Wrap-Ups – The Bookish Pearl

WRAP-UP | April 2018

April 30, 2018 , Mon | Wrap-Ups | 1 0 or add you thoughts!

Hello, bookish friends! Today is the last day of April, and you know what that means! Wrap-up time! I had a wonderful reading month, so let’s just dive right in! 🙂

“Trees, shrubs, and plants had an important place in Celtic spirituality. They provided shelter and protection, tools and weapons, food and fuel. They were therefore crucial to survival in everyday life, and this was in turn integrated with spiritual life.”

Shortly after becoming interested in tarot reading (thanks to The Raven Cycle), I found this in Half Price Books for just over $7, and it still has the full deck! I was super excited about this at the time, but it still took me a year to pick up this book and fully read through it. The content surprised me in the best way! I expected this to be a gimmicky sort of thing where the true value lie in having the cards. Not so! The book was fascinating and informative. It touched on an array of topics related to Celtic mythology and spirituality, not just the cards, and the section that was on the cards was detailed and beautiful illustrated. Additionally, the system of reading in Celtic tradition is a bit different from the tarot I had learned, so that was an exciting new element to practice. All in all, this was an unexpected gem of a read! read more

WRAP-UP | March 2018

March 31, 2018 , Sat | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

Can you believe it’s going to be April tomorrow?! I really can’t! I don’t often feel that time passes very quickly, but this month does seem like it flew by in some respects. It was an overall good month for me, including in regard to reading! I didn’t read as much as I sometimes do in a month, but that’s because I read The Hobbit and The Cruel Prince, two books I really took my time with and LOVED. So of course I’m happy to read any amount when it has been reading I’ve so greatly enjoyed. I was also very busy with work this month, as we are on deadline and I was simultaneously working on an extra project, so really this was a fantastic reading month, all things considered!

“‘First of all, Harry, I want to thank you,’ said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. ‘You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you.'”

I finally finished my reread of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! I read this one quite slowly, just a few chapters a day, but I enjoyed that! I’ve read this many times before, but this was my first experience with the illustrated edition. I loved it so much! It’s incredible how I can still discover something new in these stories. Ahhhhh Harry Potter … read more

WRAP-UP | February 2018

February 28, 2018 , Wed | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

Well book lovers, February is over, and you know what that means! It’s time for a wrap-up! I didn’t end up diving into as many love stories as I’d thought I might, but overall my reading month was wonderful!

“I stand for a moment, staring at it, remembering.

The faint squeal of the baby swing, the biting chill of the early-morning air, the crispness of white chalk on black tarmac. Another message. But this one was different. Not a chalk man . . . something else.

I turn abruptly. Not now. Not again. I won’t be drawn back in.”

The first book I finished this month was The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor! This had me drawn in from the first line, and it succeeded in keeping me there throughout. I have trouble with these types of books sometimes, because if I’m able to guess what’s coming, it ruins it for me. I enjoy the atmosphere, but not so much that I can love a predictable thriller. But this one intrigued me because I’d heard people say it was perfect for Stranger Things fans, and it did sound fascinating. Well, it was a total success! I was in suspense until the very end, and I thought Tudor did a wonderful job of rounding everything out. read more

WRAP-UP | January 2018

January 31, 2018 , Wed | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

Well, that’s a wrap on January! And it was such a success for me! One of my goals for the year is to take the time to slow down and read less if I’m feeling it, and I did that this month. I also completed my book-buying ban as planned, which feels like one of my largest accomplishments in a while, to be honest! Each of these books came from my unread shelves, and that makes me so happy.

“Sayings Missing One Letter

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bus.

If you can’t eat them, join them.

A stitch in Tim saves nine.

Work hard, lay hard.

Ruth is stranger than fiction.

People who live in glass hoses shouldn’t throw stones.

Follows your reams.”

I began the year with some comedy! As I get older, I find I enjoy satire more and more. This was no exception! Martin had me laughing out loud and/or shaking my head throughout this little book. I picked it up in the airport, because it looked too hilarious to pass, and I’m glad I did! The page I’ve quoted was one of my favorites. I hope it gives you a laugh too. read more

WRAP-UP | December 2017

December 31, 2017 , Sun | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

I had such a blast reading Christmas-y books this month! I also got to a few other great things too. Overall, it was a wonderful reading month to close out the year!

“Finally, thank you to the starlings of the West Pier, the adders of the Minsmere, the foxes of Kensal Rise, the painted ladies of Belle Vue, the pelicans of Lancelin, the hedgehogs of the top Dene, the dolphins of Curio Bay, the lizards of the Perenthian Islands, the saltys of Kakadu, the camels of the outback, the hares of Old Charlie’s, the humpback whales of Hervey Bay, the sparrows of Queen Street, the jellyfish of Seaton Carew, the bullfinches on our feeder, the emus of Coral Bay, the ravens of the Mynd, the jays of Hove, the lapwings of the A49, and the goldfinches of home.”

I enjoyed this so very much! Split into three sections—land, air, and water—this lovely novelty book explores some of the more unusual collective nouns of the animal kingdom. Sewell does a wonderful job of exploring the history behind each of them, and his dedication at the end was breathtaking. That’s the quote I’ve included. read more

WRAP-UP | November 2017

November 30, 2017 , Thu | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

Hello, friends! It’s the final day of November, which means wrap-up time! I read quite a bit, despite being busy, and really enjoyed everything! So yay!!

“Species that rebel against seasonal norms are loved for their courage. The mistle thrush that can be heard to sing when all other birds have turned shy, even during winter gales, earns our respect, and his nickname, ‘tormcock,’ comes alive on the wind. The red berries and dark-green leaves of holly have found their way onto Christmas cards and earned a little fondness, despite their prickles, because they refuse to let their colors be bowed by a decrease in daylight or a blanket of snow. Gorse will flower at any time of year, and our love of this resilience can be found in the old saying, ‘Gorse is out of bloom when kissing’s out of fashion.'”

If you are interested in learning more about the way we perceive nature, and how we can improve, and benefit from improving, our observational skills, this is a book for you! I picked this up mostly just because I thought the audiobook would be nice to listen to on walks with my dog. I ended up loving it and getting so much out of it. Gooley even walks the reader through observational exercises to explain the way we see certain things and how we might see them in more detail. It was so enjoyable! read more

WRAP-UP | October 2017

October 31, 2017 , Tue | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

Can you believe October is over?! I actually can, as time never seems to fly by for me, even when I’m busy. I had a lot going on this month, but I still managed to get a good bit of reading in. You’ll noticed I was pretty focused on my spooky theme! In fact, I’m still reading a few Halloween-related things, so that will carry into November!

“I watched my dad think about this. He looked like he was going to suggest that we have something for breakfast that you do not need milk for, like sausages, but then he looked like he remembered that, without milk, he couldn’t have his tea. He had his ‘no tea’ face.

‘You poor children,’ he said. ‘I will walk down to the shop on the corner. I will get milk.'”

And so, my absolute devotion to anything created by Neil Gaiman continues. This was such a hilarious, endearing read. If you have children, this little novel will result in fits of shared laughter. It’s so inventive and fantastic! Plus, the illustrations by Skottie Young are awesome! read more

WRAP-UP | September 2017

September 30, 2017 , Sat | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

September has been a dream for this bibliophile! I went to a local book festival and several exciting author events, and I got to visit the most adorable independent bookshop near me for the first time. This was also the month of exciting new releases! But most importantly, I read some wonderful stories. I’m fairly selective with what I call an all-time favorite, and I am designating two of my reads from this month as such, so that should tell you how good September was to me!

“I was not happy as a child, although from time to time I was content. I lived in books more than I lived anywhere else.”

This was such an incredible little novel. It is one of the two aforementioned new favorites, and I am already itching to reread it! Before this, I had only read Norse Mythology and a few chapters of American Gods. Now, I’m realizing what a mistake it has been that I haven’t previously made Neil Gaiman’s work more of a priority! This book delighted and surprised me in so many ways throughout. Absolutely charming! read more

WRAP-UP | August 2017

August 31, 2017 , Thu | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

Today is the last day of August! I don’t normally feel like time slips away from me, but goodness that went by quickly! Anyway, that means it’s time for another reading wrap-up! Here you’ll find a list of the books I read this month, in order, with a favorite quote from and some quick thoughts on each.

“She wrinkled her nose, less out of actual distaste and more out of the knowledge that she was supposed to find spiders distasteful. She really found them rather endearing. They were sleek and clean and elegant, and when their webs got messed up, they ripped them down and started over again. People could learn a lot from spiders.”

This was a fantastic sequel! Personally, I liked it even better than the first book, which is saying something, because I so enjoyed Every Heart a Doorway. This was a little darker, but in a different way, if that makes sense? A bit creepier, but less gory than the first. It also presents a new world, so that could certainly be a part of what made it exciting. The second book in a trilogy often falls a little flat for me, so even without reading the last book in this one (which releases in January), I can already tell you I’m very impressed with the series as a whole! read more

WRAP-UP | July 2017

July 31, 2017 , Mon | Wrap-Ups | 0 or add you thoughts!

July ends today, which means it’s time for a wrap-up! I’ve shared my reads for the month, along with a favorite quote from each, below!

“‘This world is unforgiving and cruel to those it judges as even the slightest bit outside the norm. If anyone should be kind, understanding, accepting, loving to their fellow outcasts, it’s you. All of you. You are the guardians of the secrets of the universe, beloved of worlds that most will never dream of, much less see . . . can’t you see where you owe it to yourselves to be kind? To care for one another?'”

“‘I cannot speak for every girl, but most people’s eyes are drawn to other things. Many want power.’ Nigel drew a finger, inked with a dagger, over the dragon on his abdomen. ‘Others want pleasure.’ He ran a hand over the wild circus on his thighs, along with a few more tattoos. ‘Your eyes passed over all these.'” read more

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