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

Finally! Productivity loading...

Hello Readers.

Another insane week. This is the first time that I have actually gotten to sit down and work on stuff. Lots of very early mornings. Really hoping to convince the littles that sleep is more important than they realize. I wonder when someone will convince me of that. *smirks*  On a happy note, the coffee is fabulous today and I am being super productive. Yay for that!

I don't remember if I have mentioned it before but I am a person of many hats. I tend to work better if I have a lot of different things going on. This can make it crazy at times but it is what works for me. I am the person with multiple notebooks/journals/planners going. I am involved in multiple groups on social media including one that is mine. Add in the gremlins upstairs and I am pretty busy. With that said, I hope to always make time for you, my readers. You take the time to read my ramblings and I appreciate it.

My mind is all over the place this morning so please bear with me. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah! Books! I just posted a list of new releases in my Facebook group and I was once again blown away by the sheer number of books that come out every week. Some are highly anticipated. Some slip in there and are relatively unnoticed. It is impossible to compose a list of all of them because there are so many. I am forever on the lookout for an all-encompassing list. With that said, I have found that many of the books that I love tend to be ones that I just stumbled upon.

I just zoned out for a little bit there. I don't remember where I was going with this. I think I need more coffee. I am going to go for now but I want to leave you with this. Take a chance on an author that you have never read before. Buy that book that takes you out of your comfort zone. You may not like it but there is always the possibility that you will. How wonderful would that be?

Happy Reading!

InkedBookDragon

Sleep? What is that?

Hello Readers.

Another morning that started way too early. My oldest decided that sleep was overrated so we were up at 4 A.M. Downside to this was that sleep was once again stolen from me. Upside to this was that I got to finish reading the book I was working on while cuddling with a three year old. Overall, it was a win. 

As I drink my coffee, I cannot help but wonder exactly how many hours have I read instead of slept. Granted, this morning was early because someone else chose for it to be but it does have me thinking. As a child, I would hide in my bed under the covers with a flashlight and read after everyone else had gone to sleep. I would also hide in the closet. That probably began before I started school. I would be found many mornings passed out on my book. My mom would tell me about the importance of sleep and would often attempt to prevent my late night reading sessions. I quickly found ways around this. 

As I got older, I would find myself starting books at night and staying up to finish them. It became so frequent that my mom would threaten to take them. She was afraid that I would fall asleep in class. Looking back, it is understandable. I was forgoing sleep to read. Sleep or awesome adventures? Who would choose sleep? 

I would most nights. Being significantly older, I try to be more responsible these days. I understand the importance of sleep in regards to cognitive ability and general  heath. With that said, I also have insomnia at time and have young children so sleep often evades me. On those nights or early mornings, I love to spend my time in books. I get to journey to other worlds and be other people. That is an amazing thing. 

I wonder what little me would think of all the literary adventures we have been on. I am sure that she would be delighted beyond words. So many books. So many journeys. So little sleep. Worth it. 

InkedBookDragon 

Sickness, gremlins, chaos, and every sort of crazy

Hello Readers.

I once again apologize for disappearing. I hate that life has been so insane. I was terribly sick and required surgery. Add that to the two toddlers ruling my home and writing opportunities have been pretty much obsolete. I did manage to read quite a bit so I will be featuring a number of books soon. 

I am still a little in shock with the amount of books that I read last year. I completed 247 books in one year. Blown away by that. Not sure I can repeat or surpass it but I will defiitely try. So many books, so little time. 

Happy New Year! I realize that it is a month late but let's pretend that January was just a practice month. Hope your 2019 is full of amazing books!

InkedBookDragon

BLOG TOUR: I DO NOT TRUST YOU

I Do Not Trust You

By Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz

Published by Wednesday Books

On Sale Septemnber 11, 2018

Memphis "M" Engel is stubborn to a fault, graced with an almost absurd knowledge of long lost languages and cultures, and a heck of an opponent in a fight. In short: she's awesome.

Ashwin Sood is a little too posh for her tastes, a member of an ancient cult (which she’s pretty sure counts for more than one strike against him), and has just informed Memphis that her father who she thought was dead isn’t and needs her help.

From the catacombs of Paris to lost temples in the sacred forests, together they crisscross the globe, searching for the pieces of the one thing that might save her father. But the closer they come to saving him—and the more they fall for one another—the closer they get to destroying the world.

Here is an excerpt:
I Do Not Trust You



About the authors:

LAURA J. BURNS and MELINDA METZ have written many books for teens and middle-grade readers, including Sanctuary Bay, Crave, and Sacrifice, as well as the Edgar-nominated mystery series Wright and Wong. They have also written for the TV shows ROSWELL, 1-800-MISSING, and THE DEAD ZONE. Laura lives in New York and Melinda lives in North Carolina, but really they mostly live on email, where they do most of their work together.

Series Spotlight: The Lunar Chronicles

A blurb about the series:

The Lunar Chronicles are futuristic retellings of classic fairy tales. In CINDER, a teenage cyborg (half human, half machine) must deal with a wicked stepmother, start a rebellion against the evil Queen Levana, and decide how she feels about a handsome prince. As the series continues, Cinder forges alliances with Scarlet, a spaceship pilot who is determined to solve the mystery of a missing loved one — with the help of a magnetic street fighter named Wolf; Cress, a computer hacker who is imprisoned by Queen Levana; and Winter, a princess who's in love with a commoner, and who discovers that Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress may hold the key to saving her kingdom — and the world.


Hello Readers.

I knew about this series for a while but I avoided reading it. For years, I had people recommend them to me and I was hesitant because of the hype. Let's be honest about it. If a book or series is over hyped, I tend to steer clear of it because I am pretty sure that I will be greatly disappointed. Some of the most popular books out there have disappointed me so much that I will never read them again or did not finish them to begin with. I wasn't sure how this one would be because I was unsure as to how one could combine such very different components and actually succeed. There was so much room for failure here and I did not want to waste my time. Last month, I decided to go ahead and read the copy of Cinder that I had been given. I was pretty sure that I would be giving it away as soon as I read it. There was no way that I would actually like it and keep it.

Hahahahaha. Sorry. I am taking a moment to laugh at myself. I am not one that shies away from admitting that I am wrong when the occasion occurs. Not only did I plow through Cinder with insane speed but I ordered the rest of the books midway into the book. Before I knew it, I was fully enveloped in this series and had to know every detail. Beautifully written. The author combined the old fairy tales with sci-fi and steam punk so expertly that I am in awe. I cannot recommend this series enough.


InkedBookDragon


Books in the Series:

• Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) - 2012
• Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2) - 2013
• Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3) - 2014
• Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles, #4) - 2015
• Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #5) - 2015

Additional Books:

• Stars Above (a collection of short stories) - 2016
• The Lunar Chronicles Coloring Book - 2016
• Wires and Nerve, Volume 1 (graphic novel) - 2017
• Wires and Nerve: Gone Rogue,  Volume 2 (graphic novel) - 2018

The Lunar Chronicles Universe of Marissa Meyer

Amazon


*Picture taken from:
http://bookclub.wikia.com/wiki/File:The_Lunar_Chronicles.png
**Blurb taken directly from http://lunarchronicles.universeofmarissameyer.com/books/

Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman

Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman

Published by Ballatine Books

Published on June 5, 2018

Genre(s):Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

Page Count: 352

Source: Purchased

Format: Hardback

📙📙📙

Book Description: If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you?

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .

Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?

Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?

Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.

Hello Again!

I am a fan of book clubs. I always have been. I enjoy being able to read a book and automatically having people to discuss it with. I had not heard of this book prior to seeing it on a post about Reese Witherspoon's Book Club. It looked promising and I agreed to "buddy read" it with a friend. Bonding over books is always great. 

The premise of this book caught my attention and I thought it would be a fun read. It started in such a way that I was not quite sure how it was going to proceed. In the very beginning, the author painted herself into a corner. I was intrigued about how she was going to write herself out of it so I continued. In some ways, I am glad that I did. It was interesting to see where the events were going to lead. With that said, too many of plot twists were predictable. Most of the characters were not likeable and greatly frustrating at times. I found myself wanting to shake the main character on more than one occasion. Large holes in story. One is not one hundred percent sure who is actually orchestrating what. 

I am rating this book Three Orange Books because it was a good debut novel. The potential was great but the finished story fell short. Too many loose ends left untied. Reader left wondering when it all truly began. Overall, it was a decent read. I am intrigued as to what the author may do for her next offering. I may recommend to some. 

InkedBookDragon