On the Bookshelf

March was a little up and down.  I ended strong, though…so, I could be fooling myself thinking it was a good reading month. (spoiler alert: when composing the actual post it turns out I was correct…I was fooling myself. It was not a good reading month)

Anyhoozles…here’s my list for March.

Some may interest you, some may not. I hope it gives you at least a few ideas!!

Onto the post:

What I Read

 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (audio)

Okay, this one is a long one…although book 5 is even more crazy long.

Though I’ve read & listened to them all multiple many times. In the long run, this is not the best book.  It’s a lot of nothing going on leading up to one very big something.

Still, this one will always have a special place in my heart because it was this book’s movie that introduced the hubby and I into the world of Hogwarts, Harry Potter, and all things He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Plus, I’m not about to skip a book just because it’s not the BEST in the series.  It’s still a GREAT series and deserves to be read in order.

 

 Locke & Key series 4-6 + 2 stand alone’s

I started reading this series a couple of years ago.  I got through 1-3 and could not tell you why I stopped.  They’re written by Joe Hill (son of that famous author and all…but awesome in his own right).  They’re kind of creepy, super awesome, and have much fun and different magic.

4-6 let us dive more into the backstory and find a great conclusion to the series that wrapped things up nicely, yet still left me wanting more in that special way caused by a great story.

Luckily, there were two more little side books to grab up with little stories, but no less fun.

Set in times before the adult restriction created during WW2, the adults get to really take part in the fun here which lends a special different aspect to the whole thing.

All in all, this whole series is a great, fun read. Even though in some ways you ight consider it as leaning toward horror…it’s light enough that it’s easy to read, which is saying something coming from this not-a-horror-fan chick.

 

What I’m Reading Now

  Conspiracy of Ravens

Yes, yes…I KNOW. Another month with it on the list?

REALLY?

Really.

This time, though…I’ve made progress.

For reals.

Maybe next month it’ll be on the read side, finally…or I’ll just remove it and we’ll pretend this never happened. K?

 

  Y: The Last Man

Another graphic novel series. I JUST started it.

Honestly, based on the premise I’m not holding my breath on it….for multiple reasons.

Every man on earth dies, but this dude…

Glorified way for a dude to get his rocks off writing both only-man-on-earth and lesbian scenes? Degrading to women somehow despite the world being full of only them?  Who knows. We’ll learn as we go, I guess…

Full report coming in May.

 

  The Wedding Guest

Man, I keep putting books back on this list. I really did NOT have a good month of reading in March.

Still, I’m eager to get some reading in.  Going out of town next week for a few days will help with that, I hope.

This one is top of the list(ish) behind the library books.

Really.

For sure this time.

I mean it?

 Don’t You Cry (audio)

This one has been on my radar for a hot minute.

Decided to dive in when I finished the last HP book while I wait for the next one that’s on hold (along with several others).

So far, I’m barely a chapter in so I have no feedback.

I do like that it has multiple actors. I prefer when a story is conveyed through multiple readers. It brings it to life even more.

 

P.S. Audiobooks at the library can have REALLY long wait times. I have one that I’m waiting on for probably a year. Not sure why they only have one copy of that crazy popular book…but they do.

*~*

What are you reading these days?  I’m always looking for suggestions!

Stick around…more updates coming soon!

 

On the Bookshelf

https://amzn.to/2SCSlXD

 

February was pretty slow for me reading-wise.  I worked a LOT in February, which made fitting in reading less of a priority.  I have a BUNCH on the docket for March, though…so hold onto your hats for next months post.

Anyhoozles…here’s my (light) list for February.

Some may interest you, some may not. I hope it gives you at least a few ideas!!

Onto the post:

What I Read

 Camp So-and-So

One day a few weeks ago I saw this book somewhere…I don’t remember where or what made me think I would like it, or even what compelled me to put it on hold at the library. When it arrived, I almost sent it back without reading it because it didn’t seem like my kind of book. I’m not a horror reader…but instead I began reading.

The first chapter had me hooked in a “I have no idea what I’m reading, but I can’t stop” sort of way.  This book had me guessing, and second guessing, every step of the way.  You might be able to classify it as a campy sort of horror. People do die now and then…and the kids are trapped in a camp in the middle of nowhere…and there is magic…and beasts…and…so much more.

I gobbled this one up like there was no tomorrow, reading about 300 of the pages in one fell swoop at work one day.  In some ways I’m still questioning what happened…in others, I’m just glad I read it.

This one reminded me that it’s good to take risks and step outside my comfort zone sometimes. It doesn’t always pay off…but when it does…it really does.

 

Betrothed

*I received a copy of this book via netgalley. All opinions are my own*

This was a quick, fun…if slightly predictable graphic novel.

The action was good…the scene in the lab was…well, it was what made it predictable and cheesy…and the side effect of that event was.  The more I think about it, the less I actually think I liked this.

It was predictable. The fact that them having sex made this electric shield of sorts form was just *yawn*.

I think I liked the side characters a lot more than the main ones.  Their friends, while also pretty cookie-cutter, were cute and added some fun life to the story.

 

Timo the Adventurer

*I received a copy of this book via netgalley. All opinions are my own*

How adorable was this? A boy who grows up in a small valley town with no in or out, lives his life through the adventure of reading. He lives many lives in his short life…but then one day, his greatest fear that he’s anticipated eagerly comes true…he finishes the LAST book in the entire town! There’s no more for him to read. He’s all set to go out on his own adventure, but his parents stop him…reminding him he is young and should wait.  He acquiesces…of course, as most great adventurer’s do, he does so only to set off anyway.

The adventure leads him beyond the land he’s always known, and he meets all sorts of creatures.  This graphic novel has the added bonus of ‘journal entries’ made by Timo about the creatures he meets and adventures he has.

It ends on a cliffhanger…which is so much fun until I realize that I have no idea when I can get my hands on the next one!

 

 

 

What I’m Reading Now

  Conspiracy of Ravens

Okay, this has been on this list for a while.  I actually returned it to the library recently, only to take it out again last week at the same time as Camp So-and-So.  I’ve since devoured the other…and hope to do the same to this during my time off these next few weeks.

Fingers crossed I do, because this has been on my list WAY too long.

Like, seriously. Books 3 and 4 have BOTH already been released.

Seriously.

 

   Second Grave on the Left

I’m halfway through this now.  I don’t know why I’m reading it so much slower than book 1…but I’m trying.

So yeah…still on the list (sorry).

I promise, I’ll be adding something new here in a minute…really…

Maybe…

I think? 😉

 

  The Wedding Guest

I’ve gotten a start on this at least.  Not super far in yet…but hopefully it turns out to be as quick a read as I remember the Alex Deleware books being.

I’ve always liked him in the past, but stopped reading for a while.

So, I’m gonna give it the old college try again.

Who knows? I may find myself hooked on them again.

Maybe.

Perhaps.

 

Assorted Graphic novels

No pictures for these.  I have about 20 graphic novels from about 3 different series on hold at the library.  I’ll fill you in as I get to and through them.  Shouldn’t take long. 😀

*~*

I’m so glad I’m on a reading kick again. I have a LOT to catch up on.  So stick around…more updates coming soon!

 

Books I Recommend – One, One, and One

I thought about doing one book per recommendation post – but then changed my mind.

I’m going to recommend One, one, and one every month.  The genres may change, but it lends some variety.

This week we’re going to look at Audiobook, One Memoir, and One Historical Fiction.

*~*~*

[easyazon_link identifier=”0449807894″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]World War Z[/easyazon_link]

Before 2017 I had never read an audiobook. It wasn’t any judgment on those that do, or any thoughts of them being lesser…it was just a belief that it wasn’t for me. I had always been a strong reader, so I thought nothing of reading an audiobook.

In 2017 I really challenged myself to try all sorts of new genres and audiobooks was one of them.

I think I picked both the very BEST and very WORST book to read first via audiobook….because NOTHING has been able to compare since.

World War Z is a full cast recording of this popular novel…and as the novel is truly titled “An Oral History of the Zombie War”, it really, truly, does read better in an oral format.

The cast is littered with names so familiar to this geek.  Names like Mark Hammill, Nathan Fillion, Jeri Ryan, Simon Pegg, David Ogden Stiers, Alan Alda, Denise Crosby, Bruce Boxleitner, Rob Reiner, and Rene Aberjunois.

It’s a geek-gasm in every way.

No, seriously. If you’re on the fence about audiobooks, this is an AMAZING one to start with. Don’t let the word “Zombie” scare you off if you don’t like horror…because this book is NOT that. The zombies really hardly factor in to the actual story – which is more about the politics and human condition.  It’s got so much depth, and the actors are top notch, even if you are only hearing their voices.

I swear, listening to this is like what our grandparents probably felt like when they were listening to the radio for entertainment. It’s got everything.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”0596806310″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Just a Geek[/easyazon_link]

Honestly, I listened to this as an audiobook, too…but I don’t want to put this under audiobooks because I truly believe it works well in written form as well…it’s just a really good memoir if you’re a geek.

I mean, I’m such a geek.

And, really…it was Wil Wheaton that started me on my geekdom path…because the ONLY reason I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation was because I happened to spot him when I was channel surfing and stopped…then dug out the TV guide to find out what was on, and then find out when I could watch it again.

But I digress here…the book. The memoir.

Whether you loved or hated him on TNG, you can bet that Wil had a rough go of being pegged in that role.  His rebellion against it and his ensuing search for himself only to find himself right where he never knew he belonged is such an interesting read.

It was both enlightening and rough to read about…and I really liked seeing more about the geek that led me to my own geekdom.

It’s a good read all around, and an interesting look into the life of a child star that didn’t go off the deep end forever.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”0062685341″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Caroline[/easyazon_link]

Oh me oh my, I was SUCH a big fan of the Little House books growing up. I read them 18 times between the ages of 4 (yes, 4) until I was 18. I lived and breathed Laura Ingalls. I knew the books backward and forward.

So when I saw this book, I knew I had to get it.

Set during the book Little House on the Prairie when the Ingalls leave the Big Woods to head to Kansas…this book is told with a bit of a nod to the original (fictional) books written by Laura, and with a fair amount of research to add facts that a book from a child’s perspective cannot express.

That being said there were moments where I had to remind myself this book is from Caroline’s perspective and I’m an adult now because there is intimacy and affection between Caroline and Charles…formerly known as Ma and Pa…which left me feeling awkward at first…but they are written so beautifully, I can’t even express.

The whole story is written with a stunning, lyrical prose that draws you in and paints a picture of beauty, hardship, and family in a way that only enhances the original book in ways you’d not expect.

I truly hope Miller writes more, because I really loved reading this story through the eyes of our beloved Ma Ingalls.

 

*~*~*

Those are my recommendations for this month!  Hope you enjoyed.

What are some of your favorite books?  I love adding to my TBR.

 

On the Bookshelf

I didn’t read as much as I’d expected this month, but I did get some finished and some new books started.

Some may interest you, some may not. I hope it gives you at least a few ideas!!

Onto the post:

What I Read

[easyazon_link identifier=”0778324338″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Poison Study[/easyazon_link]

This was a re-read for me. I initially read it in 2012, and have seen the entire series come up in my feed a fair number of times during the past year, so I thought I’d give it a re-read to see if I wanted to dive into the rest of the series (finally).

My biggest concern is that I’d remember what happened and drop the book as quick as I’d started. Lucky for me, the 7 year span apparently did wonders for me forgetting what happened…and I was able to enjoy the book as if it was the first time all over again…although I’m not sure I enjoyed it AS much this time…my first review was sickeningly glowing.

I do enjoy the depth of the characters and the surprises the author managed to throw in along the way. I do plan to read the rest of the series, if I can find the time.

 

Llewellyn’s Netgalley Reads

*I received a copies of these books via netgalley. All opinions are my own*

Llewellyn is a publisher I request probably 95% of their books and so far have always been approved. I’ve got quite a few on my Kindle that I’ve neglected so I went on a mad dash to read through as many as I could in recent weeks. Some of them were, unfortunately, unreadable beyond standard acceptable ARC issues ~womp-womp~ I have contacted them to let them know, but I did manage to find 3 that I could read.

[easyazon_link identifier=”073875997X” locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Llewellyn’s Little Book of Tarot[/easyazon_link] continues their ‘little book’ theme…although “little” could be subjective. According to Goodreads the hardcover of this book spans 248 pages…sooo…anyhoo. I liked this take on tarot for the most part.  Each card had an image of the tarot card – and there was a wide variety of tarot decks represented so you could get a feel for many different decks and maybe even find one that spoke to you.  The “quick read” description was a handy tool.  For me, I wish it had been set up differently, with the journal challenges and such separate from each card, but overall it was a good tool.

[easyazon_link identifier=”B07HKZWF54″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Your Tarot Court[/easyazon_link] by Ethony Dawn is for people like me who struggle with the meaning of the court cards.  Packed with information that can be, at times, overwhelming, this is a book I’m going to have to read a few times to get the full depth of.  However, Ethony’s voice is easy to read and I did learn a lot just on my first read through.  The individual tasks set to help you learn really are handy and if you learn better by doing, are a godsend.

[easyazon_link identifier=”0738757896″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]The Hearth Witch’s Kitchen Herbal[/easyazon_link]is one of those that I’ve been holding onto for a while and now I wish I hadn’t.  This would be a lovely reference piece to keep in the kitchen.  I really like that it focuses on common herbs that we are likely to already have on hand or gather easily and inexpensively.  Where I live there aren’t a lot of exotic spice stores on hand to gather unusual ingredients. I feel like this book gave me easy to follow recipes using every day ingredients.  I felt like the history of the herbs was a little drawn out for my taste, but I understand why it’s all in there. I just wish that part had been separated from the recipes instead of having it all combined.

[easyazon_link identifier=”B07M5PZJF4″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Bleed Like Me[/easyazon_link]

I got this via netgalley, all opinions are, as always, my own.

Eh. I felt like this came from a super-emo middle school me.

Oddly enough, I didn’t connect with it at all.

The concept intrigued me enough that I eagerly grabbed for it. I like a dark story, a dark poem, a dark anything…I’m pretty dark and twisty when I want to be myself…but this was just…like I said. It came off more emo than dark and twisty. Like they were throwing in blood and dark themes gratuitously. No real emotions were brought up for me reading it. Disappointed.

*~*

Honestly, there were a couple more I read from Netgalley and other sources, but I don’t feel they warrant mention. Okay but not great.

*~*

What I’m Reading Now

[easyazon_link identifier=”052561849X” locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]The Wedding Guest[/easyazon_link]

It has been a LONG time since I’ve read an Alex Delaware Novel, honestly.  My husband and I used to read these a lot, and they were always super easy reads, but then we got off of the kick or moved on or got in non-reading modes and forgot about them.

When I saw this on Netgalley, even though I haven’t read one of these in ages I thought “Why not? They were always quick reads.”

Well, we’ll see if that still holds true.

We’ll also see if I missed anything by not reading the last 10-20 of them….

 

The Wendy

I never really saw myself as a Peter Pan story reader…but I have two of these on my list as next to read, and I read one back in 2017 that I really enjoyed.

This one looks interesting enough with Wendy in the lead role and a bit of a kick ass character if the cover holds true.

Here’s hoping. 😉

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”1250005914″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Second Grave on the Left[/easyazon_link]

Yuppers. I enjoyed book 1 so much, I’m ready to dive into book 2. I can’t wait to see what sort of trouble Charley gets herself into this time.

Also, more Reyes?

Um…YES.

Oh, to have more time to read all the time.

(Yup, still on here. I’m actually 90 pages in…but not done so it doesn’t go on the finished side yet, unfortunately)

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”B07C96XW1D” locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Smoke & Summons[/easyazon_link]

You know those “must read” authors you find? The ones that…you don’t even read the blurb…you see the book and buy it?

Well, that’s Charlie Holmberg for me.  Her Paper Magician series captivated me, so when this came up as a January Kindle First Read, I grabbed it without another thought.

So it’s a new add…but one I must read for sure.

Along with the rest of her books that I’ve stashed away to read.

(Yup, still on here. Haven’t even cracked it open yet…soon. Soon.)

 

Second Star

Another Peter Pan retelling.

Once again focusing on Wendy.

This time literally set in the stars.

We’ll see if Spaceship Peter Pan is worth the read!

 

*~*

I’m so glad I’m on a reading kick again. I have a LOT to catch up on.  So stick around…more updates coming soon!

 

Books I Recommend – One, One, and One

I thought about doing one book per recommendation post – but then changed my mind.

I’m going to recommend One, one, and one every month.  The genres may change, but it lends some variety.

This week we’re going to look at One Poetry/YA, One Non-fiction, and One Graphic Novel.

All of these I read in my year of big reading, 2017, and they still stick out to me as books I’d recommend.

*~*~*

[easyazon_link identifier=”0062118765″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]One by Sarah Crossan[/easyazon_link]

This is a young adult book, but it’s so wonderfully unique. A story told through poetry that captures your heart with it’s lyrical words and deeply real characters even in their almost surreal existence.

Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins who have lived their whole lives as one. Now sixteen years old, they’ve defied odds and formed a bond like no other.

A health scare makes them make the most difficult choice of their lives…and it will change everything.

I was in tears at the end of this one.

I read it because I had a challenge to read a book of poetry – and I’m so glad I did. This was a beautiful story and I’d recommend it to anyone.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”1594634726″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert[/easyazon_link]

Yes, this is written by the lady that wrote Eat, Pray, Love.

Once again, I started reading this because of those challenges I set for myself in 2017 to read things outside of my comfort zone…including Non-fiction, which I’d always tried, and failed, to read.

This had also been plastered all over my social media feed read with glowing reviews. Once I started reading, I found out why.

This book spoke to me deeply on many layers. I’d had a rough year in 2016 that left me not writing at all.  Years of being in the industry left me with big doubts and second-guessing myself with every word I wrote.

This frank exploration of the fears we face in any creative endeavor shook loose many of my cobwebs and helped get me writing again. I’m about to re-read it because I feel the need for another push.

I recommend it to anyone that wants to live creatively (and I don’t mean with the arts…I mean with LIFE)

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”1442465964″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Through the Woods by Emily Carroll[/easyazon_link]

This is a spine-tinglingly fun graphic novel that tells five different creepy fairy-tale sort of stories.

The artwork makes bold plays between stark black/white then great swaths of color to achieve emotional impact.

This was one of my first graphic novels, and the creepy tales were right up my alley, without being too horrifying.

It’s a fun little read that gives you some feel for the way fairy tales were before we softened them up.

 

*~*~*

Those are my recommendations for this month!  Hope you enjoyed.

What are some of your favorite books?  I love adding to my TBR.

 

On the Bookshelf

2018 was a pretty slow reading time for me. I only read 27 books, and most of them in the last few months.  To keep from listing them all, since I’ve not done a list in a while, I’m going to highlight a few top reads for me.

Some may interest you, some may not. I hope it gives you at least a few ideas!!

Onto the post:

What I Read

[easyazon_link identifier=”0062797611″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Kill the Queen[/easyazon_link]

I have had one of Estep’s books on my TBR for AGES…and it wasn’t this book. I should have read the other b/c that series has about 17 books in it already. This one? Well, only the first book is out and I’ll have to wait for the next…I’m not good at waiting…

But it was SO GOOD. The world building was spectacular.  The heroine was awesome…a little broken, but learns to fight for herself…not because of a man in her life, but in spite of his presence.  Some of it was predictable (hello, loverboy)…but much of it kept me not only guessing, but on the edge of my seat.

It’s not pretty…I mean, they are gladiators and there is death…at the hands of the heroine. She builds her own strength and with the help of others and her own grit, learns to use a power she’s long kept hidden.

I cannot wait for the second in the series and what it means for this intrepid band of gladiators and their new queen.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”073875840X” locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Tarot Elements[/easyazon_link]

*I received a copy of this book via netgalley. All opinions are my own*

Still available only as a pre-order (Release of March, 2019)…I suggest getting this one in print as soon as humanly possible.  If you’re interested in tarot at all, if you’re interested in SELF HELP at all…this book is amazing at both.

Probably the first book I’d ever tag as “self-help for pagans”…it’s a great tool to, as the cover says, reset your life.  The readings focus on you and your life and aren’t meant to be quickly breezed through. Some of the stuff that comes up will be ROUGH, and deep, and you’ll have to dig through the depths to face what you need to…but isn’t that what all good self-help books do?

I recommend it if you’re new to tarot (and if you are, add in Cynova’s other book, [easyazon_link identifier=”0738750778″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Kitchen Table Tarot[/easyazon_link], which is so easy to read and so beautifully explains the cards you will carry it with you everywhere)…or if you’re experienced…or if you just need a good kick in the ass to get yourself out of your slump.

Written with Cynova’s brilliant ease with words, that come across like an old friend across the kitchen table (see what I did there?)…it’s an excellent read that really makes you think.

[easyazon_link identifier=”B01LW3WQ6K” locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]A Glimmer of Hope[/easyazon_link]

I got this as an Amazon First Read about 3 days before my netgalley approval. So technically, I should disclaimer that I got this via netgalley, but I started reading it before I got approved…so…anyway, all opinions are, as always, my own.

I’d never read any of the series this is a spinoff of, so I had no idea what I was getting into.  I really bought it based on the cover.

I really ended up enjoying it. In fact, it makes me want to read the series this stemmed off of, as well as the rest of this series itself…and hope it lives up to this one.

The heroine was likable – although at a few points I did want to smack her…she did go through a huge, traumatic event so some of her wariness and unease was to be expected for sure.

The accompanying cast is fun, dangerous, and intriguing. I look forward to learning about them some more.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”1250147905″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]The Hazel Wood[/easyazon_link]

Look at the gorgeous cover…it’s even more gorgeous in person as it shimmers and shines in the light.  This is the reason I picked up the book…and I bought it because the blurb intrigued me.

This is the book that got me reading again.  Not at first, as I started reading it in March of last year…and then promptly put it down for six months. Not because I wasn’t intrigued by it…but because life.  Once I picked it up again, I finished it in a couple of days…devoured it is probably more apt.

The dark and twisted fairy tales played such a mind-bending part in the story it was amazing.  The fairy tales that were spoken of reminded me of how dark the grimm fairy tales originally were before they were prettied up for film.

The MC was intriguing and I’m so glad that this book took a played out trope and turned it WAY on it’s head…something completely unexpected in a YA novel (not telling you what, for it’ll give it away).

This book is spine-tingling, nerve-wracking, exciting, and page-turning excitement.  It’s a must read in my book.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”0312360800″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]First Grave On The Right[/easyazon_link]

*I received this book via netgalley. All opinions are my own*

Confession – I first picked up this book to read quite a few years ago. Everything I’d heard about it made it seem like it was right up my alley. Here’s the thing…this cover I’m using? It’s not the normal cover. I use this cover because I cannot stand to look at the original for the mere fact that there is a bare foot on it. Yup. I had to take the book back to the library pretty quickly after taking it out that first time because I couldn’t stand to touch the cover that had a bare foot on it (podophobia is real, folks…it’s so real).

Soooo…fast forward to several weeks ago when Netgalley put the entire series up as a “read now” option – with the exception of book 13, which is soon to be released. I thought, maybe if it’s on my kindle and I don’t have to see the foot I can read it…and jumped on them. I’m so glad I did and took the chance.

As I’d suspected all along, these books were right up my alley. Charley is an amazing heroine. The book was clever, tension-filled, hilarious, and smart.  I can’t wait to continue on the series (I do have all 13 now…woohoo!)

[easyazon_link identifier=”0399185798″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]The Princess Diarist (Audiobook)[/easyazon_link]

Whoosh…this was a rough one.  Mostly in it Carrie Fisher makes several references to her, and her mothers, eventual demises…which happened a scant two years ago.  Hearing such words in her own voice gave them a bittersweet pang that hit me in the heart strings hard.

All debate over the validity of her relationship with “Mr. Ford” can be had elsewhere, for I don’t care whether this was the recollections of a woman on a time that changed her life…or stories taken from the musings of a girl on the cusp of womanhood with a crush she dealt with through flowery, rhyming prose in diaries between takes on a movie she had no idea would one day very soon rocket her to stardom.

What I do care about is that the book was a lovely read, and a compelling look at what happened in a more innocent time before stardom…and the lap dances it led her to in the future long after her youthful days and dreams were gone.

It was a beautiful look inside a soul gone too soon.

 

What I’m Reading Now

[easyazon_link identifier=”0778324338″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Poison Study[/easyazon_link]

This is a re-read for me. I initially read this book in 2012(!!) and loved it. I never continued on with the series, though. Either lack of interest in reading, or forgetting about it when I am reading, I can’t say.

What I can say is that this series, and the subsequent series after, keep showing up in my feeds on Goodreads, Facebook, Netgalley, you name it. Making subtle hints that I need to revisit it again.

So, I’ve picked the book back from the library and have already begun to re-read it. Odds are that I’ll get halfway through and remember the whole thing and have to put it down to skip to the next one, but maybe I won’t. Either way, I’m looking forward to getting back into this fascinating world.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”0316264350″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Conspiracy of Ravens[/easyazon_link]

Oh my, oh my…this is the sequel to a story I first read several years ago, and re-read in 2017 with the goal of continuing and never really have.  It’s a fun series and I have not one excuse as to why I’ve never finished.

Well, on a recent library run I spotted the third book of the series on the shelf…and rushed to get this one. I have it on my kindle (thanks to netgalley)…but I’m hoping having the physical book, and a deadline, will get me moving on reading it past the first 10 pages.

Wish me luck.

I’m gonna need it. Time’s already running out and I haven’t started, too busy reading the book up there ^^.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”1250005914″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Second Grave on the Left[/easyazon_link]

Yuppers. I enjoyed book 1 so much, I’m ready to dive into book 2. I can’t wait to see what sort of trouble Charley gets herself into this time.

Also, more Reyes?

Um…YES.

Oh, to have more time to read all the time.

 

[easyazon_link identifier=”B07C96XW1D” locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Smoke & Summons[/easyazon_link]

You know those “must read” authors you find? The ones that…you don’t even read the blurb…you see the book and buy it?

Well, that’s Charlie Holmberg for me.  Her Paper Magician series captivated me, so when this came up as a January Kindle First Read, I grabbed it without another thought.

So it’s a new add…but one I must read for sure.

Along with the rest of her books that I’ve stashed away to read.

 

*~*

I’m so glad I’m on a reading kick again. I have a LOT to catch up on.  So stick around…more updates coming soon!