MidnighTS Book Tag (pt.1)

Are you listening to the new Taylor Swift album that just came out? I was curious to see if a blogger out there was fast enough to create a book tag related to the Midnights album and sure enough I found it on Star is All Booked Up! Please check out the link to her blog to see the original book tag and prompts, there is a part 1 and part 2 if you want to try it out. For now this is part 1 because I really gotta think about this lol….let’s start:

Lavender Haze- a book you will always love and defend

I will always love and defend this book!

“I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say” – Taylor Swift, Lavender Haze

Maroon- a spicy book

Spicy and sweet, just how I like it!

“I feel you, no matter what” – Taylor Swift, Maroon

Anti-Hero-unreliable narrator

I think Anti-Hero and think of Violet.

“It’s me, hi

I’m the problem, it’s me” – Taylor Swift, Anti-Hero

**this is one of my favorite songs on the album**

Snow on the Beach- an unexpected surprise

This book was such an unexpected surprise and kinda strange and sweet like snow on the beach.

“You wanting me tonight, feels impossible” – Taylor Swift, Snow on the Beach

**my other favorite song**

You’re on Your Own Kid- a character that really needs a hug

Lila seriously needed a hug after everything she was going through.

” ‘Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned” – Taylor Swift, You’re On Your Own, Kid

**another favorite song**

Midnight Rain- star-crossed lovers

I was thinking star-crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet and thought about These Violent Delights but then thought about Only a Monster because of how Nick was human and Joan learns she’s a monster, which makes them very star-crossed.

“He stayed the same

All of me changed

Like Midnight” – Taylor Swift, Midnight Rain

**love this one too!*

Question…?- grumpy x sunshine (or neurodivergent rep)

Knox is such a grump! And Naomi rolls with the punches.

“I just may like some explanations” – Taylor Swift, Question…?

Vigilante shit- favorite character out for revenge

All Zetian wants is REVENGE.

“Don’t get sad, get even” – Taylor Swift, Vigilante Shit

Bejeweled- strong character development

Freya really rises above after she is jilted before her wedding! But she goes to everyone else’s wedding and keeps on having fun with her friends as best as she can – she really grows from her experience.

“I polish up nice” – Taylor Swift, Bejeweled

Labyrinth- second chance romance

The title says it all! Clementine loses her memory and her ex comes back into her life, and she asks him what happened between them so she can’t remember. Talk about second chances!

“Lost in the labyrinth of my mind” – Taylor Swift, Labyrinth

Karma- favorite full circle moments or parallels

After everything they go through…it’s a sweet, full circle ending!

“Ask me what I learned from all those tears” – Taylor Swift, Karma

Sweet Nothing- favorite fluffy/cozy read

It’s a Christmas story that includes a cat cafe and so many different cats. It’s very cozy!

“I find myself running home to your sweet nothings” – Taylor Swift, Sweet Nothings

Mastermind- perfect world building and storytelling

I love this story so much, it’s perfectly told and I love the world building.

“Checkmate, I couldn’t lose” – Taylor Swift, Mastermind

And that’s the Midnights album before she release the extra songs hours later lol…so I will be doing part 2 in another post because it took me some time to do this one!

What are your favorite songs from this album? So far my top ones are:

Maroon
Anti-Hero
Snow on the Beach
You’re on Your Own Kid
Midnight Rain

I actually love a lot of the extra songs too…but I’ll rank let you know which ones in part 2!

Trick or Treatin’ Book Tag | Book Tag

Hi friends! I saw this book tag on Wildwood Reads and thought it would be a fun one to do for October. Not sure who the original creator is.

I’m lucky I have young kids who still go trick or treating lol…it’s still so much fun but Hawaii is so hot and humid still that after going around the block just once we are sweating and our feet hurt. But it’s fun to see all the decorations!

Creepy House on the Corner of the Street: A book with a creepy cover

There is something about black and white photos with the person looking straight at me that I find very creepy. It could be the most simple cover but it’s the eyes.

Light’s Out (Party Poopers): A book you want to read when you want to escape

Any SJM book is escapism for me!

The House That Gives Out the Cheap Candy: Guilty pleasure book

It’s one of those series I wish I could go back and read for the first time all over again. I haven’t read it in ages, but I still remember it so clearly. And yes I still want to watch the new series (gonna binge it once it’s all out).

The House with the Best Decorations on the Block: Best haunting/Halloween themed cover

The House that Gives Out the Best Candy: #1 Halloween recommendation

I think The Hacienda was pretty creepy, especially the night scenes!

Speed Round
Corn Maze or Haunted House?

I don’t think I’ve ever done a corn maze 🤔 so Haunted House

Classic or Unique Costume?

Both!

Sexy or Scary Costume?

Scary

Comedy or Horror Halloween Film?

I was much braver when I was younger lol…so comedy!

Chocolate or Sour Candy?

Chocolate!

And that’s the tag! Feel free to try this book tag out and thanks for reading!

Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 10/25/22

Happy book birthday to these new releases! Check out this list today:

“DESTINY IS A CHOICE”

The Atlas Paradox is the long-awaited sequel to dark academic sensation The Atlas Six—guaranteed to have even more yearning, backstabbing, betrayal, and chaos.

Six magicians. Two rivalries. One researcher. And a man who can walk through dreams. All must pick a side: do they wish to preserve the world—or destroy it? In this electric sequel to the viral sensation, The Atlas Six, the society of Alexandrians is revealed for what it is: a secret society with raw, world-changing power, headed by a man whose plans to change life as we know it are already under way. But the cost of knowledge is steep, and as the price of power demands each character choose a side, which alliances will hold and which will see their enmity deepen?

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A darkly humorous, surprisingly poignant, and utterly gripping debut novel about a guy who works in Hell (literally) and is on the cusp of a big promotion if only he can get one more member of the wealthy Harrison family to sell their soul.

Peyote Trip has a pretty good gig in the deals department on the fifth floor of Hell. Sure, none of the pens work, the coffee machine has been out of order for a century, and the only drink on offer is Jägermeister, but Pey has a plan—and all he needs is one last member of the Harrison family to sell their soul.

When the Harrisons retreat to the family lake house for the summer, with their daughter Mickey’s precocious new friend, Ruth, in tow, the opportunity Pey has waited a millennium for might finally be in his grasp. And with the help of his charismatic coworker Calamity, he sets a plan in motion.

But things aren’t always as they seem, on Earth or in Hell. And as old secrets and new dangers scrape away at the Harrisons’ shiny surface, revealing the darkness beneath, everyone must face the consequences of their choices.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty, and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured into three factions and three warlordesses hoping to claim the continent for themselves.

But Zephyr knows it’s no contest.

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist of the land and serving under Xin Ren, a warlordess whose loyalty to the empress is double-edged—while Ren’s honor draws Zephyr to her cause, it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed. When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp to keep Ren’s followers from being slaughtered, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, an opposing strategist who is finally her match. But there are more enemies than one—and not all of them are human.

An epic YA fantasy about found family, rivals, and identity, from New York Times and Indie bestselling author Joan He, inspired by Three Kingdoms, one of the Four Classics of Chinese Literature.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In Marlowe Banks, Redesigned, Jacqueline Firkins wonderfully captures the messiness of failure, forgiveness, and embracing a second chance on life and love.

Marlowe Banks’s life has come apart at the seams. Her engagement ended abruptly. Her latest costume design was shredded by critics. Her student loans are overdue. Her parents have never been more disappointed. Desperate to hide from her failures, Marlowe flees New York City to embrace invisibility in Los Angeles as a menial Production Assistant on a popular TV show. While sorting socks and taking care of her boss’ spoiled Weimaraner, no one can confront her poor artistic choices or the end of her engagement, the end her ex refuses to accept.

When a costume mix-up requires Marlowe to step into in a scene, the camera catches a heated look between her and Angus Gordon, the show’s arrogant bad boy, thrusting Marlowe into the spotlight. As the pair is forced together on set, Marlowe learns she’s not the only one hiding. Walls come down for both of them, revealing a life Marlowe isn’t sure she’s ready for, and when her past comes calling, she has to decide if she’s going to stay invisible or if it’s time for a redesign.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Are you getting any new books this week?

Happy Reading!

Halloween Costume Ideas From Book Covers | TTT | 10/25/22

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!

This week’s topic is: *freebie*

Halloween Costume Ideas From Book Covers

Since this week’s topic is a Halloween Freebie and I’ve done a bunch of them this month, let’s check out book covers that would make a good idea for a Halloween costume!

Belladonna – I can definitely see a costume with a pretty purple dress, and purple flowers in your hair, maybe some floral paint designs on the face and neck.
The Empress of Time – um yes to being a Death Goddess, or Reaper, which is what Ren was before being a Death Goddess. To be the Reaper, you’d need to have a clock on you.
House of Hunger – this is definitely a look if you are going for hot vampire victim lol

Heartstopper – this would make an easy and cute costume, especially because it’s on Netflix. But a private school uniform and the bags would be such a cute costume.
Daughter of Smoke & Bone – you’d need to get blue hair to be Karou!
For the Wolf – this would be easy and iconic because of the red cloak.

Fevered Star – can you imagine if you had a headdress like that as part of your costume? A star you would be!
Lore – one time I did a Medusa look for Halloween when I was working at a college library. I had small fake rubber snakes in my hair LOL. I’ve always wanted to do a full on Medusa costume.
House of Hollow – I don’t know about the bugs on her face, but I can go with the flowers and maybe drips of blood to make it look horror. Minus the blood then you can just be a gorgeous flower girl.

Devil in Disguise – honestly this is the costume I do want to wear somewhere…like at a Halloween ball or something. I want to be something out of the Bridgerton series on Netflix! lol…maybe the Queen.

Do you dress up for Halloween? And if so, what are you going to be this year?

The Dead Romantics by. Ashley Poston | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Dead Romantics

Author: Ashley Poston

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 6/28/22

Categories: Romance, Paranormal, Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.

When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.

For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.

Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.

Romance is most certainly dead… but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own, has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Content Warning: death, grief

I went into this one without expectations! I saw the book cover on my Overdrive online library selections and thought the synopsis was intriguing so I borrowed it without reading any reviews on in. I was so pleasantly surprised and touched. Here is what did and didn’t work for me:

+ A ghostwriter who can see ghost and falls for someone who is a ghost?! I love the idea and the story. Florence is a young woman, nursing a broken heart. It’s made it impossible for her to continue writing the romance novel she is working on and on top of that her beloved father dies. So it’s not only a romance, it’s a story about Florence trying to figure out heartbreak, grief and what love really is. It’s a beautiful story.

+ Her family is one of my newest favorite fictional families. They own a funeral home and even though Florence doesn’t totally get along with her younger sister, you can tell the bonds between this loving family is tight even when their father dies. I also love the people from her home town and her best friend in New York. We get both the small town romance and big city one too in this one book.

+ The romance between Florence and Ben is so cute and honestly I did figure out how things were going to end up but I was going to be so upset if it wasn’t that way. I love how they get to know one another – realistic? No, but that’s why I love how this is a paranormal romance. The two of them melted my heart.

+ Florence and her family are grieving but I so love how they celebrate her father’s life. Did I cry in a few spots? Definitely did.

~ My only issue with the story was the beginning where I thought I was getting a straight romance and then the story took a left turn with the death of Florence’s father and the whole situation with Ben which I won’t spoil. But the story smoothed out right after that.

Tropes: seeing ghosts, small town and big city romance, editor/writer romance

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

heartwarming story about family, grief, heartbreak and love
a ghostwriter falling in love with a ghost
the Day family is my new favorite fictional family

Why you might not want to read it:

beginning of the story was just a little bit jarring with the romance and sudden death but it worked out after that

My Thoughts:

I loved this one. I was all for the ghostwriting and ghost-seeing! It was unexpected and I went in with no expectations and maybe because my trauma with grief, I resonated with stories about grief. But even though there is death and loss in this book, I love that it still was a story about celebrating life, love, and those who have gone but linger. A wonderful story that melted my heart and made me shed a few tears as well.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love was putting up with someone for fifty years so you’d have someone to bury you when you died. I would know; my family was in the business of death.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

He was a bullet journal guy, and I was a sticky note kind of girl.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

Love was a high for a moment that left you hollow when it left, and you spent the rest of your life chasing that feeling.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

Grief was the exact opposite. It was full and heavy and drowning because it wasn’t the absence of everything you lost—it was the culmination of it all, your love, your happiness, your bittersweets, wound tight like a knotted ball of yarn.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

It’s never easy. It’s also never really goodbye—and trust me, we’re in the business of goodbyes. The people who pass through here live on in you and me and everyone they touched. There is no happy ending, there’s just . . . happily living. As best you can.
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

Weekly Wrap Up | 10/23/22

Aloha friends!

It was a good week and my daughter is done with her antibiotics and the flonase is helping a lot with allergies so I’m happy! They had a school carnival and yes it’s late October but it was about 85 degrees with the sun making me sweat – my weather app says “it feels like” 90 degrees. Let’s just say we played most of the games and left after 30 minutes because my shirt was kind of drenched in sweat. Gross. Other than that we have a Halloween party my cousin is throwing today so that should be fun.

This week will be Parent Conference week which means my kids will be let out early for 2 weeks so they can get through all these meetings. Ours is on Wednesday so I hope I hear great things! Can you believe October is almost over? I can’t!

I hope all of you had a good week and a wonderful week ahead of you!

Blog Posts:

House of Beating Wings by. Olivia Wildenstein | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Salt and Sugar by. Rebecca Carvalho | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Books with Black Book Covers | TTT | 10/18/22
Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 10/18/22
Built to Last by. Erin Hahn | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️
WWW Wednesday | 10/19/22
The Book Addiction Tag | Book Tag
A River Enchanted by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Let’s Talk Bookish: Do Book Titles Matter? | 10/21/22
Monster Mash ~ Vampires, Wolves, Demons and More

Books I Read:

Currently Reading:

Shows/Movies I Watched:

House of Dragons (HboMax)

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

Monster Mash ~ Vampires, Wolves, Demons and More

Let all the monsters come out to play! Here are some books about monsters that I love to read about:

Monster Mash ~ Vampires, Wolves, Demons and More

Let’s Talk Bookish: Do Book Titles Matter? | 10/21/22

Let’s Talk Bookish is a bookish meme that was created by Rukky @ Eternity Books and now is hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits, where each Friday, bloggers write posts discussing the topic of the week! Definitely check out her blog for more bookish content plus more Let’s Talk Bookish topics and the schedule.

This week’s topic is:

October 21: Do Book Titles Matter? (Hannah @ Hannah’s Library)

How much do book titles matter?

I think they matter a lot. I think a good title sets the tone for the book.

Have you ever read or not read a book based on the title alone?

Yes, most definitely – because if I’m not attracted to the title but the cover art is amazing. Well, I’m a sucker for a good book cover so I’ll read it. As for not reading something because of the title…🤔, I’m trying to think of an instance but am coming up blank. But I’m sure there have been titles I’ve skipped because of the title.

Do you like long or short book titles better?

Keep it short and sweet!

Do you think the title has to connect to the story in some way?

Yes, I feel it should connect because as I said before I feel like it sets the tone for the book. If I read a book that doesn’t match the title, I feel a bit mislead. For example…

This story to me needed more Christmas things about it because the cover is very Christmassy and the title says Christmas Clash. The things clashing in the story was two families that had bad blood and they have rival restaurants. It’s set around the holidays but that’s about it for the Christmas part.

What are some of your favorite book titles?

I love titles that get straight to the point! 😆 The Grace Year and the Hunger Games made me wonder…what is a Grace Year? What happens in the Hunger Games – and whoa, do we find out!! As for Fable and Guncle – one word titles are short and sweet. I think all the titles in The Inheritance Games series were spot on and strong. It totally tied into the story.

Of course on the opposite end of short titles are those with long, fancy titles which we usually find in the fantasy genre. I have a love/hate relationship with those. Sometimes they sound so pretty…and other times it’s just too many words lol. For example, the SJM titles are always fitting and I kinda blame her for starting this trend lol…

All these titles that start like: A Court of, A House of, A Storm of, A something something something….titles was fun for awhile and then I started to roll me eyes. 😅 It got to be too much but I believe finally it has died down!

At least I know when I see a title like that it’s going to give me fantasy or romantasy. So I guess that’s one good thing about it!

I want to know what some of your favorite titles are, let me know in the comments below!

A River Enchanted by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence, #1)

Author: Rebecca Ross

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 480

Publication Date: 2/15/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Adult Fiction, Mystery

Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t stepped foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind, plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instill fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.

As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.

With unforgettable characters, a fast-paced plot, and compelling world building, A River Enchanted is a stirring story of duty, love, and the power of true partnership, and marks Rebecca Ross’s brilliant entry on the adult fantasy stage.

Content Warning: violence, kidnapping, raids

I’ve been wanting to read this book since it was published and I heard so many great things about it. I can see why there was hype about it. Here’s what I thought about the book:

+ The writing is beautiful and the story is magical. Cadence is Jack’s home and it’s a place where they still revere the island and its spirits. I love how music is magic in Jack’s skill with the harp and how Torin and Sidra can call to one another. It’s a story that you can get swept up in.

+ The romance, and relationships was great to explore. Jack and Adaira are a childhood enemies to lovers story that melted my heart. Their relationship I feel would appeal to the young adult crowd but Torin and Sidra are older. I loved Jack and Adaira and how their history together made their bond stronger in their older age. And I love Torin and Sidra’s story too. Torin’s a widower, and Sidra married him and gained a step-daughter. There is so much love in their family but insecurities too. It’s wonderful how the story explores the relationships between these couples.

+ The theme of family and community is strong in this book. It’s also a story about people finding their place in the world and figuring out what the meaning of “home” is. The ending was a surprising twist.

+ I like the mysterious air that is present from beginning to end of the book. There are girls going missing in the east and they think the it’s the spirits who are causing this so Jack and Adaira do their best to connect to the spirits through music and enchantment. But there is more to the story than just the spirits. I like the twist in the end.

~ Pacing is a little slow. It starts off strong but the story is set like a mystery so it’s definitely a story where you can take your time and not rush through. Definite cozy story, raining outside kinda vibes!

Tropes: childhood friends, enemies to lovers, widower

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

beautiful writing, magical setting
themes of love, family and belonging
romance between Jack and Adaira (young love) and Torin and Sidra (adult love)

Why you might not want to read it:

might be a little slow but I think it fits with the pace of a mystery- it did take me 3 days to read.

My Thoughts:

I love how magical this story felt as I was reading it. I felt swept away in the story of Cadence, the warring sides and the spirits all around them. Although at times the romance felt like a young adult story, it was balanced with Torin and Sidra’s story which was an adult love story filled with challenges. This is a story to take your time with and not rush through.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review: The Queen’s Rising ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The days may be dark,” Sidra said. “But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel joy.”
~ Rebecca Ross, A River Enchanted

Their differences could be enough to break their vows, despite her feelings for him.”
~ Rebecca Ross, A River Enchanted

From your life came mine. I would not exist if you had been born in the east. I am but a verse inspired by your chorus, and I will follow you until the end, when the isle takes my bones and my name is nothing more than a remembrance on a headstone, next to yours.”
~ Rebecca Ross, A River Enchanted

The Book Addiction Tag | Book Tag

Hi friends! I saw this book tag on Riddhi’s blog Whispering Stories and thought it was a fun one to do. Fun and easy, I should say, because I like easy book tags lol. So let’s try it out!

What is the longest amount of time you can comfortably go without picking up a book?

I would say I can go a week without picking up a book especially if I’m exhausted and life is just BUSY. Sometimes a break from reading is a good thing.

How many books do you carry on your person (or kindle) at any one time?

I don’t carry any unless I’m going to an appointment where I know I’ll be waiting for awhile, like my kids dental appointments. Then I just carry one book. I just took my son to the dentist and this is the book I brought:

I’m not feelin’ it – I think this is going to be a DNF.😕

Do you keep every book you buy/receive or are you happy to pass them on to make space for more?

I used to but now I’m not so attached to my books as I used to be when I was younger. So I will donate them just so I know someone else can enjoy the books instead of them sitting on my shelf collecting dust. I will keep my favorite books though.

How long would you spend in a bookshop on a standard visit?

When I was younger? For hours. But now? I’m in and out – because usually my kids want to get whatever book they want and then go home lol.

How much time per day do you actually spend reading?

About 1-2 hours, but if it’s good and I can’t put it down then 4-5 hours.

Where does the task ‘picking up a book’ appear on your daily to-do list?

It appears LAST. Because I like to read in before bed.

Approximately how often do you bring up books in conversation?

Not a lot because I actually don’t know many readers. If I do bring it up it’s only to the one or two people that I know who love to read like I do. Does telling my son about it count? Sometimes I tell him what I’m ready if it’s a fantasy young adult that I think he would be interested in.

What is the biggest book (page count) you have finished reading?

I thought it would be Priory of the Orange by Samantha Shannon but nope I’m wrong, of course it’s a Sarah J. Maas book to take the crown.

Is there a book you had to get your hands on against all odds (i.e searching bookshops, online digging, etc.)?

I haven’t – most things I can just find right away online.

A book you struggled to finish but refused to DNF?

I might have to chalk this up to being not in the mood. I wonder if I read it around December if I’d have liked it more? But I read it as an arc and wanted to finish in time. So I wasn’t in the Christmas mood at all.

What are 3 of your main book goals for 2022?

I’m pretty sure I stated my goals at the beginning of the year so reflecting back, here were the 3 I had:

cut down on NetGalley requests – I think I did really good on this!
book buying ban – I didn’t totally ban book buying but I barely bought any new releases. Anything I did buy was heavily discounted!
be brave enough to DNF books – I’m WAY better at it, but I could still find the nerve to do it more often lol