Currently Reading: 18 June to 30 June 2023

Currently Reading

- Brother by Ania Ahlborn (37%)

- The Orphic Hymns ed by Patrick Dunn (04%)

- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (02%)

- Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (30%)

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Yearly Reading Goal

41/72

(57%)

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Dropped my reading goal down. I'm going to keep it here for the rest of eternity. 72 is a steady 6 books per month which is what my usual TBRs are anyway. Let's keep it to that. If I read more....excellent. If I don't...oh well? 72 is also an admiral goal for me. With how busy my life is sometimes! Like I'm already nearly to June's number goal. 

My writing is still going fairly well. Nearly ready to post Chapter 3 of Project Book to the site and let the views maybe roll in? I'm kind of surprised actually at how many there are. 

June 2023 Book Haul

I have been controlling myself (wait until September) and haven't gone particularly overboard with books in June. I've only acquired 24, 6 of which are library books that I'll eventually be returning. 

1. We Can Count on Eleven by Geof Smith - A cute little board book telling the events of season three. Only instead of artwork of the characters, it's done entirely in the design of Funko Pops. I couldn't resist when I saw it. I may end up with a very large assortment of Stranger Things merchandise at this point. 

2. The Inheritance of Orquída Divina by Zoraida Córdova - I remember hearing about this and how it was unusual. When I saw the paperback with the gorgeous cover on sale at Target, I couldn't say no. I had been interested in reading this for a little while, I just didn't want the hardback with the old cover. 

3. Heroes and Monsters: A Stranger Things Choose Your Own Adventure by Rana Tahir - Can you guess what this is about? Now, normally I don't like CYOA books, but this is Stranger Things and all I know is that you are taking on the role of a reporter who just moved to Hawkins. I can't wait. 

4. Belladonna by Adalyn Grace - Everyone's been talking about it and I had the money and when I saw the hardcover, there was no way I wasn't getting it. I am clueless as to what it's about but I generally go into books blind. It did look really good. I can't wait to get to it. 

5. Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs - Estranged sisters have to work together to prevent the dissolution of magic as they know it. They live entirely separate lives until some force or another pushes them back together to save the world as they know it. That's it. That's what I know, and I'm not even sure if I'm right. It was one of the two BOTM picks I went with in June. 

6. The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer - The other BOTM pick. They had two literary themed books and I couldn't say no to either. So I picked them both up. In this one a teacher works with young children and while working on something with a child learns that the author of her favorite series has written another book and she is one of the people going to this competition to try to win the one and only copy of the book. I've heard it described as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory only with books instead of chocolate. I'm very excited to read it. 

7. The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera - I don't know what drew me to this book. I saw the blue and orange of the cover and the girl who looked like a mix of Hel from Norse mythology and Santa Muerte from Latin mythology. I couldn't resist picking it up to read. I have no clue what it's about. 

8. Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor - A magical hotel? Sign me right up! I had this book in my BookOutlet cart, but removed it when I found it at the library. It looks interesting. A hotel shows up at random all over the world and uses magic to get from place to place. They put on shows for people who can only come in if they are given tickets. Two girls get into the hotel and have to fight for their lives to make it to the other side. Looked interesting. 

9. The Luminaries by Susan Dennard - I had been seeing this all over the place. It was also in my cart, but has since been removed. There is this forest that creates "nightmares" that various clans all named for days of the week are tasked with fighting. Something happens to Winnie Wednesday's immediate family, so she works hard to prove herself as a Hunter in hopes she can stay among the Luminaries in her town. I am curious to see where it goes from here. 

10. Forged in Fire and Stars by Andrea Robertson - It looked interesting and had me thinking about Norse myth again. One can only assume it's based on Norse mythology sort of. Or at least inspired by it. Nabbed it for $1.25!!

11. Forget Me Not by Alexandra Olivia - No idea really. It looked pretty and as far as I can tell it's either a standalone or the first book in a psychological thriller. I'm greatly looking forward to reading this one when I get to it. 

12. Nightshade by Annalena McAfee - It was a spontaneous purchase. Looked good. Wanted to try it, and didn't see why I shouldn't. For as cheap as it was. I have no idea what it's about and I'm looking forward into getting to it. 

13. The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill - It was just the word Library that drew me. I have absolutely no idea what this book is about past that. It was cheap, $3.99, from ChirpBooks, so I grabbed it.

14. The Kiss of '89 by Ruth E. Hanson - I dare anyone to look at that cover, read that synopsis, and tell me it isn't Steddie. It even looks like them! I was also in the mood for some more contemporary stuff. 1989, ironically, is also the year I was born.

15. Brother by Ania Ahlborn - Grabbed it through Kindle Unlimited for a buddy read with one of the Facebook groups I'm in. I had seen the name originally on a bright yellow piece of paper someone left in a basket where I work. I guess the universe has decided I need to read this book? 

16. Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero - I couldn't resist. I'd heard a lot about it through BookTok and BookTube. So when I saw a copy of it at my local library there was no way I was going to turn it down. It's a really interesting read so far. I love that it's following a different version of the Scooby Gang, and how they have to come back together again and figure out their final mystery. I cannot wait. The writing is also amazingly fun.

17. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - I had to. It was available and I wanna know what all the damn hype is about. I borrowed it from the library so that way if I'm super disappointed, I can return it back with no guilt. 

18. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo - All I really know about it is that it's a sapphic romance in 1950s Chinatown. I totally stopped reading the synopsis after that and I am okay with going into this book blind. It makes me kind of happy to read it discovery style. I'm looking forward to what it decides to reveal. 

19. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski - This book has been on my radar for a while, and my roommate borrowed a copy from her brother. However, we liked it so much that we needed to get our own copy of it for the house. I've already started it, and while it is dense as a cinder block, I am enjoying it.

20. Runaway Max by Brenna Yovanoff - Do I really need to explain? It is Stranger Things. I'm a hardcore fan. I want to know all of the now non-canon fun. This one follows Max Mayfield and her journey before and during the events of Stranger Things. I know nothing else. 

21. Coffin Cemetery by Ron Ripley - I don't actually remember why I wanted this. Hopefully when I get around to reading it, I like it. I know it was either free or cheap on Amazon and I will buy cheap things just to see. Couldn't hurt and barely dents the wallet. 

22. Journey to the Homeland by Xiaolong Huang - I don't pick up all that many nonfictions any more, but when I read the synopsis of this one, I absolutely had to have it for my collection. It seems to be narrative nonfiction. I'll definitely update this if I was wrong. The book has a 2.0 star rating right now and I'm kind of curious why, so now I must read this. 

23. The Cursed Among Us by John Durgin - This kind of was giving a combination of IT and Ghostbusters vibes with a bit of The Goonies thrown in there for good measure. The font caught my attention (Stranger Things, what can I say), but then I absolutely had to have it to find out what in the world was going on. The cover art is brilliant as well on the Kindle edition. I love it. 

24. Little Thieves by Margaret Owen - A friend read it or owns it at least and it was available cheaply on Amazon. I think I got it from KU? But I cannot remember really. It's been pretty popular and I figured I may as well try it while it was on sale. Maybe I'll like it, maybe I'll want to throw it across the room. Who knows!

Currently Reading: 28 May to 17 June 2023

Currently Reading

-  The Luminaries by Susan Dennard (29%)

- The Orphic Hymns ed. by Philip Dunn (04%)

- A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow (74%)

- Eastside Hedge Witch by T.J. Deschamp (67%)

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Reading Goal

33/100

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I'm kind of surprised. I never mentioned the fact that I've been getting approved for a lot of ARCs (3 from NetGalley and one I requested specifically from the author), and I'm already halfway through them? I think I've only got 2 more to go that come out a week apart in July, one on the 11th and the other on the 18th. I'm going to prioritize the one on the 11th, as it is the earlier book. I'll aim to have the reviews out on publication day, but lord knows what will happen with my June Wrap Up. 

My writing has been...going. I have a big plot in mind that I'm working on now and hoping to have traditionally or self published. Indie published? Who knows, the industry keeps changing the terms and I don't know what's what any more. I'm tempted to take Project Book down from FictionPress and rebrand it to also be traditionally/self published, but I know it would never reach publication value. It's a practice book. The one you write to either improve or keep up your skills. People like it, too, so there's that. 

I've put eight (8) total books on my June TBR. Two (2) of them are from May. Books I've made progress in, just haven't finished yet. I couldn't control myself and ended up starting one of my June books early. I always want to have at least one (1) print book, one (1) digital book, and one (1) audiobook going and I finished all of my print books already for the month so....we started Thousand Autumns by Meng Xi Shi a little early. So far it's interesting. I like the premise of it that a Daoist sect leader doesn't remember anything and is being basically taught by someone else. 

Have I read any of the 8 books on my TBR so far for June? No. I have not. I think I finished one of my May books. And that's been it. I got distracted reading library books. I can't with myself. Sometimes one must wonder what I get up to. Even I wonder when I do things that go exactly against what it was I had intended. 

I've been making steady progress on my writing project. Soon, I should have the next chapter for the serial novel ready to be put up on the web. It just needs the last scene or two and then mild editing and it will be done. I did have to change a few things, as I realized there were some things that just wouldn't happen the way I had originally planned them. Just, things that sort of dawned on me as I was working on it. Ah well, can't win them all, right? 

June 2023 Wrap Up

I've actually read a decent number of books in June. Just barely more than last month. I read 8 books total in June! Let's get on with the reviews~

1. We Can Count on Eleven by Geof Smith - Just a Little Golden book that I saw and had to have. Stranger Things is one of my absolute favorite television shows (apparently I got sucked in during my first watch?) and so when I saw this book on the shelf at my work place, I absolutely had to have it. It's only 24 pages long, it is a children's book, but hey still like it. 

2. Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor - It was something. A YA for sure, I was surprised at how good it was. It reminded me of The Night Circus in how the hotel only showed up at random. I liked how you couldn't get in without an invitation, the wards put up on the building wouldn't allow it. The twist in the end was surprising. I loved it and I am certainly looking forward to more books by Emily J. Taylor. 

3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Clips from the audiobook had been circulating BookTok (and just all over regular TikTok), and caused enough intrigue that I had to see what I was missing. The line itself that had called to me, it turns out, was at the very end of the book. I loved the story and couldn't stop reading. It did take me too long to figure out the importance of certain decisions Evelyn made and what she intended the whole thing be. I recommend this to anyone really. 

4. The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera - I picked this up at random from the local (ish) public library. It was interesting, definitely. I went in completely blind, not sure what I was going to think of it. Turns out its a YA Sci-Fi and they actually leave the Earth (not a spoiler, it's literally chapter 1) for a new world because something is happening to Earth and it won't be safe any more. I liked the way the story was told and how we follow along with Petra as she learns different things and figures out what's going on and how to at least attempt to make it better. I'd rather if there had been more to the story. It felt like it kind of just stopped. Set up for a second volume? I hope so. 

5. The Luminaries by Susan Dennard - This was an interesting read. Clearly just the set up for a sequel. So much happened in this book that was not addressed at all. I want to know what happened with Jay, the werewolf, the Whisperer....so much still needs to be explained!!! I wasn't impressed with the naming system, but the fact each clan only gathered on their "day" was funny. I am definitely adding the Witchlands on my reading list. 

6. A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow - I loved this. Not quite a full five stars. I could have done without the constant repetition of the various characters descriptions and known (at the time) purposes. I know what you look like and you need to do. The book was well written. I enjoyed how the characters from her previous book (The Sound of Stars) have made it to this book. I liked it. 

7. The Kiss of '89 by Ruth Hanson - I bought this from Barnes & Noble because let's face it, it's definitely a Steddie fic that got hit with Find & Replace. I loved the take on it. This poor kid's world gets turned entirely upside down in the course of like ten minutes. He goes from the top of the social ladder, with no higher he could possibly go, and then it's all ripped out from under him. I felt bad for Wes through most of the book and even worse for Nicky who really was this sweet guy. He just didn't do school well. I did wish we got, if nothing else, an epilogue to tell us what happened after the end of the main story. I wanna know!! 

8. Eastside Hedge Witch by T.J. Deschamps - It was a sort of disappointment. I was really into the story, following a witch named Miriam as she learns about her own family and history. She defeats this hellhound and then well, it all goes downhill from there. I loved following as the man who'd been in love with her for a very long time managed to hold himself back and keep from doing what he really wanted. I just wish it hadn't...come to a full stop. It's like they were in the core part of a scene and then quite literally "the end, this has been Eastside Hedge Witch" and I was sorely disappointed. At least finish your thought!!!