End of 2020 TBR

 Hello again, all! I hope that this chaotic mess of a year has had it's redeeming moments, and that you all have been staying safe and healthy in the meantime. Either way, it's nearly over now, and I have a little "to be read" post to make about what I hope to read (or finish reading) by the end of December.

RECENTLY READ

• Death Masks (Dresden Files, #5) by Jim Butcher: I actually just finished this one a few days ago, so my thoughts are still fresh! This is the fifth installment in the (very long) urban Fantasy series that follows Chicago's only practicing wizard/special investigator combo, Harry Dresden. To be honest, I have been on the fence with this series so far, and I've given the previous four books about two to three stars each. The titular character is far from my favorite, and I find that the way that he sometimes views women to be very off-putting, to say the least. But something about this particular installment somehow caught my fancy! Despite my general dislike of Harry himself, this novel did feature several side characters that I'm fond of, and the pacing was tight and expertly plotted. I read over 200 pages during this past weekend alone. Overall, I found myself really enjoying this one (I know, I'm surprised, too) and gave this one 4/5 stars on Goodreads!

CURRENTLY READING

• Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses, #1) by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu: So, I'm mentioning this one upfront because I borrowed it from my library's eBook app, and then only got about halfway through before my checkout for it expired. Whoops. I put myself back on the hold list, but it looks like I have "about 18 weeks" to wait until I can get this bad boy back, so. It looks like this might not be finished before the year is out. This one's on me, folks. 
  
  
• A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare: Another one that I'm mentioning upfront because I've been reading this forever and still haven't finished it. I'm really liking this play (which is one of his more famous comedies, I believe), however I've never been very good with classics. The language tends to slow me down! But I'm going to try and finish this soon, even if it's on the backburner for now while I finish up my other reads.
  
  
• The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien: Okay, so I know I just said I'm not great at classics, but bare with me. The Hobbit is one of those books that I always default to when responding to the "What's your favorite book?" question, but the truth it that I haven't reread it in a very long time. I'm really scared of it not holding up, but I just picked it up today and Bilbo Baggins is honestly as relatable as ever. I adore him, and I adore the style of writing that Tolkien pursued with this particular novel. I find it to be rather tongue-in-cheek and to fit the narrative quite well. I'm only about 30 pages through this reread, but so far I really am enjoying it. It's one of those books that feels like coming home.
  
  
• Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson: Finally, and perhaps most excitingly, is Warbreaker! I've been wanting to pursue the expansive Fantasy universe that is the Cosmere for a very long time, and since this book is up for free on his website, I figured that I might as well start here! It's supposed to be a standalone (possibly with a distant sequel?) which makes it more accessible as well. I've heard people praise Sanderson's world-building far and wide, and even though I'm only ~25% of the way through, I can definitely see why this is. I've had to make myself a little Google Doc just to keep tabs on everything! I'm liking this a lot though, and can't wait to continue on!
  
  

TO BE READ

• The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1) by Brandon Sanderson: Yes, this is ambitious considering it is a 1,000+ page tome. But guys, I am so excited to read this one. It sounds exactly up my alley, and I've already ordered it (like a month ago... yay for slow COVID/holidays shipping) so I'm probably going to drop everything to read it once it arrives. I've heard so many good things, and even though I have already spoiled myself on a lot of this series, it is, as a wise man once said, more about the journey than it is the destination...
  
  
• Blood Rites (Dresden Files, #6) by Jim Butcher: I've heard that this one takes a bit of a dip in quality compared to some of the previous books, which is a bit nerve-wracking considering I was just starting to warm up to this series. According to the back of the book, part of it takes place on an adult film set which is.... daunting, considering how much I already hate Harry Dresden's descriptions of the women he encounters in daily life. I'm worried that will be tenfold with this one. But I already have it on hand, so once my "currently reading" stack is whittled down a little bit, I will definitely be cracking this one open!
  
  
• Ghosts of the Shadow Market (Shadowhunters #???) by Cassandra Clare et. al: Can you guys tell that I got myself into a bad book hangover after reading Chain of Gold? All I wanted was more of the Shadowhunters world... I've read several of the short stories in this collection already, and so far this is my favorite short story collection of the bunch. However my hold on the library is still "about 2 weeks" away, so we will see if I'll be able to wrap things up before the year is out, or if I'll have to wait until 2021 to do so!

So there we have it! My "TBR" for the end of this year (and let's be real, early next year as well. I'm going to be keeping busy!) Is this a little bit ambitious for a girl who read a grand total of ten (10) books this year? Yes, but I've finished Finals week at school, and just turned in my two-weeks notice for my current job (my new job doesn't start up until January 3rd) so I'll have a bit more time than I usually do to get some reading done! I also want to catch up on Campaign 2 of Critical Role, and possibly get some writing done for the first time in forever.

What are everyone else's Winter Break plans--both for your TBR and otherwise?

I hope that everyone has a safe and healthy holiday (and presently a happy Hanukkah, to everyone who celebrates!) Let's end this year strong and socially distanced! :)

Until next time!

Recent Reads and Watches

Hello, all! It's been another long while since I've posted anything on this blog (I am more active on my Goodreads page, so feel free to add me as a friend there if you're so inclined!)

Despite my absence and my current summer job (with it's occasional 60 hour work weeks... blah) I have been reading and watching new TV shows like there is no tomorrow! So because I have a three day weekend, and because I'm procrastinating on a couple of my other tasks that I need to get done, I figured I would post a little update with my current books that I'm reading, as well as TV shows that I am currently watching.

First, books!

RECENT READS

The first of my reads is Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4) by Jim Butcher. I'm about 70 pages through it so far, and I'm not minding it. I'm still in that space where I don't have a really passionate opinion about this series yet--so far I've been giving the books 2 or 3 stars each on Goodreads. I do like a few of the characters (Murphy, Marcone, Michael... all the 'M' names apparently) but Harry himself is not my favorite archetype for a character, so I don't really... care? What happens to him? Still, I'm going to soldier on and continue the series, and I'll let you guys know what my official position is about 16 books from now!

My second read is Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1) by Susan Dennard. This one is a YA Fantasy that released a few years back, and it is actually a reread for me. The first time around, I gave it 3.5 stars, but I won a giveaway for this book, the novella, and the sequel, so I am definitely planning on continuing in the series. And I'm actually liking it a bit more this time around--maybe because there isn't as much hype or expectations surrounding it. I do feel like there's this weird sense of a lot of payoff without a lot of buildup, even only 150 pages through. But I guess that means that things will only get more exciting from here on out!

I'm hoping to finish both of these books in the next couple weeks and then start in on my reread of The Hobbit!

RECENT WATCHES



Show: Hannibal
My Watching Status: Complete
# of Seasons: 3 (@ Netflix... make it 4!)
Favorite Episodes: 1x10, 1x13, 2x12, 2x13, 3x12, 3x13
Streaming Service: Netflix

This was the first of my recent binge-watches and it was a doozy. One part crime procedural, one part psychological thriller, one part horror and one part gothic romance, the visuals and slowburn of this show were delectably done. There were parallels drawn between episodes that I know are going to be even more rewarding upon a rewatch (which I plan to do in around October, since Autumn/Halloween season seems like the perfect time for it.) I really loved the characters, especially the main character, Will Graham. I felt so bad for him, but his descent into madness (as it were) was really gripping and I never knew what direction the show would go next. Also, kudos for making murders occasionally strangely beautiful?

(Also the Season 2 finale of this show is in IMDB's Top 15 highest rated TV show episodes of all time, and it's place is rightly earned.)

Also, obligatory content warnings for (extreme) gore, violence, murder, cannibalism, gaslighting, and probably others that I am blanking on right now. If you have a strong stomach however, I definitely recommend this criminally underrated show.



Show: Community
My Watching Status: Currently on late Season 5
# of Seasons: 6 (and a movie?)
Favorite Episodes: 1x23, 2x06, 2x13, 2x23, 2x24, 3x04, 3x10, 3x16, 3x17, 4x03, 4x05, 5x05
Streaming Service: Netflix

This has been the latest binge watch with my little brother. We are both watching this for the first time, although it has been recommended to me before. I wasn't 100% sure about it at first, but it quickly proved to be just as funny and endearing as some of my other favorite sitcoms like Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. This show follows a study group full of misfits at a community college that is kind of falling apart at the seams. I think the characters are great, and it honestly has made me laugh more times than I can count. The levity of this show is much appreciated during this trying time, and I am also glad to finally understand some of the memes and jokes that come from this show! (Such as the gif of Troy walking into a chaotic room with pizza! Obligatory gif attached below.)



I have to say, one of my favorite parts of the show is undoubtedly Troy and Abed's friendship (and they also happen to be my two favorite characters), so I'm more than a little bummed that Donald Glover left the show, since it means I won't get to see any more of their shenanigans... until I rewatch that is!


Finally, other shows I've recently watched have included Rick and Morty (a show done by the creator of Community. My brothers made me watch it, since all three of them really like it. Personally, it is not my favorite but I'm glad they are having a good time at least!) as well as rewatching my all-time favorite show, Lost. I'm almost done with that one, though.

If anybody has any other TV show or book recommendations for me, I am all ears! Now, off to hopefully get those tasks I've been procrastinating on done... or maybe I will just continue my Community marathon instead. :P

Until next time!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Opening Survey

Hello, all! As promised, I am here to participate in Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon for the first time in a year ish? Maybe even more? I'm excited to get back into it all!

Now, for the opening survey:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Oregon, United States! <3 

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

The book I'm looking most forward to is continuing on with A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. I read A Game of Thrones earlier this year and it became an instant favorite for my Fantasy-loving self!

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

I woke up somewhat late this morning (Around Hour 6 or 7 of the Readathon?) but had a big breakfast with my brother and our other roommate. I'm thinking about taking a little bus trip later to get a milkshake though :) 

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I'm a second year University student majoring in Psychology!

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? 

Usually I get very into it and try to read for all 24 hours and limit screen time, etc. but I'm going to take it a bit easier this time around and maybe even binge another episode of Critical Role (oops) or hang out in the library with some friends and plan for NaNoWriMo in a few days (yikes! already??) 

Friday Reads [#14] + Some Life (And Blog?) Updates

Hello, everyone! It's still technically Friday here (and will be for the next 21 minutes--lol!) so I thought I'd do something that I haven't done in literal years, which is a little bit of a Friday Reads update post :)

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CURRENT READS

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I'm currently reading 2 books at the moment-- Fool Moon (Harry Dresden Files, #2) by Jim Butcher and A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) by George R. R. Martin. The former is a sequel in my best friend's all-time favorite series, so obviously I am obligated to read it. The latter is the sequel to one of my new favorite books of all-time!

To be honest, I've forgotten a bit of my formatting with these posts, and I'm not exactly sure how many people even read them, lol! But anyway, it's nice to have a little record of my thoughts. Currently, the Dresden Files are a bit up in the air for me. My friend did say to read at least until Book 3 until making a judgement (and she lent me Books 2-5 at the same time so... I feel like I am in for a binge-read?) but I just have some problems with the character's view on women in particular. It feels like every woman is sexualized in his eyes, except for like one woman that he deems ugly or something. Additionally, some of the writing and plot points seem a bit sporadic or erratic. But I will of course keep reading and wait until Book 3 to make my judgements, as promised, lol!

I am only on Page 98 of A Clash of Kings, so I am not too far yet, but already there are some wonderful quotes. I also bought this one (or more accurately my dad bought it for me, I guess as something of a parting gift before I began my second year of college!). I also am glad to be continuing with this series since my brother and I have almost finished binge-watching the TV show so it will be nice to see how the book differs. Also, my dad has read the first book after I did, and we had lots of great discussions about it! And contrary to the Dresden Files, it's nice to have a Fantasy author that writes women well. (In my opinion.)

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OTHER OBSESSIONS

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Or, more accurately at the moment, Obsession. I am currently listening to the Critical Role podcast, and I'm on Episode 30 of Campaign 2 and aaah! I love it so much. I've really gotten into the characters and the story, and I like how the cast all seem like such wonderful friends as well. There's a perfect balance of gravity and wit. I do feel a bit daunted by all the catching up I have to do (there are 79 ~3.5 hour episodes thus far... wish me luck lol). I don't normally listen to podcasts, because I am so easily distracted or get bored too quickly without anything else to do, but it helps that a video version is offered and overall I'm really loving it! Just thought I'd give a quick little shout-out since this has quickly consumed my life :)

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LIFE UPDATES

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I've moved back to college and into my own apartment (shared with my brother and another roommate) after spending the summer with my parents and other brothers. It's been nice to see my friends again even if I do very much miss my dog! (It was National Black Dog Day the other day and I especially missed my baby girl, a black lab, then <3) 

Also, I've been thinking more about my ultimate career plans as well. I am a Psychology Major (potentially will be majoring in Elementary Education, or at least minoring in it) and I am not sure if I want to be a therapist, or a teacher, or a school counsellor, or even a librarian. (Or someday fulfill my dream goal of owning a book café by the sea, but I doubt that would ever happen.) I'm just feeling rather lost and guilty about being lost when I'm spending so much money and working so hard just to be here at university. But I'm going to remain hopeful that someday this will all be worth it! 

Finally, NaNoWriMo is (somewhat?) around the corner! I'm still not sure how I feel about the new site design, so I don't think I will be as active over there as I used to be, but that's okay, it will just leave even more time for writing! I'm torn between three ideas--the fourth and final book in my all-female Fantasy series, the first book in a new Fantasy series, or a standalone/potential first book in our world but with ghosts in like, just one particular town. I have the characters very fleshed out for all of them which I am excited about but I still have some plot stuff to work out, since I have found out (after about six years of serious writing and five finished novels) that I am very much not a pantser. Whoops?

I know I mentioned Blog Stuff in the title--I am thinking of rebranding and potentially taking this whole thing more seriously? Revamping my layout, coming up with a new name, taking things more seriously, and maybe even switching to a whole fresh new place. I haven't decided yet, but it's in the cards and a possibility, so I just thought I'd throw that out there as a very advance warning(?) 

Also, quick note! I will be participating in Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon this October 26th. (If all goes according to plan!) so be prepared for many blog posts throughout the day as I have in the past!!! I'm very hyped. 

Anyway, that's all that's been happening with me! I guess it's been somewhat exciting by my standards, and I am very very happy that it's Autumn--my favorite season! I am more than ready for the rain and fog, the beautifully colored leaves falling from the many trees around campus, wearing boots and sweaters and jeans, drinking my Pumpkin Spice Chai or my mint tea, and of course months of reading and writing. 

Until next time, happy reading!

Bibliothon TBR + Reading Updates

Hello! It's been quite awhile, hasn't it? That doesn't mean I've stopped reading though, of course! I noticed on Twitter that the final Biannual Bibliothon is being hosted over the course of nine days (July 11th-18th, I believe) and I really wanted to hop in and join the fun!

Very quickly, my TBR for this Readathon is as follows:

• Renegades by Marissa Meyer (started on Page 189)
• I began reading this one back in May but I ended up putting it down for some reason. I loved the Lunar Chronicles by this same author, so I really want to give this superhero-themed story another chance!
• Warriors: Fire & Ice by Erin Hunter (started on Page 100)
• So, Warriors was like... my life back in late Elementary school and early Middle school. It was what really sparked my love for reading and writing. Recently, I saw the first book on my shelf (Into the Wild) and reread it, and let me tell you--it still held up! So, naturally, I am continuing my reread.
• Storm Front by Jim Butcher (haven't started reading yet)
• This is the first book in the Dredsen Files, which is my best friend's favorite book series. She's been asking me to read this series for probably five years now, and she recently let me borrow this book in an attempt to finally motivate me into reading it. So read it I shall!

I might end up picking up other books as well, so we will just have to see how much I actually get done and where this Readathon ends up taking me! I haven't participated in one of these for a long while, so I am excited to get back in the swing of things.

MY READING PROGRESS

• DAY ONE (Thursday, July 11th)
• Renegades - 37 pages (189-226)
• Pages Read Today: 37 pages
• Total Pages Read: 37 pages
• Commentary: So... I got a bit distracted by watching an episode of Sherlock, and then an episode of Once Upon a Time. Also, I played a few games of Yahtzee with my brother and did a lot of reading that was online/without page numbers/not really a book, so I couldn't really count it in my total. But I did make iced peppermint tea, eat lots of ice cream, and continue reading Renegades, so overall it was a productive and relaxing day!
• DAY TWO (Friday, July 12th)
• Renegades - 82 pages (226-308)
• Fire & Ice- 21 pages (100-121)
• Pages Read Today: 103
• Total Pages Read: 140
• Commentary: My goal for today was to break 100 pages overall--and I actually went beyond that, reading 100 pages in one day! It didn't even feel like it, since things had definitely begun to pick up in both of these novels. I was also productive on a couple of other fronts as well, which was nice, and me and my dog went for a little walk by the gardens. My brother and I still had a pizza-icecream-soda party at about 11pm, and (re)watched some Parks and Rec, which was fun!
• DAY THREE (Saturday, July 13th)
• Fire & Ice - 47 pages (121-168)
• Pages Read Today: 47 
• Total Pages Read: 187
• Commentary: Sooo… I actually didn't even start reading until after 11pm, when I realized I'd had nothing to show reading-wise for today. Luckily, Fire & Ice is a middle grade, and a quickly-paced one, so I did actually get a fair amount of reading in for today after all!
• DAY FOUR (Sunday, July 14th)
• Renegades - 100 pages (308-408)
• Pages Read Today: 100
• Total Pages Read: 287
• Commentary: No real commentary for today. It was a productive reading day, though! I did do a reading sprint on Twitter and read 72 pages in 45 minutes!
• DAY FIVE (Monday, July 15th)
• Renegades - 144 (408-552)
• Pages Read Today: 144
• Total Pages Read: 431
• Commentary: I did a couple more reading sprints this afternoon. (70 pages in 45 minutes, and 50 pages in 30 minutes. My pages per minute count actually remained fairly consistent!) Also... I finished my first book of the Readathon, Renegades! I liked the ending and it very much read like a television show or a movie. I also have some theories about how things connect, and I'm interested in reading the rest of the series to see if these theories actually pan out! Also, I spent some time in the evening with my Grandma eating ice cream, watching Jeopardy, and playing Uno, which was fun!
• DAY SIX (Tuesday, July 16th) 
• Fire & Ice - 27 pages (168-195)
• Pages Read Today: 27
• Total Pages Read: 458
• Commentary: I played D&D with my friends during the evening (which was really fun), but I did not actually read that much today... I am that much closer to finishing another book though! I'm hoping to finish it before the Readathon ends!
• DAY SEVEN (Wednesday, July 17th)
• Fire & Ice - 35 pages (195-230)
• Pages Read Today: 35
• Total Pages Read: 493
• Commentary: Today I spent most of the day cleaning and painting the trim in a rental house... it was more difficult than it sounds! It was an unexpectedly busy day, but I did squeeze in a few chapters of Fire & Ice (as well as a couple episodes of Parks and Rec with my brother!) Tomorrow looks busy too but hopefully I make some solid progress :)

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Closing Survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Probably the hours between Hour 15 and Hour 18 because those were my procrastinating hours... oops? 
2. Tell us ALLLLL the books you read!
I read three books! 
One Dark Throne -- 164 pages
The Penderwicks in Spring -- 339 pages
Into the Dim -- 108 pages
3. Which books would you recommend to other Read-a-thoners?I'd actually recommend the entire Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall. They're middle grade, but I feel like any age could enjoy them! They're also very quick reads.
4. What’s a really rad thing we could do during the next Read-a-thon that would make you smile?I really liked the Readathon, so I don't have any improvements or suggestions or anything!
5. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? Would you be interested in volunteering to help organize and prep?
Very likely! I've participated since 2015 and loved every year. I did host a couple hours of Goodreads in the past, so I might do that, but otherwise I don't know how helpful I could actually be. 

And as always, my final stats:

Total Pages Read: 555
Total Time Read: 7 hours, 35 minutes
Total Blog Posts: 11

Thank you to everyone who helped to put on this event for making it such a fun community and event! I will for sure be back next year!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 20

Hour: A quarter past Hour 20
Currently Reading: 
                                                   
Pages Read Since Last Update: 72
Total Pages Read: 555
Time Read Since Last Update: 55 minutes
Total Time Read: 7 hours, 35 minutes
Comments: Well, I think this is it for me this Readathon! I did end up reading a good chunk more of Into The Dim -- including a good amount of pages during a self-regulated 30-minute reading sprint! It was a nice book to read all cozied up in bed, and the only thing that would have improved the environment would have been some of that gentle rain we had earlier in the day. I would consider my Readathon a successful one for sure, and I'm glad I chose the books I did! I'll post another final update in the morning to summarize my thoughts and progress. 

Until next time, I hope everyone still participating in the Readathon has a good last few hours and that all those who have participated at any time today had a good and successful time! I've been in a slump for so many months now, and even just this one Readathon helped out a lot, which I'm grateful for. 

Good night, and I will see y'all with a final update in the morning!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 18

Hour: Three-quarters past Hour 18
Currently Reading: 
                                                   
Pages Read Since Last Update: 36
Total Pages Read: 483
Time Read Since Last Update: 31 minutes
Total Time Read: 6 hours, 40 minutes
Comments: ...Okay, so I took a bit of a longer break than I originally had anticipated. I did browse social media, watch some YouTube and generally fall into a slump-ish state for awhile before finally beginning Into The Dim by Janet B. Taylor. I got a little ways through it before my brother and I decided to watch a nature documentary (specifically on insects). It was very enlightening, but also very distracting. Whoops? I'm going to try not to get so distracted again, maybe even do a few self-run kind of "reading sprints" to get myself in the groove again! I'm hoping to have another couple hours of active reading time at least before I putter out! 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 15

Hour: Half past Hour 15
Currently Reading Just Finished!: 
                                                  
Pages Read Since Last Update: 139
Total Pages Read: 447
Time Read Since Last Update: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Total Time Read: 6 hours, 09 minutes
Comments: I read a little bit on the armchair downstairs (my dog joined me as well, so I got to pet her as I read), and also I had a snack of a granola bar. Then I went upstairs and curled up in my bed because I had gotten to the sad part of the book -- it's so emotional, but I love it so much. I finished this book and I might take a little social media break before diving into my final planned book for the Readathon!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 13

Hour: Half past Hour 13
Currently Reading: 
                                                  
Pages Read Since Last Update: 140
Total Pages Read: 308
Time Read Since Last Update: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Total Time Read: 4 hours, 31 minutes
Comments: I've actually gotten quite a bit of reading done these past few hours, and now I'm over halfway through The Penderwicks in Spring. I tried reading outside for a bit, but it started raining so I had to come back inside. (Not that I'm opposed to the rain, though, hehe... it's my favorite type of weather!)

 

After that I participated in a one-hour reading sprint (I read 81 pages in an hour! Huzzah!) and then went downstairs and grabbed dinner (which was pizza). Now, I think I'm going to read some more and hopefully finish this one! It's just as good as it was the first time I read it. The characters are so, so real, and it reminds me a lot of when I was the characters' ages! One of my favorite series!