book was gone. He was able to meet me at the University and I was able to get it signed. It's been sitting happily on my self ever since. So this book brings back quite a timeline of memories for me.

Alright that is it for the OMG This Song Book Tag, this was a lot of fun to do and I encourage you to do it too. I am getting settled into my new job but we are having some family issues currently and my mind is mostly on that, so automated type things where I don't have to put too much focus is where I'm at right now.

I'll talk to you later!

Until next time!

Litta


OMG this Song Book Tag Questions

1. My Jam: A song you MUST listen to every time it comes on, no matter how old or how many times you've listened to it/a book you'll never get sick of.

2. Throwback: A song that reminds you of the cringiest time of your life/a book that also reminds you of this time (or just something you wouldn't like as much if you picked it up for the first time now)

3. Replay: A a recent song you have on repeat right now/a recent favorite book

4. Gets Me: This song IS ME/this book is me in book form

5. Wut: Weird but I like it?/a unique book that stuck out to you for whatever reason

6. Let's Go: Best pump up song (for workouts or just life)/a book that inspired you

7. Chill: Fave chill, relaxing song/a book you'd curl up with an read on a rainy day

8. Addicting: a guilty pleasure song/one that's catchy and addicting but not a whole lot of substance/guilty pleasure/trashy/fast/light read

9. Nostalgia: Throwback you look back on fondly/a book you read forever ago that you look back on fondly or reminds you of a happy childhood time.