Mental Health Book Tag

Yesterday while I was reading some others blog posts for the day I came upon this post from ‘My Book World’ called Mental Health Book Tag. My own mental health has been iffy lately. I’ve been angry and sad and incredibly anxious. My mind has been so on edge I’ve cried at work worrying about my dad and I’ve made little excuses about things that aren’t going to happen to be worrying to my boyfriend and I’ve felt like a mess. Life these days has felt so fragile and yet so precious and I’m keeping in my mind that my dad told me to think positive. So I will.

So today, I would like to share with you all my answers on this Mental Health Book Tag. I want to share some awesome books that don’t shy away from something that touches everyone’s lives at some point and in some way in one shape or form or another.

What’s a book or series that features a strong support system?

In ‘Spinning Silver’ Miryem’s parents are a strong support system not only for her, but for Wanda who comes to work for them. When Miryem is first taken to live with the Staryk king Wanda doesn’t know what to do, thinking she wouldn’t have a job anymore. However, Miryem’s parents step up and reassure her continuing having her help and even adding an extra job for her brother to keep them safe and afloat. They are always making sure Wanda is fed and that she has a safe place to be while making her feel like she’s doing something that gives her purpose. They are an amazing support system.

What’s a book, series, or genre that you turn to when you need to take care of yourself? What’s something that you do—other than reading—to take care of your mental health?

Magical realism books like ‘The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender’ make me feel so curious and fascinated. Magical realism strikes me. Reading these kind of books when my mental health isn’t doing well helps me to distract my mind. However, if I’m having a crisis I talk to my boyfriend or my friends. My boyfriend always listens and is kind and understanding to me about everything I’m going through. When I see him and stuff is still going through my mind he’ll just hold me and tell me everything will be ok. It means the world to me.

What’s a book that features a character that is relatable to your mental health or illness?

I have never felt more understood by a book before I read this one. Kiko’s relationship with her mom is almost the exact relationship I had with my grandmother. ‘Starfish’ was such a raw read for me. Narcissistic abuse is no joke.

What’s a book that depicts a bad representation of a mental difference or mental illness?

I read this book years ago before I really understood representation and really mental illness at all. However, looking back this isn’t a good representation of mental illness. Also, it glorifies mental illness. Which is why the book and tv show has been criticized many times by many people to shed light on its misrepresentation.

What’s a book that depicts a good representation of a mental difference or mental illness?

‘Speak ’ is a good representation of a girl dealing with the trauma of sexual assault. She is isolated by her peers to be on her own causing her to withdraw into her own mind. She has no support and her grades slip and the only place she find solace is her art class. It feels real to how it feels when you went through something difficult and are in a place where no one is supporting you. There feels like there is nowhere to go.

What’s your favorite book that features mental difference or mental illness?

I know I’m using this book a lot in this tag, but it was just so beautifully written and so relatable to my own experiences and feelings. It’s not just my favorite mental health work, but it’s also one of my all time favorite books in general.

What’s your least favorite book that features mental difference or mental illness?

So this is another book I read that at the time I really enjoyed and didn’t really understand that it was a bad representation of mental illness at the time. Love saving these two characters from their mental health problems is something that even isn’t safe to imply. Looking for someone outside of yourself to save you and cure you from your problems isn’t really going to do anything but put a bandaid on your problems. Sure, love will happen if your mentally struggling or not, but it isn’t going to cure it. Books like this might give readers the wrong impression.

What’s a book that takes you to your happy place? When you are dealing with mental health struggles, what is your happy place?

I have read and reread ‘The Giver’ so many times. I’ve been attached to this book since elementary school and it has been my favorite for years. It makes me think of how important emotion and color is to make our lives beautiful. To inspire our compassion for ourselves and for others. It puts me in a mood of appreciation for life.

Honestly, my happy place and what I need a lot when I’ve been struggling during the week is my time with my boyfriend. Being held by him. Being held by someone that you know loves you and who knows who you are and you hat your going through feels like a weight being lifted. He helps me to feel at peace with myself and to know that everything will be ok. Also his constant jokes always put a smile on my face.

What’s your favorite quote from a book that features mental difference or mental illness? What’s something you want other people to know about mental difference or mental illness?

‘But some people are just starfish–they need everyone to fill the roles that they assign. They need the world to sit around them, pointing at them and validating their feelings. But you can’t spend your life trying to make a starfish happy, because no matter what you do, it will never be enough. They will always find a way to make themselves the center of attention, because it’s the only way they know how to live.’ -Akemi Dawn Bowman (Starfish)

Nothing better describes the selfishness of living with someone who expects you to live and be exactly the way they want you to all the time. If you don’t fit into their box you face their wrath. So many traumas from this abuse caused me to want to people please and to have this deep feeling that I’m going to mess up and hurt someone I love badly. However, I am not broken. There isn’t anything wrong with me and it’ll all be ok. So, that’s what I want everyone to know. Wherever you are and however dark a place you find yourself you will get to a better place and it will all be ok.

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THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

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The ABC Book Challenge: Total chaos!!!

Welcome back to the ABC Book Challenge! It’s time to talk about books starting with the Letter “T” and if you think I’m filling this post up with the’s it’s not happening. That’s far too simple.

On to the Books!

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “T”:

Talon

I love Julie Kagawa and I will forever read anything she writes. Admittedly Talon while awesome, isn’t my favorite of the books she written, but I do feel that it sets up the series really well. Either way, it’s 100% worth the Read!

Tricks

This book is intense. I will never forget the feeling I got while reading it. It’s really good however, like with many of Ellen’s books I wouldn’t read this in a bad mental state. It deals with some dark stuff.

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “T”:

Tarot

“Anna was never supposed to exist. Born of a forbidden union between the Queen and the tyrannical King’s archnemesis, Anna is forced to live out her days isolated in the Tower, with only her mentors and friends the Hermit, the Fool, and the Magician to keep her company. To pass the time, Anna imagines unique worlds populated by creatives and dreamers—the exact opposite of the King’s land of fixed fates and rigid rules—and weaves them into four glorious tapestries.

But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday and her promised release from the Tower, Anna discovers her true lineage: She’s the daughter of Marco, a powerful magician, and the King is worried that his magical gifts are starting to surface in Anna. Fearing for her life, Anna flees the Tower and finds herself in Cups, a lush, tropical land full of all the adventure, free-spiritedness, and creativity she imagined while weaving.

Anna thinks she’s found paradise in this world of beachside parties, endless food and drink, and exhilarating romance. But when the fabric of Cups begins to unravel, Anna discovers that her tapestries are more than just decoration. They’re the foundation for a new world that she is destined to create—as long as the terrors from the old world don’t catch up with her first.”

I’ve been learning about Tarot a lot recently. It has a lot of fascinating elements to it. A fantasy based off of the Tarot is really unique to me and I’d love to pick it up.

Tin Heart

“Bestselling author of All the Bright Places Jennifer Niven calls emerging talent Shivaun Plozza’s charming and romantic second YA novel, Tin Heart, “from cover to cover swoon-worthy, moving, deep, and funny”!

When Marlowe gets a heart transplant and a second chance at life, all she wants to do is to thank her donor’s family. Maybe then she can move on. Maybe then she’ll discover who she is if she’s no longer The Dying Girl.

But with a little brother who dresses like every day is Halloween, a vegan warrior for a mother, and an all-out war with the hot butcher’s apprentice next door, Marlowe’s life is already pretty complicated. And her second chance is about to take an unexpected turn…”

This book sounds incredible! I’d love the chance to read it. I hope I can one day pick this book up!

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

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-Till next time!

The ABC Book Challenge: The Sands of time!

We at it again with the ABC Book Challenge! We are getting closer and closer to the finish line and I’m excited to finish this out and start out new tags and challenges for the future.

On to the books!

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “S”:

Starfish

At one point this book was #1 book of all time and it is still a book I absolutely adore. However, it’s edged out by my original #1 The Giver simply because on a re-read I realized that some of the reasons I adored the book no longer apply. (Although, most of my reasons are still sound.. I’d recommend this book to anyone and everyone). Either way, I’ll shout out my love of this book off rooftops. I adore it to the end!

Stalking Jack the Ripper

Kerri has such amazing writing and I am so invested in Audrey’s story! I just got to start Escaping from Houdini and the writing has only gotten better! I love these books!

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “S”:

Six of Crows

“Enter the Grishaverse with the #1 New York Times–bestselling Six of Crows.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.  

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo returns to the breathtaking world of the Grishaverse in this unforgettable tale about the opportunity—and the adventure—of a lifetime”

A beloved book that I’m lucky enough to have been gifted on my shelves. I am excited to read it someday soon!

Stitching Snow

“Princess Snow is missing. Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all. Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines. When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. In her enthralling debut, R.C. Lewis weaves the tale of a princess on the run from painful secrets . . . and a poisonous queen. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.”

I saw this book in a thrift store and had to pick it up! It looks like an awesome Sci-fi retelling!

Thank you all for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

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-Till next time!

The ABC Book Challenge: check out the Ratings!

And so the saga continues…. it is ever closer to the end and this challenge is literally over a year in the making.. I will finally feel free once this is all over, but for now, it’s time to celebrate books with the Letter “R”.

On to the books!

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “R”:

Ramona Blue

I adore this book! It’s so well written. It has great characters and a great plot. It’s fast paced and it talks about some really important subjects. I highly recommend this contemporary.

Rogue

I love Julie Kagawa! Her works are incredible and I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read from her. Rogue is no exception and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “R”:

Replica

“Lyra’s story begins in the Haven Institute, a building tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida that from a distance looks serene and even beautiful. But up close the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, Haven is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed. When a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects—Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72—manage to escape.

Gemma has been in and out of hospitals for as long as she can remember. A lonely teen, her life is circumscribed by home, school, and her best friend, April. But after she is nearly abducted by a stranger claiming to know her, Gemma starts to investigate her family’s past and discovers her father’s mysterious connection to the secretive Haven research facility. Hungry for answers, she travels to Florida, only to stumble upon two replicas and a completely new set of questions.

While the stories of Lyra and Gemma mirror each other, each contains breathtaking revelations critically important to the other story. Using hotlinks in this electronic edition, readers can decide how they would like to read the book, as with the print version. They can read the story of Gemma or Lyra straight through first, followed by the other girl’s story, or they can move between chapters in Lyra’s and Gemma’s sections. No matter how it is read, Replica is an ambitious, thought-provoking masterwork.”

I own this book and still haven’t gotten to it. Trust me, I’m going to be reading this very soon. I’ve always loved the idea of the format and with two more in the series I know I’m going to devour it!

Reign of the Fallen

“Without the dead, she’d be no one.

Odessa is one of Karthia’s master necromancers, catering to the kingdom’s ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it’s Odessa’s job to raise them by retrieving their soul from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised: the Dead must remain shrouded. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, a grotesque transformation begins, turning the Dead into terrifying, bloodthirsty Shades.

A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears around the kingdom. Soon, a crushing loss of one of her closest companions leaves Odessa shattered, and reveals a disturbing conspiracy in Karthia: Someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead–and training them to attack. Odessa is forced to contemplate a terrifying question: What if her magic is the weapon that brings the kingdom to its knees?

Fighting alongside her fellow mages–and a powerful girl as enthralling as she is infuriating–Odessa must untangle the gruesome plot to destroy Karthia before the Shades take everything she loves.

Perfect for fans of Three Dark Crowns and Red Queen, Reign of the Fallen is a gutsy, unpredictable read with a surprising and breathtaking LGBT romance at its core.”

I also own this book and I’m mad at how long it’s taken me to pick it up.. I’m going to read this very soon! It’s really high up on my tbr.

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

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-Till next time!

The ABC Book Challenge: The Queendom has Arrived

I’ve been updating regularly and I don’t want to stop just because I’m out of ideas for what to post today (especially because my main post ideas are going to take time I don’t have right now) so here we are with another ABC Book Challenge post! I’m charging through these at the moment. I’m at a point where I feel like I can see the end.

On with the books!

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “Q” :

Queens of Geek

I don’t know why I didn’t review this book. I totally forgot to. However the book is quite memorable and so worth the read! It’s funny, cute, and adorable! I highly recommend it!

Queen of Shadows

This book is SO GOOD!! Most everyone in the community knows about Throne of Glass and it is a popular series for a reason. It’s an all around amazing fantasy and I love it!

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “Q”:

Quarantine: A Love Story

“Oliver wants a girlfriend, and there’s a girl back home who might be interested in him. The problem is, he has to spend his spring break on a volunteer trip in the Dominican Republic. Flora, on the other hand, isn’t really looking for a boyfriend. She just wants to end a miserable spring break visiting her dad and her new stepmom in the D.R.

The solution to both their problems? Get back home to New York ASAP. Sadly, they won’t be getting there anytime soon. 

Their hopes are dashed when Flora’s impulsiveness lands them in quarantine — just the two of them. Now, the two teens must come together in order to survive life in a bubble for 30 days. In that time, love will bloom. But is it the real thing, or just a placebo effect? 

In her debut novel, Katie Cicatelli-Kuc delivers an introspective and witty story about finding love in the most unexpected place.”

This Story sounds cute. I sometimes need books like this. Plus, I’m so in love with this cover! It’s so adorable!

Queen of Hearts

“The first novel in Colleen Oakes’s epic, imaginative series tells the origin of one of the most infamous villains—the Queen of Hearts.

This is not the story of the Wonderland we know. Alice has not fallen down a rabbit hole. This is a Wonderland where beneath each smile lies a secret, each tart comes with a demand, and only prisoners tell the truth.

Dinah is the princess who will one day reign over Wonderland. She has not yet seen the dark depths of her kingdom; she longs only for her father’s approval and a future with the boy she loves. But when a betrayal breaks her heart and threatens her throne, she is launched into Wonderland’s dangerous political game. Dinah must stay one step ahead of her cunning enemies or she’ll lose not just the crown but her head.”

Fantasy about the origin of the queen of hearts? I need to read this!

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

-Till next time!

The ABC Book Challenge: what’s up Pal!

Welcome back to one of the few challenges I am wholly committed to completing the ABC book challenge! We are on to the letter “P” and I’m very happy to continue moving forward.

On to the books!

Memorable Books That Start With the Letter “P”:

Pretties

This Book is a big part of the beginning of my reading life. I remember loving the Uglies series when. I was younger and I may no longer own the books, but the memory stays forever.

Passion

I don’t know if I’d touch this series now, but in elementary, I loved the hell out of the fallen series. I don’t actually remember much about Passion, but Perks starts with The so I am trying to stay true to my formula here. I just remember having a fat crush on Luce.

Books I’d Love to Read Starting With the Letter “P”:

P.S. I Still Love You

“Given the way love turned her heart in the New York Times bestselling To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which School Library Journal called a “lovely, lighthearted romance,” it’s no surprise that Laura Jean still has letters to write.

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.”

I FINALLY own this book!!! After so many years of wanting to read it I own it and I hope to get to it very soon!

Pumpkinheads

“In Pumpkinheads, beloved #1 New York Timesbestselling author Rainbow Rowell and Eisner Award–winning artist Faith Erin Hicks have teamed up to create this tender and hilarious story about two irresistible teens discovering what it means to leave behind a place—and a person—with no regrets.

Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends.

Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.

But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if—instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .

What if their last shift was an adventure?”

One of my life’s goals is to read some good graphic novels. This one looks like it could be one of them. It looks adorable and fluffy and full of autumn vibes and I am all for it!

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

-Till next time!

The ABC Book Challenge: Making it golden

I bet the lot of you didn’t expect me to keep this going after not doing one of these in months, but once I make a promise to do something I keep it. I’m getting through this challenge.. one way or another.

On to the books!

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “M”:

Magic with Skin On

“In her much-anticipated debut poetry collection, Morgan Nikola-Wren has woven her signature romantic grit through a stunning, modern-day fairy tale. Chronicling the relationship between a lonely artist and her absent–albeit abusive–muse, Magic with Skin On will gently break you, then put you back together again.”

This was a magical poetry collection. It was really fun to read and had some beautiful and unique poems. I was so happy for the chance to read it!

Milk and Honey

“Rupi Kaur’s milk and honey, is a New York Times bestselling collection of poetry and prose about survival, the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity.

The book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. Deals with a different pain. Heals a different heartache. milk and honey takes listeners through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them—because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.”

The highly popular Milk and Honey is another really great poetry collection. I enjoyed the artistic nature of it most.

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “M”:

Missing, Presumed Dead

“When eighteen-year-old Lexi foresees the brutal murder of a young woman outside a club in downtown L.A., she is powerless to stop it.

But then the girl’s ghost appears, seeking vengeance, and Lexi is swept into a dangerous search that could put her directly in the path of a serial killer. From the author of Devils Unto Dust, this fast-paced and literary thriller will haunt fans of Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious and Karen M. McManus’s One of Us Is Lying.  

With a touch, Lexi can sense how and when someone will die. Some say it’s a gift. But to Lexi it’s a curse—one that keeps her friendless and alone. All that changes when Lexi foresees the violent death of a young woman, Jane, outside a club.

Jane doesn’t go to the afterlife quietly. Her ghost remains behind, determined to hunt down her murderer, and she needs Lexi’s help. In life, Jane was everything Lexi is not—outgoing, happy, popular. But in death, all Jane wants is revenge.

Lexi will do anything to help Jane, to make up for the fact that she didn’t—couldn’t—save Jane’s life, and to keep this beautiful ghost of a girl by her side for as long as possible.

Emma Berquist’s second novel is a haunting and atmospheric murder mystery that tackles themes of depression, loneliness, love, and identity. This high-concept novel is for fans of Holly Black’s The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series.”

Paranormal criminal investigation? Count me in!

Meat Market

“Jana Novak’s history sounds like a classic model cliché: tall and gangly, she’s uncomfortable with her androgynous looks until she’s unexpectedly scouted and catapulted to superstardom.

But the fashion industry is as grimy as it is glamorous. And there are unexpected predators at every turn.

Jana is an ordinary girl from a south London estate, lifted to unimaginable heights. But the further you rise, the more devastating your fall …

Honest and raw, this is a timely exposé of the dark underbelly of the fashion industry in an era of #TimesUp and #MeToo. It might just be Juno Dawson’s most important book yet.

‘Juno Dawson slashes through the glamour of the fashion industry … combining blockbuster appeal with piercing commentary on modelling, body image and consent’ Observer”

Honestly in this for the cover… but the story itself sounds so unique and unlike anything I’ve read before.

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

-Till next time!

The ABC Book Challenge: you must be Joking!

You know I’m back from my sort of hiatus when this challenge comes out for a swing. It’s back to the regularly scheduled programming. Welcome back to the ABC Book Challenge!

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “J”:

Jane Eyre

“Fiery love, shocking twists of fate, and tragic mysteries put a lonely governess in jeopardy in JANE EYRE

Orphaned as a child, Jane has felt an outcast her whole young life. Her courage is tested once again when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, where she has been hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to his troubled yet kind spirit. She falls in love. Hard.

But there is a terrifying secret inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall. Is Rochester hiding from Jane? Will Jane be left heartbroken and exiled once again?”

One of my all time favorite classics Jane Eyre of course is one of the most memorable reads of my life. I read it as an audiobook and it is the only audiobook I’ve ever read.. and it was so good! I love everything about Jane Eyre!

Just One of the Boys

“Alice Bell has one goal: to play for the elite junior hockey team the Chicago Falcons. But when she’s passed over at tryouts for being a girl, she’ll do anything to make her dream a reality…even disguising herself as her twin brother. With her amazing skills on the ice, Alice is sure she’ll fit in easily. That is, until she starts falling for one of her teammates…

Hayden Tremblay, star of the Falcons, can’t keep himself out of the penalty box. Constantly living in the shadow of his older brother, Hayden’s losing his passion for hockey. But when he gets shown up on the ice by the Falcons’ new rookie, Hayden’s determined to teach the kid a thing or two. Little does he guess that “Al’s” surprises on the ice are just the beginning…”

This book made my heart all fuzzy and warm. I read it because I think I’ve always wanted that romance on the ice (one of the places where I’ve felt the most free and beautiful). I’ve always loved figure skating romance movies and the girl who skated who skated for almost 5 years sometimes wishes she could go back and feel that kind of freedom again.

Books on my TBR that Start with the Letter “J”:

Jane Steele

“Reader, I murdered him.

A Gothic retelling of Jane Eyre.

Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked – but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors.

A fugitive navigating London’s underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate’s true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household’s strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him – body, soul and secrets – and what if he discovers her murderous past?”

Well, well, well, if it isn’t a rendition of my most memorable read with the letter “J”. A really awesome one that I’m really mad that I own and haven’t read yet. Plus it has one of the most awesome covers ever!

Jane

“Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance.

But there’s a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane’s much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?

An irresistible romance interwoven with a darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.”

Ohh.. wow. Could this be another Jane Eyre retelling that I own and haven’t read yet? Why yes indeed! Can you all see my problem? I need help. I also need more Jane Eyre retellings to add to my collection cough cough *brightly burning* cough. I swear I’m going to read the two I have. I swear it!

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below. Let me know if your doing this challenge and if so what letter you are on? I don’t know why I love this challenge so much, but I do!

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-Till next time!

The ABC Book Challenge: the world is Golden!

I know it’s been a while, but don’t think I forgot about this incredibly fun challenge! Let’s see what I can come up with for the letter “G”.

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “G”:

Graceling

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Graceling is the book that started my love for Kristin Cashore and all of her works. If there ever was a riveting fantasy that literally stole your breath it is this book. I’m so very deeply in love with it.

Gilded Cage

In modern-day Britain, magic users control everything: wealth, politics, power—and you. If you’re not one of the ultimate one-percenters—the magical elite—you owe them ten years of service. Do those years when you’re old, and you’ll never get through them. Do them young, and you’ll never get over them.

This is the darkly decadent world of Gilded Cage. In its glittering milieu move the all-powerful Jardines and the everyday Hadleys. The families have only one thing in common: Each has three children. But their destinies entwine when one family enters the service of the other. They will all discover whether any magic is more powerful than the human spirit.

Have a quick ten years. . .

I have always loved the concept for this book. When I read it I truly enjoyed all the political nuance and plot. It’s a great book for sure!

Books I would love to read starting with the letter “G”:

Given to the Sea

Everyone has a place.

Khosa was born to be fed to the sea, to prevent the kind of wave that once destroyed the Kingdom of Stille. She can’t be sacrificed until she produces an heir, but human touch repulses her…except for the touch of the Indiri.

Dara and Donil are the last of the Indiri, a native race with magic that’s seductive—a force of nature—but dwindling since the Pietra slaughtered their people.

Witt leads the Pietra, the fierce warriors who are now marching on the Kingdom of Stille. The stone shores of Witt’s kingdom harbor a secret threat, and to ensure the survival of his people, he’s prepared to conquer every speck of Stille’s soil.

Vincent stands to inherit the throne of Stille, but has no wife to share it with. When the beautiful and mysterious Khosa arrives without an heir, Vincent knows that his father will stop at nothing to make sure she fulfills her duty. Torn between protecting his kingdom and protecting the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence, Vincent’s loyalty is soon at odds with his heart.

While royals scheme, Pietrans march, and the Indiri struggle to survive, the rising sea calls for its Given, and Khosa is destined to answer.

Give me a book centered around the sea and I’m happy. I’ve been wanting to read this gem for a good while now!

Gemina

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

I Loved Illuminae and all I want is the second book so I can deep dive into the saga once more. I just know I will love it!

Thanks for reading! What “G” letter books have you read and loved or want to read? Have you joined on the ABC book challenge?

-Till next time!

The Listicle Tag

The Listicle Tag was a Tag that had its hayday over a year ago. I was fortunate enough to have gotten tagged twice once by Amy @amysbookcorner and once by Kate @meltingpotsandothercalamities . I thank both of them for tagging me and I apologize for not having participated in this tag in the year since they tagged me.

The definition of Listicle is:

Rules

• Create your own listicle tag, using the prompt from the person who tagged you.

• Tag the creator of the post (not-so-modern-girl!) so that I can read all your brilliant posts and see how the joy of listicles is being spread.

• Nominate as many people as you want!

• Set those 5 people the subject/prompt of their listicle post!

Amy’s Theme: The Top 5 Most Anticipated Reads/Releases of 2017

So 2017 has gone, but there are still some 2017 releases that I anticipate reading. Here they are

1. The Hate You Give

An absolute must read that I just haven’t gotten to purchase yet. This book is a necessary read I can’t wait to get to!

2. Strange the Dreamer

I can’t wait to to finally own and read Strange the Dreamer. I love Laini’s writing and I know that this is a book I would love!

3. Warcross

Any book about being in a video game is a book I want to read. I love it when books do things like this that and I also am excited to read something from Marie Lu finally.

4. Given to the Sea

I remember hearing about this book and wanting to read it so badly! I don’t remember what it was about, but honestly from that cover I would open up that book no matter what.

5. Wicked Like a Wildfire

This book is magical realism and that is a genre that does not have enough books, but I really want to read a lot of.

Kate’s Theme: Top 5 Psychological Thrillers/Mysteries

I haven’t read many Thrillers yet, but I hadn’t read any in the time that I got tagged for this so, maybe it is a blessing I took so long to get to this.

1. Sharp Objects

This was the first psychological thrillers I ever read and it was also the best I’ve read so far. It was dark and gross and really suspenseful. I really enjoyed it.

2. S.T.A.G.S.

S.T.A.G.S. is one of the books I read recently and it was an awesome ya thriller. It turned my stomach and filled me with excitement. I loved it!

3. And Then There Were None

This was one book I loved that I read for my freshman year of high school. It led me to want to read more Agatha Christie and introduced me to Mystery as a genre.

4. Bad Call

This was a slower paced thriller that was more atmospheric and strange then anything else. It was filled with its tension and suspense.

5. 13 Minutes

Everything about this book including the cover is misleading. It is a wonderful ya thriller and I enjoyed the many twists and turns it had.

Your it… I tag anyone reading right now who is interested in doing this tag to participate.

Your Theme (challenge) if you choose to take it: 5 of your greatest fears in novel form

For example if your afraid of the ocean you can pick The Life of Pi or Fear of bugs you can pick The Bees or Charlottes web. For my fear I’m afraid of losing a family member so I might choose The Hunger Games or Mocking Jay because of the sisters death or ru’s death. I wanted to be a little different and insightful so I hope some of you are up for the challenge.

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

-Till next time!