Read all the books...

Hello Readers.

I should be sleeping but all I can think about is the colossal TBR list that I have going on. It is bordering on terrifying. So many books and even more being added daily. I would like to say that I was kidding but I have absolutely no self control when it comes to books. I read one book and add three more to the list. I know that I have discussed my insane TBR before but I am currently looking at stacks of books that need to be read. So many interesting books just waiting to be read. I wish that I could read them all. In a perfect world, I would. I would read all the books. That would be glorious.

InkedBookDragon


Currently reading: Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan and Cloche and Dagger by Jenn McKinlay

Goals

Hello Readers.

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows that I tend to set reading goals for myself every year. I love to do this because it gives me a plan for reading. I’m sure you are wondering why I would need a plan for reading. After all, couldn’t I just pick up a book and read it? I could but I set goals and make plans to help me focus. There are so many books that I want to read and so little time to do it in. I also love a good challenge. 

I’m not taking part in a lot of reading challenges this year. I love them but it can get confusing when you are trying to keep track of multiple. I don’t want to make reading into a chore. I love it too much for that. I’m keeping it fairly simple. I'm sticking mainly to my Goodreads goal, my yearly TBR, and some monthly games. 

I’m feeling ambitious this year in terms of my Goodreads challenge. I set it for 250 books. I passed that in 2019 but that is not a guarantee that I will do that this year. Life happens. I’m excited about that goal, though. So many books. I’m looking forward to reading new books and revisiting some. 

I did make a list of some books that I definitely want to read this year. I picked out sixty books that I thought would be fun to read. Some have been out for a while and some are coming out later this year. Each book intrigues me and I cannot wait to read them. 

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell

Obsidian Son by Shayne Silvers

After All by Heidi McLaughlin

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

Deadly Little Scandals

Champion by Marie Lu

Beyond the Black Door by A. M. Strickland

Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon

Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

The Widow of Rose House Diana Biller

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

The Guilty Mother by Diane Jeffrey

The First Mistake by Sandie Jones

Wonderland by Zoje Stage

The Missing Season by Gillian French

Holly Banks Full of Angst by Julie Valerie

The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind by Jackson Ford

Speak No Evil by Liana Gardner

Loki by Mackenzie Lee

The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

The Miseducation of Henry Cane by Charles Brooks

The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell

Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Marriage Vacation by Pauline Turner Brooks

She Died Famous by Kyle Rutkin

Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan

The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith

There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Pines by Blake Crouch

The Rumor by Lesley Kara

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

The Outsider by Stephen King

The Institute by Stephen King

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

I am getting excited just writing this post. I cannot wait to read these books. I also like that I left a lot of room for the books that may come. There are a lot of books that did not make the list but still intrigue me. There are also those books that I have yet to hear about. 

I'm wrapping this up. I should be attempting to sleep. Not sure how I am going to get to sleep now that all I want to do is read. I blame this post. I want to leave you with this. Don't be afraid to read outside of your comfort zone. Your next favorite book may be the one you thought you would never read. Happy Reading!

InkedBookDragon

Currently Reading: You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sara Pekkanen, The God Game by Danny Tobey, and Again, but Better by Christine Riccio

Boom...2020!

Hello Readers. 

I blinked and it was not only another year but another decade. 2020. Time sure does fly. I keep seeing people discussing their last decade on social media. I’m not really going to do that here. I met some awesome people. I lost people. I read a lot of books. I didn’t read enough books. I am pretty sure that I added ten books to my TBR for every book I read. I would like to say that was not true but it is. So many books. Overall, I would say that I had a good decade. 

Happy New Year! I hope that your 2020 is filled with amazing books. 

InkedBookDragon

Currently reading: Reputation by Sara Shepard. 

The art above was created by Nathan W. Pyle. His work greatly amuses me so I thought I would share.      https://www.facebook.com/nathanwpyle2/

Life Happens aka Sorry For The Silence

Hey Readers.

It has been months since the last time that I wrote. Feeling inspired this week so I thought I would try. I wanted to write but every time I attempted it, my mind would just clear. I would get one or two sentences and then nothing. So even if the rest of this is utter rubbish, I have managed to write some. Yay for small victories!

I may not have been writing but I have been reading. I have been reading A LOT. There are so many amazing books out there that I want to read. It is both wonderful and heartbreaking. I will never be able to read all the books that I want but I sure will give it a try.

September was a good month for me for reading. It wasn't my most active month but I really took my time and enjoyed the stories this past month. I read the following:

• Fiercely Emma (Cake #3) by J. Bengtsson
• Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kahling
• The Forgotten Book by Mechthild Glaser
• The Program (The Program, #1) by Suzanne Young
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
• Handle With Care by Helena Hunting
• Confess by Colleen Hoover
• This Girl (Slammed #3) by Colleen Hoover
• Tunnel of Bones (City of Ghosts #2)
• War Paint by Iliza Shlesinger
• The Newlyweds (Cake #4) by J. Bengtsson
• Nothing More by Anna Todd
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
• Rogue Wave (Cake #5) by J. Bengtsson
• Lies You Never Told Me by Jennifer Donaldson
• TBH #4: TBH, IDK What's Next by Lisa Greenwald
• Texts from Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg
• Stories from my fractured heart: Poetic Healing Journey by Melody Peters
• The Woman in Our House by Andrew Hart
• Dating You/ Hating You by Christina Lauren
• Younger by Pamela Redmond Satran
• Like The Wind by J. Bengtsson
• Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman
• Pucked by Helena Hunting

As I move forward with this blog, I want to share more about my reading with you rather than just reviews. Part of what is great about reading is the experience. I like sharing with you what I am reading and what I have recently read. I will still continue with reviews, blog tours, series spotlights, and author spotlights. Don't worry. Those are not going away.

I am about to go but I wanted to wish you all a wonderful week. I am going to end this and all personal posts with what I am currently reading. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone with books. You never know what amazing stories you may encounter. Happy Reading!

InkedBookDragon


Current Reads:
           The Babysitters Coven by Kate M. Williams
           Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger       
       

Community

Hello Readers!

It has been one of those weeks. Utter chaos every time I attempted to work on stuff. There has not been enough coffee to handle this week. Friday! Finally!

I have been thinking a lot about the concept of communities. Random, I know. I have been thinking about how communities can be amazing support systems but they can also aid in ruin. I have been seeing this a lot recently. Communities can lift you up but can also pile on and make it where you can’t stand. The literary community is no different.

For the most part, I have seen some amazing things in the literary community. Authors and readers banding together to help each other. Authors want to get their work out there. Readers help them do that with reviews. Readers want to take part in the adventures within the pages. They want to feel.  Both benefit from the exchange. After all, can one truly be an author without readers? People bond over books. TBR lists grow. Friendships are made. It is wonderful to see and take part in.

There are many positives to being a part of the literary community. There are also negatives. A person puts their writing out there and it can be stolen. This has always happened but now it is much easier. People can hide behind their screens  and troll authors. They say all the things that they would never say in real life. An exchange can take place and the world will know about it within just a matter of minutes. This can make or break a career.

Some things I have learned while being immersed in the literary community:

Every one has a story. It may be their personal story and never be put to words for others to read but it is there. Take the time to listen. You never know what you may encounter.

It takes a lot of guts to put your work out there. Your writing is your baby and it can cause great anxiety to share it with the world. To all of those that have, I commend you. To all of those that have yet to take that leap, you got this. One day, you will find your voice.

Be honest when reviewing. Do not rate based on friendships or bonds. Rate based on what you read. You don’t need to be cruel to be kind in this case but you do need to be honest.

Keep in mind that not every story is for you. Some books may be for the person next to you or the person on the other side of the world. Do not try to force anyone to love what you do. With that said, do not ridicule someone for their reading choices.

The list could go on and on...

If you take anything from this, let it be that being a part of the literary community can be a wonderful thing. It really depends on what you bring to it.


InkedBookDragon


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Stacks

Hello Readers.

Another week of hectic days here. Lots of running around. Finally getting a chance to write. Yay! You have to excuse my excitement, I sat down many times this past week to work and fell asleep. I am happy to actually be somewhat alert.

As I was waiting for my coffee to brew this morning, I found myself thinking about books. Big surprise there, right? I thought about TBR (To Be Read) lists and how they tend to grow at an alarming rate at times. Some people have physical stacks or shelves of TBR books. Others have digital copies of lists or handwritten lists. I tend to keep all of the above.

I currently have stacks next to my chair of what I want to read next. I would love to say that these stacks decrease but they rarely do. For ever book that I read, at least three more are added. Funny thing is that I do not really see a problem with this. I probably add books to my TBR every single day. In fact, I have already added four this morning. Always open to recommendations so people are quick to send them my way.

I cannot help but wonder how others keep up with their TBR lists. How many of you have physical stacks in your home, begging to be read? I have seen people have actual library carts in their homes full of books. I must admit that I really like that idea and may have to implement it in the future. It may bring some order to the choas that are my stacks.

I have seen people that only buy ebooks so they do not constantly have physical copies of books. I get it. I can understand the desire for order. With that said, the idea saddens me. I have thousands of books on my Kindle and I read them regularly but I often miss the experience of holding the book in my hands and turning the pages. The smell. *sigh* That wonderful smell of a physical book. It is one of my all-time favorite smells.

I look at my books and I cannot help but feel joy. So many adventures. So many voices that wanted to be heard. Hard work and dedication fill those pages. I am in awe. It is an immense privilege to get to take them in and give them a home.

I doubt that I will ever be a person that only owns digital copies of books. Instead, I will be the person that people always joke about having more books than the public library. I will be the person that constantly has stacks of books next to my bed or chair. I am okay with that.

InkedBookDragon

The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill

The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill

Published by Vintage (Reprint edition above)

Published on October 10, 1983 (original), January 3, 2012 (reprint)

Genre: Ghost Story

Page Count: 164

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback 

📕📕📕📕

Description: The classic ghost story from the author of The Mist in the Mirror: a chilling tale about a menacing spectre haunting a small English town. Now a major motion picture starring Daniel Radcliffe.

Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford—a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway—to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client, Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Mrs. Drablow’s house stands at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images—a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black. Psychologically terrifying and deliciously eerie, The Woman in Black is a remarkable thriller of the first rate.

Note: The description appeared on the 2012 reprint.


Hello again.

This review is about The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill. I purchased a copy for my personal use. Any quotes that may occur below are from the text and not my words.

This is the only book that I have ever read by this author and I stumbled upon it one morning around three. I couldn't sleep and was online browsing through books. I was in the mood for some classic horror stories. I downloaded a couple and then saw this one and decided to purchase the paperback edition rather than ebook. It sat in my TBR stacks for a while until I finally decided to read it.

I am so glad that I did. This story has that amazing gothic horror feel. I was not quite sure where it was going to lead me. It has strong characterizations and surprisingly deep story line. My heart was in my throat at times. I had not seen the movie yet so there was no influence from that. I am quite thankful for that fact. As I read, a very sinister movie began forming in my mind. I can still picture her how I imagined her and it makes me shudder a little. That is the great thing about a book of this nature. It left me with a sense of unease that only truly well written ghost stories can.

I am rating this book Four Red Books because there were parts that were almost painfully slow. It was a strong story for the most part and shocked me many times. Some parts of it may haunt me forever. Susan Hill definitely knows how to spin a tale that can curdle your blood and leave you begging for more.


InkedBookDragon

So many books...

So little time.

It has come to my attention that I will most likely never be able to read all the books on my TBR (To Be Read) list. I keep thinking that I may have it under control and someone recommends another book or series to me.  Add in the new releases and the reviews and I am adding books at an insane rate. I have added over forty this week alone. It is a good thing that I am into fantasy books because I seriously may need to figure out a way to be immortal so that I can read even half of my TBR. I may have a problem.

To be honest, I don't really classify it as a problem. There are far worse vices.


InkedBookDragon