Always Me

On Friday's I take part in three weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by  Freda's Voice , Book Beginnings, hosted by  Rose City Reader , and 50/50 Friday is a new weekly link up and it is hosted by  Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader  and  Laura @ Blue Eye Books . For The Friday 56, you choose a book, a book you have just finished, a book you are about to start, your current read, and share a line or a few lines that grab you (but don't spoil anything) from page 56 or 56% of the way through the ebook. Post it and share your post's url on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post. As for Book Beginnings, you share the first sentence or so and your initial thoughts, impressions, or whatever else it inspires, and then link up your post's url with Rose City Reader. Then, for 50/50 Friday, every week there's a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - you share a book that suits each category and link up on the hosts blogs. This week I'm spotli...

How has May gone by so quickly?  Anyway, now that means that I've completed 10 out of 24 books of  Book Riot's 2019 Read Harder Challenge !  The tasks I completed  this month required me to read a humor book   and a  book by a journalist or about journalism .   For the tasks, I selected   The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared  by Jonas Jonasson  and  In Cold Blood  by Truman Capote .   Read on to see my mini reviews and what's next for June: ❋  ❋  ❋  ❋ The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared  by Jonas Jonasson  is a quirky adventure. I liked getting to know Allan in the present day sections of the story involving the suitcase full of money, criminals, and an elephant, but my loved his flashbacks.  It's awesome to see all of the major world events he's seen and historical figures that he's met over the yea...

Happy Wednesday everyone!  As you may know, June is Pride Month and I decided to celebrate the occasion by tackling five LGBTQIAP books this month.  I've had my eyes on these for ages and I can't wait to get to them.  Which one should I read first? A Case of Possession  (A Charm of Magpies #2) by K.J. Charles  - I read book one, The Magpie Lord , a couple of years ago and it was pretty great.  The series is a M/M historical fantasy perfect for fans of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell . The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy ( Montague Siblings #2) by Mackenzi Lee  - Felicity was my favorite character of the first book and I'm dying to see her lead the sequel.  I have no idea why I haven't already read it. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo  by Taylor Jenkins Reid  - I've heard so many great things about this and it's about time I try it for myself. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller  - After re...

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to the Top Ten Tuesday now hosted by  That Artsy Reader Girl .  This week's topic is Favorite Books Released In The Last Ten Years (one for each year) (submitted by Anne @ Head Full of Books ).  This is going to be so difficult!  Here we go - beginning in 2018 and working my way all the way back to 2008: 2018: Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood 2017:   A Conjuring of Light ( Shades of Magic #3) by V.E. Schwab 2016: Borderline ( The Arcadia Project #1) by Mishell Baker 2015:   The Girl with Ghost Eyes ( The Daoshi Chronicles #1) by M.H. Boroson 2014:   Cress ( The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer 2013:   Written in Red ( The Others #1) by Anne Bishop 2012:   The Raven Boys ( The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater 2011:   11/22/63  by Stephen King 2010:   Room by Emma Donoghue 2009:   The Monstrumologist ( The Monstrumol...

Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately!  If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below. Rules: Every Monday share a few songs you've been enjoying lately.  It doesn't have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites - just something you'd like to share with others.  If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s). If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post's url. This week I'm spotlighting three songs - Bobby Vee's "Beautiful People" (1967), Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey" (1968), and John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (1971) .  I've grown up listening to these songs, but a few days ago I was reminded me of just how much I like them.  I had an old VHS tape ...

❋  ❋ I received an ARC from the publisher, Koru House Press, in exchange for an honest review. Four p.m. spy sessions are the highlight of Mallory Taylor’s day. Observing the boy next door—one with a body and an attitude to match—has her perched beside her window so often it can't be healthy. When she finally convinces her mom to let her go to public school, Mallory comes face to face with her neighbor, Troy Parker. And he makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. His rejection awakens a newfound tenacity and maybe even a touch of recklessness. But when Troy starts to show up when she needs him the most, Mallory can’t help but wonder if there’s more to him than he’s let on. Taking chances, breaking rules, and following her heart is all new to Mallory. And no one warned her just how fickle hearts can be. When she discovers that Troy isn’t at all the guy she imagined him to be, secrets rise to the surface that will change her life forever. I Spy the Boy Next Door by S...

❋  ❋  ❋  ❋ I received a copy of this book from Book Review 22 in exchange for a honest review. Iris never expected to live her life trapped on land. Nor was she prepared for what she would find there. A siren isn't supposed to fall in love with her prey. When Jace moved to Santa Cruz, he never imagined he'd risk his life to protect a monster. He soon finds that ancient myth has become reality. And not every pretty face is what it seems. After Iris sings her siren's song to Jace — a hypnotic melody that leads men to death beneath the waves — both of their worlds are turned upside down. Will Iris give in to her bloodlust or will she turn her back on everything she's ever known? As the tide runs red with the blood of the Harvest, Iris must choose: save the life of the human boy she loves or sacrifice her chance at humanity forever. I'm so glad I decided to try The Harvest ( Call of the Sirens #1) by K.B. Benson. Honestly, I have a hard time resisting anythin...

On Friday's I take part in three weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by  Freda's Voice , Book Beginnings, hosted by  Rose City Reader , and 50/50 Friday is a new weekly link up and it is hosted by  Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader  and  Laura @ Blue Eye Books . For The Friday 56, you choose a book, a book you have just finished, a book you are about to start, your current read, and share a line or a few lines that grab you (but don't spoil anything) from page 56 or 56% of the way through the ebook. Post it and share your post's url on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post. As for Book Beginnings, you share the first sentence or so and your initial thoughts, impressions, or whatever else it inspires, and then link up your post's url with Rose City Reader. Then, for 50/50 Friday, every week there's a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - you share a book that suits each category and link up on the hosts blogs. This week I'm spotli...

Happy Tuesday everyone!   I'm very excited to welcome you all to my leg of the  Bright Burning Stars  blog tour !   Today, you'll find the details and summary for this novel,  an excerpt from the first chapter, and an about the author,  A.K. Small .  Thanks for visiting my stop on this b log tour! Title:  Bright Burning Stars Author: A.K. Smal  Publisher:  Algonquin Young Readers  ( Twitter ,  Instagram ,  Facebook ) Publication Date:  May 21, 2019 Price:  $17.95 Format:  Hardcover Pages:  304 As a young ballerina in Paris, young adult novelist A. K. Small studied at the famous Académie Chaptal and later danced with companies across the US. Inspired by the dancers from her childhood, Small weaves a vivid story of a fiercely competitive female friendship in her dazzling debut, Bright Burning Stars . Following two teens fighting for center stage and a spot in the Op...

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to the Top Ten Tuesday now hosted by  That Artsy Reader Girl .  This week's topic is Books That I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch which was submitted by Savannah Grace @ Scattered .  Here we go, in no particular order: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Sure my hardback copies of the series are worn, but I have too many memories to give them up. Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab - I want to keep these in good condition for as long as I can. The Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman - I have all of the books in this awesome urban fantasy series and I don't want to take a chance with them. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - I have all of the books in the series so far and I don't want to lose any of them.  I can't wait for the next installment to be released. The Among Us Trilogy by Anne-Rae Vasquez - This series is a real gem and I had the opportunity to act as a beta reader for the second and thir...