Always Me

  Happy Tuesday everyone!  I hope everyone's been doing well.  I've now completed 8 tasks for  Book Riot's 2024 Read Harder Challenge .  The tasks I completed this month required me to read a  “howdunit” or “whydunit” mystery   and to read an indie published collection of poetry by a BIPOC or queer author.   I selected  In the Woods  ( Dublin Murder Squad  #1) by Tana French  and  the sun and her flowers  by Rupi Kaur  respectively.   Read on to see my mini reviews and my plans for next month: ❋   ❋  ❋ In the Woods  ( Dublin Murder Squad  #1) by Tana French  is a book I had high expectations for, but it just kind of dragged for me.  I really liked how it started off, but it started to lose me a bit as it went on.  Maybe it should have been shorter.   I don't think I'll check out the rest of the series.  My review is also on Goodreads . ❋   ❋  ❋ the sun and her flowers  by Rupi Kaur  is a poetry collection that I've had my eye on for awhile now.  While this autho

    Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday which is is hosted by  That Artsy Reader Girl .  This week's topic is Petty Reasons You’ve DNF’d a Book, but I've decided to feature some of my favorite Books With Flowers On The Cover.  Without further ado, here we go in alphabetical order by title: Damsel by Elana K. Arnold Felix Ever After by Karen Calendar Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust Horrid by Katherine Leto House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland Lobizona  ( Wolves of No World #1) by Romina Garber She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo Have you read any of these books?  What are some of your favorite books with flowers on the cover?   As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!

Happy Monday everyone!  Today, I'm sharing my April update for the  12 Books 12 Friends Reading Challenge 2024 .  In April, I managed to complete 1 book for a total 9 out of the 12 books.  Without further ado, keep reading to see my thoughts on the book I read in April: ❋   ❋  ❋  ❋ Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane  had been on my tbr for way too long and I'm glad I finally decided to try it. It's been ages since I've read anything from him, but this felt quite cinematic.  I'm glad I listened to the audiobook because Robin Miles did a fantastic job bringing it all to life. I can't quite say I actually liked any of these characters, but I was quite impressed with the story itself. My review is also on Goodreads . Are you taking part in this challenge?  Have you read this book?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!

              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. Happy Monday everyone!  This week I'm spotlighting some of my favorites from Farya Faraji .  I love listening to his music and I'm surprised I've never featured it here before now.  Give a listen to Le Tourdion , Et la Mer et l'Amour , Agincourt Carol , and Y Gododdin :  You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to

                      On Friday's I take part in two weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by  Freda's Voice  ( Anne @ My Head Is Full of Books  is currently managing hosting duties), and Book Beginnings, hosted by  Rose City Reader .  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.  Happy Friday everyone!  This week I'm spotlighting one of my one of my  Beat The Backlist 2024  books,  Daughter of the Deep  by Rick Riordan .  It's going to be so much fun to read this standalone. Beginning:  Did you know more

    Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday which is is hosted by  That Artsy Reader Girl .  This week's topic is Unread Books On My Shelves I Want To Read Soon.  These books have been on my tbr for way too long.  Without further ado, here we go in alphabetical order by title: Ashes of the Sun ( Burningblade & Silvereye #1) by Django Wexler The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup The Hammer by K.J. Parker Innocent Mage ( Kingmaker, Kingbreaker #1) by Karen Miller Knight's Shadow  ( Greatcoats #2) by Sebastien de Castell Scourge ( Darkhurst #1) by Gail Z. Martin The Shadow of the Wind ( The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1) by Carlos Ruiz Zafron Tam Lin by Pamela Dean The View From the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction by Neil Gaimam Have you read any of these books?  Which should I read next?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!

            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. Happy Monday everyone!  This week I'm spotlighting a couple of favorites from Elthin .  I don't remember how I found out about this Czech Medieval & Renaissance Ensemble but I love listening to their stuff on YouTube.  Give a listen to Je vivroie liement and  Parson's Farewell : You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click he

                      On Friday's I take part in two weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by  Freda's Voice  ( Anne @ My Head Is Full of Books  is currently managing hosting duties), and Book Beginnings, hosted by  Rose City Reader .  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.  Happy Friday everyone!  This week I'm spotlighting one of my one of my  Beat The Backlist 2024  books,  A Dowry of Blood  ( A Dowry of Blood  #1) by S.T. Gibson .  I've heard a lot of great things about this and it sounds like I&

    Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday which is is hosted by  That Artsy Reader Girl .  This week's topic is Characters I'd Like To Go On Vacation With.  This was a tough one for me, but I think I picked out some great characters from ten separate stories.   Amina Al-Sirafi from - The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi ( Amina al-Sirafi #1) by Shannon Chakraborty - I think any trip with her would be quite an adventure! Angel, Cordelia, and Doyle - Close to the Ground ( Buffyverse #49) by Jeff Mariotte - I really get a kick out of the fun little character moments between Angel, Cordelia, and Doyle in this tie-in novel and the tv series.  I would definitely go on that studio tour that Cordy guides! Kel, Lila, Rhy, and Alucard - The Fragile Threads of Power ( Threads of Power #1) by V.E. Schwab - Honestly, I think I would enjoy going on any trip with these four! Kate Bishop and Kamala Khan - Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King by Ashley Poston  - I think this is more of a ca

          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. Happy Monday everyone!  This week I'm spotlighting a couple favorite lofi mixes from The Jazz Hop Cafe .  I love listening to this channel and I enjoy the variety of their stuff.  Give a listen to the speakeasy and egyptian oasis : You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

                    On Friday's I take part in two weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by  Freda's Voice  ( Anne @ My Head Is Full of Books  is currently managing hosting duties), and Book Beginnings, hosted by  Rose City Reader .  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.  Happy Friday everyone!  This week I'm spotlighting one of my one of my  Beat The Backlist 2024  books,  Diving into the Wreck  ( Diving Universe  #1) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch .  I found a copy of this at a thrift store and it sounds r