Saturday, October 6, 2018

Review of The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson

Read for: Mount TBR

Synopsis: "Forget the old days. Forget summer. Forget warmth. Forget anything that doesn’t help you survive.


Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As memories of her old life haunt her, she has been forced to forge ahead in the snow-covered Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap to survive.

But her fragile existence is about to be shattered. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community—most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who sets in motion a chain of events that will force Lynn to fulfill a destiny she never imagined."

My Review: When I received this in one of the subscription boxes, I wasn't sure if I was even going to read it, now I am kicking myself for not reading it in the dead of winter when the atmosphere would have really put me in the story. This was such a surprise for me. It does start out pretty slow but it does a great job of establishing the characters, the setting and the backstory. The world building is woven throughout the story so you find out new bits and pieces along with Lynn, the main character. Once the story gets going though you better be ready to sit and read it straight through. There is so much action and suspense and mystery throughout the book that you can't wait to turn the page and find out what happens next. This one also really makes you think, what would you do to survive and protect those you love. What would you truly miss when everything you have known is gone except the very basics. I definitely recommend this one!

My Rating: I actually read this book way back in May but have held off posting it until now because it certainly suits the season, it is atmospheric and a touch scary, definitely heart pounding and page turning.  I give this one a rating of Four Paws!

Friday, October 5, 2018

Early Reader Bedtime Story: Pumpkin Patch by Margaret McNamara

Read for: Early Reader Challenge

Synopsis: "Mrs. Connor's first-grade class is going on a field trip! They're headed to the pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins. Katie dreams of finding the perfect pumpkin. But the one she chooses isn't perfect at all. It's too small! But then her father shows her that wonderful things often come in small packages."

My Review: We picked up a bunch of fall Ready to Read books for Munchkin and this was at the top of our list to read. Munchkin loves going to the farms and picking out a pumpkin in the patches. This was a fun adventure with the familiar Robin Hill School class, and it had a great message about how everyone's idea of perfect is different. Some kids wanted the biggest pumpkin, others wanted tall and round pumpkins and some wanted a small pumpkin. It definitely taught a lesson about not judging others about their size, shape or preferences. It was easy for Munchkin to read with short sentences with easy words to sound out and sight words, it also had a lot of repetition to help those young readers gain confidence.

My Rating: This was a great fall book to read, Munchkin really enjoyed it and it gave us some great conversation starters about what makes things perfect.  We give it a rating of Four Paws!


Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Review of And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness

Read for: Recently Added & Beautiful Illustrations and Cover!

Synopsis: "With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself...

As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men."

My Review: This book kept catching my eye, so I broke down and picked it up. It is an absolutely beautiful book aesthetically, stunning naked cover and beautiful illustrations throughout the book. I also like the concept, a retelling of Moby Dick from a whale's perspective. Unfortunately, for me it was just a little too obscure. It is one thing to have a twist in a retelling with a change in perspective, but it was taken to a whole other level with the whales swimming upside down and pulling their own underwater ships and their own harpoons. Maybe if this had been explained more, with some more world building, I would have enjoyed it more. There were also some odd details, like boiling bones on deck but then also saying fire doesn't work under water, so how are you boiling something? and why would the whales be doing that? There is also a lot of symbolism and metaphors in the book, but I just have no desire to puzzle through them plus the upside down world and the whale's perspective. There just seems to be too much going on for my liking, at least at this time. I did really enjoy the back and forth between the whale and the human, the revelations on both sides is what the story centers around.

My Rating: Now I haven't read any other of Patrick Ness' books, but from my understanding they are often obscure and contain a lot of symbolism and metaphors, but this one just took things a little too far. I could have gone along with the whales hunting the whalers, them pulling their own ships, and even using harpoons and taking human prisoners, but why do they need to swim upside down. Also the contradiction with in pages about fire under water. As beautiful as the book was, it just did not work for me. I give it a rating of One Paw and a Stump Wag.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Top 5 Wednesday: Magic Systems

Top 5 Wednesday is a group on Goodreads hosted by Sam from Thoughts on Tomes on Youtube.


I wasn't planning on posting Top 5 Wednesday posts this month because I have so much going on but the topics are ones I really like.  So for this week the topic is magic systems.  Now I have read a lot of fantasy books over the years, and it seems more this year than in the previous several years, but a lot of those fantasy seem to be more historical type settings with little or no magic, and others seem to have your typical fae magic systems, so nothing really unique that needed to be developed.  So I decided to include books/series that have unique magic systems that are well developed and can stand up to a series long scrutiny. 

First we have a fantasy romance series that I really enjoy
While the Kingmaker Chronicles don't really present a new magic system, based on genetics and passed down over the centuries through the blood of the gods.  I included it in this list because at one point Kat, our main character, absorbs the blood and therefore the magic and affinity toward a particular magic of a dragon, and it was epic!


Next we have one of my favorite books this year
A Plague of Giants is the first book in the Seven Kennings series where people at random are born with an affinity for certain types of magic, and while it is random it does appear that the affinity leans heavily upon their location in the world (by water you get Tide magic, etc). This is an epic fantasy for adults so it does take quite a bit to develop and we aren't even fully there yet but it is amazing and I can't wait to read more.


You didn't actually think you could get away without me mentioning the Graceling Realm series did you?!
 
This series is unique in the fact that there are 2 different magic systems, in Graceling and Bitterblue the gracelings are identified by 2 different colors of eyes, but their affinity or power needs to be discovered on their own. Some of the power is useless, some of has unbelievable benefits.  In Fire, basically power comes from their beauty both in humans and creatures and offers the benefit of control over minds and is inherited.  Both systems are really well developed for having done so in only one or two books.


Then we have a series that pre-dates my blogging days (and I need to revisit soon)
  
In the White Magic series, the horses hold the magic, they call to their riders for training. Then their dressage style dances are what focuses the magic, different numbers of horses, gaits and patterns determines the magic's strength and purpose. As a horse lover, this was an instant yes for me! 


Finally another series I started reading this year
 
The Book of the Ancestor has another extremely complex magic system, while I don't fully understand it at this time, I think that is the way it is meant to be.  It is an interesting blend of sci-fi with satellites and new age with meditation.  I am looking forward to reading the next and I believe final book in the series to see what else is revealed about the magic system.



Honorable Mention
Of course we can't talk magic systems with out the Treehouse built by Merlin that will take you anywhere you want in history or fiction as long as you read it out of a book!



So what are your favorite magic systems?  What do you look for in a unique system?


Tuesday, October 2, 2018

2018 Boston Teen Author Festival Wrap Up & Giveaway

I was able once again able to attend the Boston Teen Author Festival last month, (you can see last year's wrap up HERE) and once again they put on a great day filled with books and fun panels. If you follow me on Instagram (@EasternSunset9) you have probably already seen some of the highlights I was posting to my story throughout the day.  I wanted to go a little more in depth with this wrap up.



 The day kicks off with a welcome panel introducing all 32 authors and their books with lightning rounds of questions, which always prove entertaining. 
The front row of authors were presented with the question: What would you and your main character do on a day off? The answers ranged from Museums, Disney, Shopping to Ferret racing (and everything in between including murder and mayhem)
The second row of authors were presented with the question: What would you do with your book's Love Interest? There were quite a few interesting answers here including of course book shopping, bars, netflix and to the more political with protests and registering to vote.
The back row authors were asked What would you do with your book's antagonist on a day off? Here is where some answers got very interesting, ranging from painting nails, foodie tours and music festivals to human sacrifices. The most entertaining answer was given by Mark Oshiro, who's contemporary book doesn't really have an antagonist other than racism and hate, so Mark and Racism would have had quite riot filled day travelling around giving off hate.

After that bit of fun, it was off to the panels, this year the set up was a little different and instead of having panels repeat, there were 4 unique panels offered each session, so it was extremely difficult to decide which panels to attend. 



The first panel I attended was To Be Continued in which the authors discussed their approaches and the various pluses and minuses of writing series.  On the panel from left to right are Patrice Caldwell, the moderator for the round, Sasha Alsberg (co-author of Zenith), Julie C. Dao (author of A Forest of a Thousand Lanterns), Gabe, writing as Ava Jae, author of Beyond the Red Trilogy), and Kiersten White (author of And I Darken Trilogy & The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein).  This was really an informative panel with some really great authors.  
They discussed how it was difficult to write series, how each book had to be satisfying on its own but still lead readers to want to continue reading the series.  Also discussed is what happens when a book is submitted as a stand alone and then extended to a series, and the difficulty of taking a completed story and extending it; they often look back at minor details or characters that were throw away in a single book but then develop them more for the second and third books, making them relevant (and the authors for being brilliant adding that foreshadowing to the first book).  
Kiersten White had an interesting view of duology format versus trilogy.  With a duology a story arc format is to ask a question in the first book and answer it in the second book.  With a trilogy the format is to establish characters in the first book and give them what they want, then in the second book present a change that will have them questioning or changing their minds, and then the third book is to resolve the aftermath of those changes. I will definitely be reading duologies and trilogies in the future to see if this holds true.
They were then posed the question, what is the best part and the worst part about writing a series.  Kiersten White responded that she enjoys being able to invest (and getting the readers to invest) so much in the characters, and she stated the worst part was that by the end she was so sick of the characters.  Gabe said that the build up of expectations were the worst for them, particularly the dread for book two and the hardest part for them was find a way to bring it all to a conclusion at the end of the series, finding a way to bring it all together in a single book. Sash Alsberg stated that both the best and worst part was seeing the development in her writing and story telling abilities as the series progressed, yet still trying to make it all flow and match writing style. Julie C. Dao made a really good point that when writing the second book, it is difficult because you can't just write off the cuff anymore, developing the story as you write, you have to stick to details and facts that you established in the first book. 

The second panel I decided to attend was called New Rules, where the authors were meant to discuss the power struggles between stasis and change in Fantasy and how it can be a commentary on real life.  In this panel from left to right were Lyndsay Ely, the moderator (she is kind of hidden behind the person in the green shirt), Heidi Heilig (author of The Girl From Everywhere series and For a Muse of Fire), Adrienne Young (author of Sky in the Deep), Mary Pearson (she is hidden behind Makiia, author of the Remnant Chronicles & Dance of Thieves), and Makiia Lucier (author of Isle of Blood and Bone). As you can tell from this picture, it was a very crowded panel, and standing room only, they also did not have any microphones so it was very difficult to hear them.  I did get to make a few notations, though it really didn't seem to be the subject matter I was expecting. 
They started off discussing making the main characters of their young adult books relatable, but due to the worlds, time period or circumstances they might not make the same decisions as a teen would in today's world and time. They also discussed the difficulty of writing the characters making decisions that they themselves wouldn't have made in that situation, but they went on to point out that as the author, they are privy to more information than the characters are and have to write the decisions the characters make with the information that the character has at their disposal. They have to ask what the character in that situation, not them as the author, and this is where really getting to know the ins and outs of each character is so important.  

We had a brief break for lunch, and during that time I also went through the book sales line to get some finish copies and new books for the signing later.  They also had a photo booth wall set up so I decided to get my picture taken with my Frankenstein's Monster quote shirt and my copy of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. I am normally super camera shy but decided to get a picture anyway.


After lunch was panel 3 and I decided to go to the Sorry, Not Sorry panel in which the label of unlikeable character was discussed, especially when attached to a female character who is ambitious.  On this panel from left to right are Lygia Day Penaflor (author of All of This is True), Claire Legrand (author of Furyborn), Julie C. Dao (author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns), Kiersten White (author of And I Darken series and The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein), and Rachel Strolle, the moderator.  
They started off the discussion talking about what makes a female character unlikeable, and how that term has seemed to have become synonymous with ambitious and complex female characters; and why they are popular in YA books.  Kiersten White pointed out that unlikeable characters are more compelling and keep the readers engaged and Lygia Day Penaflor continued that statement with the fact that 'good' characters are predictable, they always make the right decisions while unlikeable characters keep the reader on the edge of their seat waiting to find out what way they will pick in any situation because they have proven to be unpredictable. 
The panel went on to discuss our quickness to label a female character as unlikeable while a male character with some of the same traits (confidence, ambition, etc) is given a pass. They questioned why readers are so quick to label a strong female character as unlikeable. They also discussed whether there was a need to have a likable/good character to balance out an unlikeable one for marketability and to keep a story from going too far beyond a reader's threshold for unlikeability. 


I skipped the final panel to get in the signing line which was already nearly 100 deep. I knew it was going to be tight because I had less than an hour for signing, then had to get my car out of the parking garage before it was locked in for the night. 

Here was a bit of the crowd of the signing lines, while it was much more organized this year with all the lines going the same direction, instead of intermingling on either side, the authors were very close together and it prevented much ability to get a picture, especially when you are alone.  They also had a limit of 3 signings per person, if you wanted more than that signed you had to go to the back of the line (thank goodness for pre-ordering signed copies because there was no way I could get through Kiersten White's line to have the full And I Darken trilogy signed and The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein).  

I was able to get Huntress signed by Melinda Lo, this book came out several years ago when I first started blogging, and it was the first female/female romance I remember reading, and it really made an impact on me.  I also managed to get Isle of Blood and Stone signed by Makiia Lucier, I have yet to read it but I am really looking forward to one more pirate type book.  I of course got all three And I Darken books signed by Kiersten White, I had finished reading the final book the night before the event and really loved it (more on that next week). I wasn't able to get to Julie C. Dao but I did pick up a copy of Forest of A Thousand Lanterns, which after hearing her talk about, I can't wait to read it and the companion coming out next year.  I already have a signed, personalized and annotated copy of Sky in the Deep from a pre-order, so instead I got Sky in the Deep signed and stamped for one of you! 



Which leads me now to my giveaway! As part of my month long 8th blogoversary, I wanted to allow you to get in on some fun! Included in the giveaway is everything in the picture above, a signed and stamped hardcover copy of Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young, an exclusive Boston Teen Author Festival tote bag along with several postcards, bookmarks and button pins that were included in the welcome packet given to attendees. 

There are a few rules:
~You must be 16 or older to enter 
~This giveaway is for my followers, as a thank you for sticking with me over the years, or joining me now, I, of course welcome new followers!
~Enter the giveaway via the below Rafflecopter methods (I will be checking the required items and if you are not a follower as required, your entry is void, I have had too many entries in the past looking for quick handouts and not actually interacting with my blog).
 ~Open internationally but the winner is responsible for any extra customs fees that your country may add on.
~Giveaway ends midnight on the 8th, winners will be selected the next day (I will be contacting you via email)





Monday, October 1, 2018

Monday Reading List



Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!




Reviews Posted Last Week:
Links will take you to my review

George by Alex Gino
Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks as Anonymous
I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings (Bedtime Story)
Drama by Raina Telgemeier (Graphic Novel)


 Books Finished Last Week:
Reviews will be posted at a later date

Ash
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
The Guardian of Whills
Go Ask Alice
The Pumpkin Patch
Mary, Who Wrote Frankenstein
We Have Always Lived in a Castle
Pete the Cat Goes Camping
Homer and the Christmas Miracle
Stalking Jack the Ripper


Currently Reading:
Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller - Print - on page 36 of  416



Pages Read/ Time Listened
469:46 Hours Listened (16:25 listened this week)
33,278 Pages Read (1,089 this week)

Books Added to Shelves Recently: TBR
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
To the Sky Kingdom by Tang Qi
Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Terrier by Tamora Pierce
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Reflections of Yesterday by Debbie Macomber
Jedi Search by Kevin J. Anderson
Caging the Merrow by Heather Rigney
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Opel
Black Powder War by Naomi Novik
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
The Scandalous MacKenzies by Jennifer Ashley
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
The Stolen Mackenzie Bride by Jennifer Ashley
Hard to Serve by Laura Kaye
Mastering Her Senses by Laura Kaye
Theirs to Take by Laura Kaye
Nightblade's Vengeance by Ryan Kirk
Tomorrowland by Steven Kotler
The Wolf by Leo Carew
My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran & Larissa Zageris
Beyond the Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake
Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso
True North by Marie Force
The Sorting Room by Angelina Singer
Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
Frankenstein Dreams by Michael Sims
The Belgaraid by David Eddings
Death Sworn by Leah Cypess
Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau by Guy Adams
Zenith by Sasha Alsberg & Lindsay Cummings
In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst
Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
Fight for Everything by Laura Kaye
Light as Air by Mari Carr
Furyborn by Claire Legrand
Sweet Tea and Sympathy by Molly Harper
Half Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker
The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Opal
Frostbite by Joshua Williamson
Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Theodore Roszak
The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely
Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier
Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry
None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio
Words We Don't Say by K.J. Reilly
The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
Misty Inn Collection Books 1-4 by Kristen Earhart
Adventures of Laura and Jack by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer
Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can you believe it is October already?! Where the heck has this year gone? It really seems to be flying by and we are already well into the downhill slide to winter, Christmas and the end of 2018.  While I am working on all those upcoming events, I don't want to skip over October! I have some really exciting plans for all of you! Today actually marks 8 years of blogging under my belt, isn't that exciting? I have some how managed to be actively blogging for 8 years, many of those years have been spent posting nearly every single day. This blog has become a part of my life, I really couldn't imagine not posting, it would be like not reading. The Horror!! Anyway, I decided to have a little fun with all of you this  year, since usually this event passes pretty much unnoticed by me.  So throughout the month of October I will be having weekly giveaways here on my blog. Some of the prizes include signed books, arcs, and bookish merchandise.

In addition to hosting giveaways here on my blog, I decided to also have some fun over on Instagram. I recently acquired the game Bring Your Own Book and decided it would be really fun to play online with all of you (since I don't really have anyone to play with in person).  I will be posting once a week in my Instagram Stories with the clue/hint and you will have 24 hours to respond with your answer (once the story goes away, that round is over).  Of course there will also be different prizes over there too.  So make sure you are following me @EasternSunset9 to join in the fun!

I am looking forward to lots of fun with all of you this month!

Sunday, September 30, 2018

September 2018 Challenge Update & October TBR

While I did set a really ambitious TBR for a busy September, I am really happy with how well I did on it.  I have completed nearly all my challenges, which is super exciting. I did end up purchasing a lot of books this month between library sales, pre-orders and the Boston Teen Author Fest, I ended up adding 20 books to my shelves. I did manage to read 12 books purchased this year and unhauled 4 from that list as well. I am doing better than last year on this challenge but I want to do better.  I have looked at the list and of the 167 I have added to my shelves this year I have read or unhauled 91 books, leaving 76 to be read.  Of those 76 I know that 19 will be read next year as they are part of a series I am building up for next year's challenge. So that leaves 57 on my TBR pile for this year (so far).  While that is a completely doable number on its own, I have more coming in and other books to read.  By the end of next month I would really like that number to be under 50 if possible. 

Children's Book Challenge: COMPLETE
30 - 40 books
41. I am Jazz
42.  Mary, Who Wrote Frankenstein
43. Time to Get Started

Early Reader Challenge: COMPLETE
30-40 books
29. The Pumpkin Patch
30. Pete the Cat Goes Camping


Graphic Novel Challenge: COMPLETE
23-28 books

Audio Book Challenge: COMPLETE
28-32 books
51. Binti
52. Ash
53. Stalking Jack the Ripper

Classics Challenge: COMPLETE
5 books (1 re-read)
None


Series Challenge: COMPLETE
4 full series & 6 duologies
Memoirs of Lady Trent Series (5 books & 1 novella): Book 1Book 2Book 3Book 3.5Book 4Book 5 - COMPLETE
Butler VT/Green Mountain Series (9 books & 2 novellas): (Books 1-3 read in 2017) Book 4Book 4.5Book 5Book 6Book 7Book 8 Book 9 - COMPLETE (currently through 2018)
Nevernight Chronicles (2 books so far): Book 1Book 2, - COMPLETE (currently through 2018)
Ree Verakai Duology (2 books): Book 1Book 2 - COMPLETE
Kingdom of Wrenly (13 books so far): Book 1Book 2Book 3Book 4Book 5Book 6Book 7Book 8Book 9Book 10Book 11Book 12Book 13 - COMPLETE (currently)
Compass Boys Series (4 Books): Book 1Book 2Book 3
Daughter of the Pirate King ( 2 Books): Book 1Book 2 - COMPLETE
Six of Crows (2 Books): Book 1Book 2 - COMPLETE
Mask of Shadows (2 Books): Book 1,
Sin du Jour Series (7 books & 1 novella): Book 1Book 2Book 1.5Book 3Book 4Book 5Book 6Book 7 - COMPLETE
Wayward Children Series (3 books currently): Book 1Book 2Book 3 - COMPLETE (through 2018)
Girl from Everywhere Duology (2 books): Book 1Book 2 - COMPLETE
High Seas & High Stakes (2 books): Bind Up - COMPLETE
Assassin's Curse Series (2 books): Book 1Book 2 - COMPLETE
The Conqueror's Saga (3 books) - Book 1Book 2Book 3 - COMPLETE


Requested Reviews:
No more than 25


TBR Challenge:
50-75 books that I already own as of 12/31/2017
41. Go Ask Alice
42. Stalking Jack the Ripper


Books Added to Shelves in 2018:
As I read the books I purchase this year I will add a link (I will also note the month they were purchased/ read)
1. Plague of Giants (Jan./April)
2. Moonsilver (Jan./ Jan.)
3. Silver Thread (Jan./Jan.)
4. The Silver Bracelet (Jan./ Jan.)
5. Mountains of the Moon (Jan./ Feb.)
6. Practical Magic (Jan./)
7. I Love My Love (Jan./ Feb.)
8. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry (Jan./ Feb.)
9. Gods of the North (Jan./March)
10. We Have Always Lived in a Castle (Jan./Sept.) *
11. Life Changing Manga of Cleaning Up (Jan./Jan.)
12. Heart on Fire (Jan./ Jan.)
13.To the Sky Kingdom (Feb./ )
14. Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage (Feb./Feb )
15. Letters from Wolfie (Feb./March )
16. Ketchup Clouds (Feb./ )
17. Dead Man's Walk (Feb./ )
18. Luck Love and Lemon Pie (Feb./ ) UNHAUL
19. Beartown (Feb./ )
20. The Coincidence of Coconut Cake (Feb./ Feb.)
21. Listen, Slowly (Feb./March) - DNF
22. Ravenous (Feb./ ) - UNHAUL
23. Monstrous (Feb./March )
24. The Astounding Broccoli Boy (Feb./March )
25. Terrier (Feb./ )
26. Lonesome Dove (Feb./ )
27. As Brave as You (Feb./ March )
28. Smuggler's Run (Feb./Feb. )
29. The Lost Stone (Feb./March )
30. The Scarlet Dragon (Feb./ March)
31. Sea Monster (Feb./March )
32. Daughter of the Pirate King (Feb./May )
33. The Wolves of Winter (Feb./ May )
34. Heaven on Earth (Feb./ Feb. )
35. Into the Fire (Feb./ March)
36. Still Waters (Feb./April )
37. Red Sister (March/March)
38. Reflections of Yesterday (March/)
39. Sleeping Giants (March/May)
40. Heir to the Jedi (March/April)
41. Jedi Search (March/)
42. Heart of Iron (March/April)
43. Here Comes the Sun (March/April)
44. Hermes: Tales of the Trickster (March/ March)
45. The Witches Curse (March/March)
46. Emma's Dream (March/May)
47. Eko (March/June)
48. Star Wars: Moving Target (March/May)
49. Caging Merrow (March/)
50. The Fifth Season (March/)
51. His Dark Endeavor (March/)
52. The Traveling Cat Chronicles (March/July)
53. Greedy Pigs (March/ July)
54. Lustlocked (March/June)
55. Black Powder War (March/)
56. Throne of Jade (March/)
57. The Scandalous Mackenzies (March/)
58. The Stolen Mackenzie Bride (March/)
59. The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie (March/)
60. Lady Castle (March/May)
61. Frankenstein Alive, Alive #4 (March/ Sept)
62. Frankenstein Alive Alive Trio (March/ Sept.)
63. Long Walk to Valhalla (March/April)
64. Hard to Serve (March/)
65. Mastering Her Senses (March/)
66. Theirs to Take (March/)
67. The Sapphire Affair (March/May)
68. The Joy of Less (April/May)
69. Nightblade's Vengeance (April/)
70. Circe (April/ May)
71. Tomorrowland (April/)
72. The Wolf (April/)
73. My Lady's Choosing (April/)
74. Sweet Dreams, Sweet Death (April/May)
75. Sky in the Deep (April/April)
76. Beyond the Darkened Shore (April/)
77. Defiant Heir (April/)
78. True North (May/)
79. The Sorting Room (May/ )
80. Lost Stars (May/ )
81. Down Among the Sticks and Bones (May/July)
82. Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day (May/August)
83. Frankenstein Dreams (May/)
84. The Belgaraid (May/)
85. The Rhode Island Short Story Club presents The Club (May/June) *
86. Death Sworn (May/)
87. Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau (May/)
88. A Court of Frost and Starlight (May/May)
89. Prince of Persia (May/July)
90. Zenith (May/ )
91. In the Heart of the Sea (May/ )
92. The Queen of Sorrow (May/ )
93. I Capture the Castle (May/ June)
94. Cruel Prince (May/)
95. Onyx & Ivory (May/) Unhaul
96. Princesses Behaving Badly (May/)
97. Fight for Everything (May/)
98. Catching Stars (May/) Unhaul
99. Light as Air (May/)
100. Marriage Arrangement (May/May)
101. Furyborn (May/)
102. Sweet Tea & Sympathy (May/)
103. Half Drowned King (May/)
104. A Reaper at the Gates (June/June)
105. The Orphan Queen (June/ )
106. The Mirror King (June/ )
107. The Thief (June/ )
108. The Queen of Attolia (June/ )
109. King of Attolia (June/ )
110. A Conspiracy of Kings(June/ )
111. Pride's Spell(June/June)
112. Idle Ingredients(June/June)
113. Guardian of Whills(June/Sept. ) *
114. Such Wicked Intent(June/ )
115. The Girl From Everywhere(June/July )
116. The Ship Beyond Time(June/July )
117. And I Darken(June/August)
118. Frostbite(June/ )
119. The Assassin's Curse(June/August)
120. The Pirate's Wish(June/August)
121. Pirateology(June/July)
122. Polly and the Pirates: Vol. 1(June/July )
123. Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein(June/ )
124. Every Heart a Doorway(June/ July)
125. The Tiger's Daughter (July/July)
126. Grace & Fury(July/July) 
127. LifeL1k3(July/) Unhaul
128. Sweet Black Waves(July/) Unhaul
129. The Bird and the Blade(July/)
130. The Slow Regard of Silent Things(July/)
131. The False Fairy(July/July) 
132. The Sorcerer's Shadow(July/July) 
133. The Thirteenth Knight(July/July) 
134. Waking Gods(July/Sept.)
135. Alone(July/July) 
136. You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone(July/) DNF
137. Now I Rise (July/Sept. )
138. Gunslinger Girl (July/)
139. The Pirate (August/August)
140. Unhooked (August/)
141. Bob (August/ Sept.)
142. George (August/Sept)
143. These Rebel Waves (August/) Unhaul
144. All Systems Red (August/)
145. Uprooted (August/)
146. Spinning Silver (August/)
147. Ruin of Stars (August/)
148. Peace Like a River (Sept./)
149. Lies of Locke Lamora (Sept./)
150. Red Seas Under Red Skies (Sept./)
151. Assassin's Gambit (Sept./)
152. Refugee (Sept./)
153. And The Ocean Was Our Sky (Sept./ Sept.)
154. Bright We Burn (Sept./ Sept.)
155. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Sept./)
156. Isle of Blood and Stone (Sept./)
157. Heretics Anonymous (Sept./)
158. None of the Above (Sept./)
159. Words We Don't Say (Sept./)
160. The Light Between Worlds (Sept./)
161. Misty Inn Collection Books 1-4 (Sept./)
162. Adventures of Laura and Jack (Sept./)
163. Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas (Sept./ Sept.)
164. The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein (Sept/ Sept.) *
165. Escaping from Houdini (Sept/ )
166. Not Even Bones (Sept./)
167. Fierce Fairytales (Sept./)


March Reading Stats:
I read a total of 31 books this month
4,336 pages read and 1 day, 19 hours and 21 minutes of listening


Resolutions Check in:
1. Read Less Books: I don't know the exact number I read last year but I think I read quite a few more this year (last September was insane).
2. Be More aware while reading: I definitely didn't make as many notations but did get a few in there, so again we will count it as a win.- CHECK
3. Read More Chunky Books (12 books over 450 pages in 2018): I managed to squeeze in 1 book over 450 but there were 2 more over 400.- CHECK
4. Use Library & Overdrive more: We haven't visited the library in person this month but I did borrow 4 ebooks & audio books that I do not own- CHECK
5. Purge & Re-organize shelves: I managed to unhaul 8 more books this month, some before they even hit my shelves (I had received them as a kickstarter reward) - CHECK


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I actually did pretty good on my TBR last month even though it was a little overly ambitious for this time of year.  I also managed to almost complete all Bibliophile Prints Girl Power Challenges. I also completed several of my own personal challenges and my Goodreads Challenge! October is my Blogoversary month so I am hoping to post a lot of fun giveaways and other posts instead of so many reviews, so I have scaled back my TBR.  We also have Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon coming up in October. I do also need to get started on books for Advent Reads, that is coming faster than I would like it too!


 Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller
Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Opal
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
at least start The Greatcoats Series by Sebastian de Castell
Beneath the Same Stars by Phyllis Cole-Dai
Aversion by Kenechi Udogu
Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer
Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill
Mutts and Mistletoe by Natalie Cox
Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Theodore Roszak
Frostbite by Joshua Williamson
Boots on the Ground by Elizabeth Partridge
Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
Hunting Prince Dracula and Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman




So what books are you reading in October? Any great atmospheric recommendations for Halloween and Autumn in general?