The “TBR” Book Tag

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

It is Tuesday that means it is time for a tag! I was trying to find one and when scrolling through Kayla’s Booktube channel, I found this one! Since we are so close to the end of the year, I just wanted something quick and easy. This seemed the best option.

Question One:
How do you keep track of your TBR pile?
I try to keep track of them all on my actual GoodReads to-be-read shelf but not all of my books are on there. Other than that, I just keep a mental note since all of my books are organized by series or genre.

Question Two:
Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?
97% of my TBR is print. I do have some eBooks but not many.

Question Three:
How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?
Normally, I plan out a TBR based on what my mood wants to read but I do tend to try to finish series I have in progress. It also depends on what readathon I am working on during that month.

Question Four:
A Book That’s Been On Your TBR List The Longest?
According to GoodReads, the first book I added to my To-Be-Read list is Attachments by Rainbow Rowell.

Question Five:
A Book You Recently Added To Your TBR?
The last book I added to my TBR, before adding my recently hauled books, is The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager.

Question Six:
A Book In Your TBR Strictly Because Of Its Beautiful Cover?
The first book that comes to mind is The Lantern’s Ember by Colleen Houck. I have many but I think this is my favorite, hence why it is often the answer to questions like this.

Question Seven:
A Book On Your TBR That You Never Plan on Reading?
I currently have All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven on my TBR list but I have the feeling after everything I have heard about it, it is not a book I am hurrying to get to any time soon.

Question Eight:
An Unpublished Book On Your TBR That You’re Excited For?
Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon comes out in February 2020 and it is a book I have wanted to get to. It is a contemporary Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Question Nine:
A Book On Your TBR That Basically Everyone’s Read But You
A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a book that I feel like everyone in the book community has read but me. Hopefully I can get to it before the sequel comes out next year.

Question Ten:
A Book On Your TBR That Everyone Recommends To You
Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf is a relatively unknown book in the community but I have had a couple friends read and tell me that it is one that I would enjoy. It is on the list of series I want to start in 2020 so I might get to it sooner rather than later.

Question Eleven:
A Book On Your TBR That You’re Dying To Read
There are many books I want to read on my TBR but when I feel like after I get through Capturing the Devil later this week, I will be in the mood for books with science and historical elements. I want to pick up Cadaver and Queen by Alisa Kwitney. This is also a Frankenstein retelling.

Question Twelve:
How many books are on your TBR shelf?
According to GoodReads, I have 300 books on my TBR but I feel like after unhauling some books and hauling other books, I have anywhere between 250 and 350.

Taylor’s Weekly TBR 12.09.19

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

Hello everyone! Instead of boring you with excuses for why there have been no posts, we will just dive right on into what couple of books I want to work on this coming week!

Firstly, I would like to finish Kingsbane by Claire Legrand. I was listening to this as an audiobook and I was really enjoying it but the load expired and I am now on a wait list to finish it. I am currently on page 472 of 587 so I have a little over 100 pages before I finish it. So, fingers are crossed that I manage to get this finished before the end of this week.

While I do not have any plans for an audiobook this week, I am about to open up Libby and see what I can find from the couple of libraries I have access to. I would like to be caught up on the Shatter Me series so I found and borrowed the audiobook for Defy Me which is the fifth book in the series by Tahereh Mafi.

Thinking about the books I have on my shelves that I would like to start at the end of the week, my brain went straight to Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco. This is the final book of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series and I am hoping to wrap up a couple series this month and this is one so it would be perfect to start at the end of the week.

Chelsea Stuck On Repeat

~ A Very Bookish Girl ~ Leave a comment

Long time no see blog. I’m so glad you guys have Taylor to create amazing content for you all because I completely suck at it! I’ve been going through quiet the reading and life slump honestly. But the past week has been better for me so I think I’m on the up hill swing of things. So I figured since today is a day that Taylor shares her Stuck On Repeats I’d share mine for the month of October. It’s been a long time since I made one of my SoR videos as well, so I hope you guys like it. There were so many good comebacks and debuts in the month that it’s a long one.

Stuck on Repeat 11.23.19

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

Another week has come and gone! We are nearing the end of the year and while it is exciting it is also terrifying. I am ready for the new year but also want to repeat this near perfect year. Enough of my musing, I have five songs that have been on repeat for the last seven days!

Red by The Rose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pF3HCuFHvY

This song came on while I was cleaning my kitchen and I just had to stop and listen. Once I figured out who it was, I was done for. Something about this song opened up my love for The Rose and I have not looked back since! I have been trying to spread the word of how perfect these four boys are.

Mist by Ateez

Earlier this week, I went through a rough phase and this was the song I had on repeat while I worked my way through the break down. Monday was my one year with Kpop and my own one year with Ateez so it was even sweeter to me. It also helps that Chelsea and I are planning a massive trip to see these eight twice during their tour next year.

Blue Flame by Astro

This is my first come back with Astro and I was not let down. These boys are climbing their way up my list, quickly becoming six of my favorite boys. One of my goals for 2020 is to see these guys with Chelsea.

Black Out by CIX

This. Song. It is one of the best B-Sides I have heard this year. They just had their come back earlier this week and already I have this feeling for this song. So. GOOD!

Tattoo by The Boyz

This is their first comeback since one of their members left and they are still so strong. This is my second comeback with The Boyz and while I loved D.D.D. a whole lot, I think the darker concepts will always be my favorite.

Review: The Guinevere Deception

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
Published: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retelling
Rating: ★★★

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot. There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl. Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot. To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free. Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

I was approved for the e-ARC of this book through NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

The idea of this book was so fun and so interesting! I wasn’t as obsessed with Arthurian times as a lot of people seem to be but I do know the stories and always enjoyed seeing cartoon moves about this time period. I think not knowing much about the original tale might have hindered my experience with this book. I was confused a solid 40%-50% of the story and while I feel it can be partially my fault, it can also be with the story telling. The reveals were too slow or they would come at a time that made no sense. Things did pick up after the 50% mark but by then I was just waiting for the story to be over. It was saved by the ending though because when I say things picked up, they PICKED UP!

Like I said, the idea of this story is amazing. Female empowerment during a time like this was unheard of but the fact that Kiersten spun a world where there were feminist themes just intrigued me. I had the feeling something was off the moment the first chapter ended. From then on, I was confused and just questioning everything. While I feel like that was meant to happen, I do not feel like leaving the reader in the dark for 40-50% is good writing. While this could have been totally my fault, I found out that I am not the only one who felt this way.

It took too long for anything to get solved and when it did, it would give me one or two more questions! When a big reveal happened about 60% of the way through the book, things really took off. Action packed and I found myself just turning page after page to find out what was going to happen. Then, it was over. I was sad because I felt like things were finally happening and then, it was all over. I did like the ending enough to give this book three stars, otherwise it would have been a solid two stars for me.

I am looking forward to the next book but currently, I am not dying for it. I will give this book a shot in it’s final form before the second book in the series comes out but I am in no rush to reread it right now. I feel like the audiobook might be a good way to go because I know when things get confusing, hearing the story helps me to keep everything in line. So when a reread is due, I will give the story a listen.

Top Five Wednesday: 11.13.19

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

We are nearing the end of the year already. It is insane to think the year has passed already. When I think about all the books I wanted to read this year, it makes my heart happy since I have read the majority of those books. Out of that list, here are the five I am still anticipating to get to. These are in no particular order.

Five Books on the Top of the TBR Pile

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned. As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage. Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all. Set in a world of powerful women, dark magic, and off-the-charts romance, book one of this stunning fantasy duology will leave readers burning for more.

At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband’s household or raise his children. Both paths promise a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school’s top student, but her pedigree is a lie. She must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society. And school couldn’t prepare her for the difficult choices she must make after graduation, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani cling to the privilege her parents fought to win for her, or will she give up everything she’s strived for in pursuit of a free Medio—and a chance at a forbidden love?

Katsuyamas never quit—but seventeen-year-old CJ doesn’t even know where to start. She’s never lived up to her mom’s type A ambition, and she’s perfectly happy just helping her aunt, Hannah, at their family’s flower shop. She doesn’t buy into Hannah’s romantic ideas about flowers and their hidden meanings, but when it comes to arranging the perfect bouquet, CJ discovers a knack she never knew she had. A skill she might even be proud of. Then her mom decides to sell the shop—to the family who swindled CJ’s grandparents when thousands of Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps during WWII. Soon a rift threatens to splinter CJ’s family, friends, and their entire Northern California community; and for the first time, CJ has found something she wants to fight for.

Seventeen-year-old Aderyn (“Ryn”) only cares about two things: her family and her family’s graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don’t always stay dead. The risen corpses are known as “bone houses,” and legend says that they’re the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good? Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the deeply-buried truths about themselves. Equal parts classic horror novel and original fairytale, The Bone Houses will have you spellbound from the very first page.

In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life…until the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything. That terrible night has thrown Princess Anthia into a deep depression. Her sister Caliza is busy running the kingdom after their mother’s death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost. But when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia, Thia is finally spurred into action. And after stumbling upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret and get back what was taken from them.

The End of The Year Book Tag

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

This is a tag that helps to organize all of the thoughts of readers as we go into the end of the year. This was created by Ariel Bisset but I saw it on Kayla’s (BooksandLala) channel. With there being a month and a half left of the years, this is the perfect time to do this tag!

Question One: Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?
At this point in the year, if there is a book that I need to finish I have probably DNF’d it. I went through a phase where I either finished or I unhauled books I have started but not finished because I knew I wasn’t going to pick them up. I am currently reading Kingsbane by Claire Legrand but I plan on finishing it this week!

Question Two: Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?
I don’t have a specific book that I am going to read to transition. I do have a type of book that I like to read during the autumnal season to make that transition and that is a witchy, magical, kind of story.

Question Three: Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?
Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha Series #2) by Tomi Adeyemi

So, here we go with some shame. I have not even read Children of Blood and Bone, which is the first book in this series. I think I am going to try to get to the two of these books in December after this second book comes out because I heard from a lot of people that there is a cliff-hanger so I am glad I am waiting!

Question Four: What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

Question Five: Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?
I have not thought of what my favorite read of 2019 is but I have the feeling, I could love 99% Mine by Sally Thorne. I read The Hating Game last year and I LOVED it so much. I have high hopes for 99% Mine.

Question Six: Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?
I have a few plans for next year but I am yet to sit down and start writing anything down to try to make them a little more concrete. I know my GoodReads Challenge but that is about it at this point.

Taylor’s Weekly TBR – 11.11.19

~ Taylor ~ 1 Comment

I am still making my way through my Tome Topple tbr but this week I am going to focus on two books. One on audio and one physically.

Kingsband (The Empirium Trilogy #2) by Claire Legrand

I am working my way through this on audiobook and I am really enjoying it! I hope to finish this by Friday so I can move on to the next audiobook on my TBR.

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2) by Deborah Harkness

A couple of years ago I read A Discovery of Witches and instantly fell in love with the characters and the story. I have been putting off carrying on with the trilogy because it does frighten me a little. Being an adult, fantasy novel it takes me a little longer to get through it because I want to soak up and understand everything. Hopefully I can get through it over the next six days so I can continue with my TBR.

Stuck on Repeat

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

Instead of having the usual Saturday post, I moved it to Sunday! There are too many new songs to simply skip this week’s Stuck on Repeat.

Crash and Burn by Got 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdyXPerGLjM

This just so happens to be a B-Side from their latest comeback and let me tell you, this is slowly creeping up my favorites. It is one of the many bops that have come from this latest comeback.

Savage – A.C.E.

A.C.E. continues to surprise me. Everything they put out just BOPS! While I got into them before Under Cover, I am going to consider this my first comeback with these five boys and I just… They blow my mind. I remember Chelsea and I replaying Byeongkwan and WOW’s teasers when they were released while we were in Chicago for KARD and PLT at the end of the last month. I was not disappointed and these boys are so talented and deserve all the love!

Power by EXO

With the looming EXO comeback happening at the end of the month, I have been diving full force into their back catalog. This is one of the songs I stumbled upon and let me say, I literally had this song stuck on repeat Friday night when I was cleaning my apartment at like 1:00 am. There is something about this song that had be bopping around my kitchen mopping in the wee hours of the morning and I was happy to be doing it!

Love Talk by WayV

THIS. SONG. Let me say. I made the “mistake” by watching this video a couple days ago and if I wasn’t wrecked by these boys before, I am now. I am WinWin and YangYang biased (I have a thing for double names I guess). Lucas is slotted as my official wrecker but now we have Ten and Hendery and Kun and Xiaojun. Besides the visuals, all of these boys are just talent kings between the rappers and the vocalists. WayV deserves every good thing they have coming to them and I have a feeling with this comeback, a lot of good is coming to them.

Mommae by Jay Park

So, I haven’t watched this video, I have only listened to the song but uh… I see handcuffs. Anyways, I have had this song in my library since I got into Kpop almost a year ago (8 days and it will be a year) and Chelsea was like “here” and sent me a playlist with this song on it. Now, we are going to see Jay in Chicago on the 24th and we’re both so excited! This is always a good starting point for me when I try to listen to more of his songs in order to “prepare” for the show later this month.

Tome Topple TBR

~ Taylor ~ Leave a comment

Tomes are books that are over 500 pages. They are daunting and scary to think about reading. For the next two weeks, I am going to try to read three of them. Two on audiobook and one physically, so let’s see what books I am planning on reading!

Sam from Thoughts on Tomes on YouTube is the creator and host of this two week readathon. This round is going from November 9th to November 22nd. There are five challenges and I have three books I want to read.

Challenge One is to read more than one tome.
Challenge Two is to read the tome that has been on your self the longest
Challenge Three is to read a tome that is part of a series.
Challenge Four is to read a tome in a genre not usually read
Challenge Five is to read an adult novel

Challenge Two and Five – Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Challenge Three – Kingsbane (Empirium #2) by Claire Legrand

Challenge Four – Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

I am going to listen to Kingsbane for the first week of the readathon and then move onto Wuthering Heights the second week. Physically at work or at home I am going to work on Shadow of Night. Recently I refreshed my mind on how A Discovery of Witches ended so I feel ready to finally take on the next book in that trilogy.