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WRAP-UP | December 2017

December 31, 2017 , Sun | Wrap-Ups | or add your 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

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HAUL | Christmas 2017

December 30, 2017 , Sat | Hauls | or add your thoughts!

Ahhhh to be a bibliophile at Christmas! My friends and family did SO WELL this year. Seriously, not only did they get me a lot of the things I had mentioned wanting, but they surprised me with things I’ve never heard of that are perfect. I’m only including the bookish gifts here, but everything was so thoughtful. I think the greatest gift was how known my loved ones made me feel by giving such perfect gifts. Feeling understood has always been something I struggle with, so these sorts of gestures mean everything to me.

My mom and dad got me two of the books that were highest on my list—the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter: A History of Magic. The second of these is the companion to British Library’s exhibition, and even though there is a beautiful paperback version here in the United States, I just really wanted the UK hardcover. Being giant hardcovers, these are both quite pricey. They’re also books that I know I’ll cherish forever. Not that I don’t feel that way about most all of my books, but you know what I mean. Gorgeously illustrated, Harry Potter-related books equal lifelong treasure! So, I’m obviously quite thrilled to have been given them, which of course makes them even more special. read more

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REVIEW | Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire

December 29, 2017 , Fri | Reviews | or add your thoughts!

“Drosselmeier’s more delicate and individualized figures were reserved as gifts for Klara. A Russian princess in a painted wooden cloak. A Cleopatra in Egyptian blue. A charming family of pigs in graduated heights that stood on hind legs and wore nothing but pince-nezs, all of them, except the very smallest, who with a potbelly and a sour expression stood looking down and sucking her cloven hoof.”

Themes:

  • Creation, in so many forms
  • The influence dreams can have on real life
  • What we lose and/or forget the further we get from childhood

This “tale of the once and future nutcracker” is fantastic! Much darker than I expected, Hiddensee actually focuses on the life of Drosselmeier, not the nutcracker. However, I loved this. Exploring the story of the legendary toymaker, known throughout this novel as simply Dirk, was a joy for this lifelong nutcracker fan.

I’ve never read something by Maguire before, so his style of writing—quite formal, somewhat blunt—took me a few chapters to get used to. I’ll admit that as I started this, I wasn’t sure if it would live up to my hopes and expectations. Once I grew accustomed to the voice, I found myself immersed in the world Maguire so masterfully builds and enjoying the language. read more

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HAUL | My Birthday 2017

December 28, 2017 , Thu | Hauls | or add your thoughts!

My 25th birthday was this month, and it’s safe to say I was fantastically spoiled with bookish goodness!

The Chalkboard Tradition

When we moved to Florida many years ago, my mom created chalkboard pantry doors in the kitchen. Since then, my dad has made it a tradition to design a special birthday message for everyone on their birthday. We’ve since moved, but they always make sure there’s a chalkboard in the kitchen, and the tradition goes on. It means a lot to each of us, and this year mine was totally bookish!! I love it so much.

My Great Barnes & Noble Splurge

Every year for my birthday, I take a totally indulgent trip to Barnes & Noble. I go with little to no idea what I want to get, and the only rule is that I have to be able to hold everything I’ll buy in my arms. Aside from that, I allow myself to grab whatever my heart desires in the moment, without reading reviews, looking online to see if I can find it cheaper, or thinking about how ridiculous my TBR already is. This is the only time of the year I let myself engage in such a free-for-all! It’s glorious! This year, I had a few serendipitous discoveries, which always adds to a good book-shopping trip. read more

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REVIEW | Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

December 26, 2017 , Tue | Reviews | or add your thoughts!

“Somewhere far in the distance, she heard the rumble of engines. The voices of the girls grew louder, drawing her onward. They were fifty now, one hundred, the sound so lovely it brought tears to Alia’s eyes. When had she stopped being a child? The first time a guy had whistled at her out of a car window when she was walking to school? The moment she started wondering how she looked when she ran, what jiggled or bounced, instead of the pace she was setting? The first time she’d kept from raising her hand because she didn’t want to seem too smart or too eager? No one had sung. No one had told her how much she would lose until the time for grieving was long over.”

Themes:

  • Female empowerment
  • Trusting instincts over misguided authority
  • Humanity’s natural inclination towards war

So I want to start off by saying that I’m not someone who typically enjoys superhero stuff all that much. I’m not sure that it’s for any particular reason. It’s just one of those things I’ve never been drawn to. Because of this, I had trouble deciding whether I was excited to start this one. I’ve read the Six of Crows duology by Bardugo, and I LOVED it. I also got to meet her at a local book festival, which she attended as part of her tour for this book. On top of all that, the DC Icons series is also going to have books by Marie Lu, Sarah J. Maas, and Matt de la Pena. I’m obsessed with everything Maas does, and the short stories I’ve read by Lu and de la Pena have made it clear that I’m going to enjoy their larger works. So, there were a lot of reasons I wanted to read Wonder Woman: Warbringer, but I wasn’t too invested in the actual story before beginning. Guess what? I adored this book. read more

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WRAP-UP | November 2017

November 30, 2017 , Thu | Wrap-Ups | or add your 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

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FOUND FIVE | 5 Bookish Things I’m Thankful For

November 23, 2017 , Thu | Found Fives | or add your thoughts!

For those of us here in America, today is Thanksgiving! Because of the holiday, November always seems to bring thoughts of gratitude my way. We should always be grateful for the good in our lives, but I do seem to focus on it more this time of year. So far, 2017 has been a banner year for books in my life. I started this site and a Bookstagram, and have read so many wonderful pieces of literature. So, I wanted to share five bookish things I’m grateful for!

  • First and foremost, I’m overwhelmed by my fortune in having access to books. Between the library, bookstores, and internet, I can find nearly anything I’m looking for, at any time. When I really stop to think about it, the enormity of this blessing strikes me.
  • I’m deeply thankful for the influence literature has had on my mind, my heart, and my life path. I’m genuinely certain that I’d be far less of a person if I had never become a reader.
  • I’m grateful for how known literature makes me feel. It seems every time I’m feeling misunderstood or invisible, books are there to relate, comfort, and inspire.
  • I’m overflowing with joy and gratitude for the countless worlds—once real, current, or imagined—we are able to explore through reading. Books are capable of transporting us to other times and places. It’s been said before, and I’m saying it again: It really is magic.
  • I’m thankful for the online book community—whether it be Bookstagram, Booktube, or written blogs. This worldwide amalgam of people who love the same thing is genuinely incredible. You all make me feel known, loved, and inspired every day. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
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    WISDOM WEDNESDAY | “Messenger” by Mary Oliver

    November 22, 2017 , Wed | Wisdom Wednesdays | or add your thoughts!

    In honor of tomorrow’s holiday, I thought a post about gratitude was in order. So today, we’ll be visiting with Mary Oliver. If you’ve never read anything by her, prepare yourself. This woman is magnificent, and I’m convinced her poetry can move even the most stoic and unpoetic of individuals. If you’ve not figured it out from the last two sentences, Mary Oliver is my favorite poet. And she often talks about gratitude. “Messenger”, which is one of the poems in the collection titled Thirst, certainly explores the subject.

    Messenger

    “My work is loving the world.

    Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird—

    equal seekers of sweetness.

    Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.

    Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

    Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?

    Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me

    keep my mind on what matters,

    which is my work,

    which is mostly standing still and learning to be

    astonished.

    The phoebe, the delphinium. read more

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    REVIEW | There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

    November 21, 2017 , Tue | Reviews | or add your thoughts!

    “The killer sat on the rug—crisscross applesauce—picked up the abandoned controller, and unpaused the game. There was no hurry.”

    Themes:

    • What loneliness can do to a person
    • Allowing past mistakes to control you
    • Prejudices and judgements based on appearance

    Okay, so I’m going to start by saying that while I think this was a pretty good book, my entire perspective on it has been influenced by two things. First, I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to certain elements of horror, and this did freak me out enough that I had to take a break from reading at some moments. Second, as you might expect given the first thing, I don’t read or watch much horror at all. Before this, the only horror I’d read was in the form of a few short stories! So, I can’t speak to where it stands within the genre.

    All of that being said, There’s Someone Inside Your House was a fast-paced and fun read! I really enjoyed the characters, which surprised me. I think I expected Perkins not to spend the same amount of time building well-rounded characters since it’s a slasher. Um, no, she totally makes you love and lose! read more

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    REVIEW | The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

    November 19, 2017 , Sun | Reviews | or add your thoughts!

    “Nell held the stuffed animals just out of his reach, trying not to laugh as the hob jumped up in the air for them. His long ears flopped back and forth, and his snot went flying.

    ‘Give them to me, give them to this hob!'”

    Themes:

    • Resisting temptations
    • Putting the needs of others above your own
    • Inclusion in family and friend units/feeling known

    The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is fantastic! This is the first book by Alexandra Bracken that I’ve ever read, and I’m now certain I’ll love everything she’s done! To start with, the atmosphere is absolutely wonderful. It has that New England at Halloween vibe we all love. I read it last month, and it’s the PERFECT October read. I mean, most of the story takes place in Salem, Massachusetts—need I say more? And the town Prosper’s family founded, Redhood, mixes that New England feel with a power family element I loved. We’re also told of the realm from which the demon Alastor hails, and I’m hopeful that we’ll get to visit it in book two!

    One of the things that so impressed me about this novel was the complexity of the plot, despite the book being quite character driven. You spend a lot of time worrying about Prosper, getting to know him and Nell, wondering what’s up with Uncle Barnabas and Prosper’s whole family back home. You are thinking about the plot as it’s seen from Prosper’s perspective. But then by the end you’re like, oh yea, wow, there’s like this whole other world Alastor comes from, and he is part of the royal demon family there, and that’s really the essence of this whole plot. read more

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