Tales of the Kingdom

Reading Progress Report

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February 26, 2021

Life has been….not so fun… And work has been crazy, but I’m still managing to read 3 books right now!

Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt (34%)
This is a regular reread for me and I’m loving it just as much now as I have every single other time I’ve read it. I’m just hitting the part where the main plot is about to kick off. Up until now it’s been world building and character establishment and a little of just showing how Gwyn’s life was before it’s all about to change. It sounds like that should be boring and I’ll admit it’s a bit slow, but being slow is the point and I still don’t find it boring.
For those who haven’t been on my blog before, this is the first in a series of loosely-connected, non-magical fantasy books called the Tales of the Kingdom. So basically it’s set in a fictional feudal-inspired kingdom (and neighboring lands) but there’s no magic or dragons, and each book is separated from the next by about a generation. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series. This first book features innkeeper’s daughter Gwyn and legendary highwayman Jackaroo (but it’s not a romance between the two).

Victory Lap by K.A. Mielke and Riley Alexis Wood (40%)
I was sent this book by one of the authors and I am genuinely loving it. Josh’s chapters are interesting even though I think he needs some major character development. Kiki’s chapters are my favorite! She’s interesting and funny and I wish I could be friends with her in real life. I just want all the best for her!
This is a duel-POV novel featuring 5th year high school student Josh and senior high school student Kylie aka Kiki, a trans girl navigating her first school year officially “out”. The two meet in a Writer’s Craft class and become fast friends, but the rest of their lives are not going to smoothly. Josh’s girlfriend just left for college where she promptly dumps Josh for his best friend, and Kiki’s parents’ (and classmates’) attitudes about her identity leave a lot to be desired. Victory Lap came out in December of last year.

sometimes i fall asleep thinking about you by Catarine Hancock (28%)
I got this as a ARC from NetGalley and so far I’m very glad I did. It’s a tough read because it hits so close to home, so I’m going through it slowly, just a little bit each day. It’s already made me cry a couple times and I’ve highlighted sooo many quotes!
This book is a poetry collection about that feeling you have after a bad relationship ends with no real closure. It drops April 6th of this year and I’ll have a review up probably in early March.

End of the Year Book Tag!

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Alright so Emily @ Embuhleeliest literally said: “If you’d like to do this tag, consider yourself tagged!” So this is me considering myself tagged! Let’s just jump right in.

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

I had originally planned to finish the Sookie Stackhouse books by the end of the year as well, but I probably won’t because I’ve got so many other books I need to and I keep finding more. Also I’ve been reading Outlander for freaking months and I cannot finish it and I have no idea why!

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

I mean…I don’t really read books seasonally? I always think it would be cool to do that, but I can’t just set aside other books in order to pick up seasonally appropriate books, that would be too much like self-control.

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

No not really. Or more accurately, there probably are, but I’m just not aware of when they drop. I’m so bad at keeping up with release dates… I’m always shocked when people are like “look my pre-order came!” and then I have to rush to block all the spoilers.

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

The aim is to get in one more dose of House of Night torture with Hunted, complete my Stephenie Meyer experiment with The Host, and hopefully I’ll get one more book to read this year through my discord groups Travelling Book Project.

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?

I was going to say something sarcastic about a House of Night book becoming a favorite, but honestly just no, with what I’ve been looking at I don’t think my next favorite book is coming up this year.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?

 

I’m planning to finish the Sookie books (if I don’t break down and do it in December), obviously I’m going to reread my favorite series The Tales of the Kingdom by Cynthia Voigt (lol you thought I’d get through a whole post without mentioning them?)… Oh and I’m actually considering rereading Twilight on the premise that we’ve all been reading it wrongly (i.e. that it’s not really a grand romance, but an epic comedy).

I was going to tag a few specific people, but actually I’d rather leave this for everyone to do. So if you read this you’ve just been tagged; and let me know if you do it so I can read yours. 😊

August Reading Wrap-Up

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Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire
(Beautiful, book 2)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  July 30 – August 3
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Ha!
Least Favorite Thing:  The fact that I actually read this with my own two eyes.

Honestly, I only read this book because my books were all packed and I had nothing else to read. It was even more trash than the first book!

My Posts About Walking Disaster

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
(The Raven Cycle, book 4)
Rating:  ★★★★★ – loved it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 24 – August 4
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The beautiful friendships. I dream of having a friend group like this.
Least Favorite Thing:  Piper is so annoying… (I know, I know, she’s meant to be obnoxious, but still.)

This was my third time reading The Raven King and I think I loved it even more this time than before.

My Posts About The Raven King

Elske by Cynthia Voigt
(Tales of the Kingdom, book 4)
Rating:  ★★★★★ – loved it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  June 9 – August 9
Read Count:  5-ish
Favorite Thing:  Elske’s way of thinking through problems.
Least Favorite Thing:  Beriel’s way of thinking through problems.

I have such a soft spot in my heart for Elske…

My Posts About Elske

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  August 14 – 20
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Interesting pace of the author’s voice.
Least Favorite Thing:  Casual incest… Not even joking.

I read this book because I watched the film (because I love Saoirse Ronan) and I had to see if the book had the same off-kilter quality as the movie. It didn’t exactly, but it did have an interesting pace to the writing that kept it from being a two star book.

My Posts About How I Live Now

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  August 13 – 23
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Interesting take on the Wicked Stepsister’s story.
Least Favorite Thing:  The romance was annoying…

This was a pretty good take on the classic Cinderella story. I liked that the Wicked Stepsisters got redemption arcs and that Ella wasn’t actually just perfect all along.

My Posts About Stepsister

Imposters by Scott Westerfeld
(Imposters, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  August 26 – 27
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Watching Frey grow into her own person.
Least Favorite Thing:  Hello, Insta-love…

I loved the little moments where you saw how they viewed the events from Tally’s books now. And I loved the little sprinkling of pretty-speak.

My Posts About Imposters

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  August 28 – 30
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  TUCK IS PSYCHIC OK???
Least Favorite Thing:  [SPOILERS] That creepy yellow-suit mother fucker was going to make Winnie drink from the spring and then injure/kill her in myriad ways to prove she was immortal like my god can you imagine the trauma! [END SPOILERS]

I decided to reread this book because of my fond memories about it from when I was in school. (And also because I got into an argument about whether the book or film was better. Which was ridiculous because obviously the book is the best one.) I am so glad I reread it because I really got a lot more out of the text than I did when I was a child.

My Posts About Tuck Everlasting

In Progress

May 2019 Reading Wrap-Up

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Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt
(Tales of the Kingdom, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★★ – it was amazing
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  April 30 – May 13
Read Count:  5-ish
Favorite Thing:  My favorite thing this time around is too spoilery to mention, but trust me it’s cute shit (if quite subtle).
Least Favorite Thing:  Win is so obnoxious, he annoys me every single time.

Well, new year, new read-through of the Tales of the Kingdom books! You know I can’t resist these books for long. As they are my all-time favorites, I recommend them to everyone.

My Posts About Jackaroo

On Fortune’s Wheel by Cynthia Voigt
(Tales of the Kingdom, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★★★ – it was amazing
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 13 – 17
Read Count:  5-ish
Favorite Thing:  The ability of the main characters to endure any circumstance.
Least Favorite Thing:  Creepy, gross men. (Hm, my least favorite thing in real life, too.)

I can’t believe this used to be my least favorite of all the books, I am so dumb. Birle is a treasure and I love her.

My Posts About On Fortune’s Wheel

Maybe (Maybe Not) by Robert Fulghum
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  April 4 – May 18
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Nothing really stood out.
Least Favorite Thing:  Again, some things didn’t age well.

I swear Mr. Fulghum is the grandfather everyone could wish for. He’s so weird, but in a good way, and you could probably tell him your strange thoughts without judgement…

My Posts About Maybe (Maybe Not)

 In Progress

Top 5 Wednesday: July 4, 2018

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Best Books You’ve Read So Far in 2018

To participate in Top 5 Wednesday, head over to their Goodreads Group!

Alrighty, I’m going to do this in the order that I read them, not in the order that I liked them (because that would be way too hard).

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

This was my first Gillian Flynn novel and I was honestly nervous to read it. I liked the movie and was worried that the book wouldn’t be as good. But a fellow blogger assured me Flynn was an excellent writer and Gone Girl did not disappoint. In fact it kind of blew me away how much I loved it. I went online and bought it before I had even finished reading it. I look forward to reading it again sometime.

Tales of the Kingdom series // Cynthia Voigt

Oh come on, you knew this series had to be on the list somewhere, right? I reread them earlier in the year and loved them just as much as always, maybe even more. As always, this is a loosely-connected, non-magical, fantasy series, set in a medieval-esque world.

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

This is one of the best autobiographies I’ve read ever, and definitely the best this year. Anna is funny and pithy and pleasantly verbose. What made it even better was listening to the audiobook version where Anna reads you the book herself.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch

This book was recommended to me from another reader because I said I wanted to branch out of my genre comfort zone and I have to admit I didn’t expect to like it. But the prose was engaging and beautiful and I found myself falling into the mind of the protagonist quickly and easily. I definitely want to read more by Janet Fitch in future.

The Martian by Andy Weir

I had one main issue with this book (mentioned in this post), but everything else about it was excellent. It was funny and the format was interesting. If you liked the movie you will most likely like the book as it is extremely similar. I found it really hard to put down.

What are the best books you’ve read in 2018 so far? Leave me a comment or link me to your own post.

Mid-Year Reading Recap

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Now that June’s about to end it’s time to look upon our reading progress so far this year and share some book opinions!

Oh man I forgot I got tagged in this, I suck! Thank you for the tag, Scarlet @flamingmirrorbookish!

1. Best book you read so far this year
I’m tempted to mention one of my favorite books again, but I won’t, I’ll choose one that was new to me this year: White Oleander by Janet Fitch. The prose is absolutely beautiful and I loved the way the main character, Astrid, looked at things.

2. Worst book you read so far this year
Guys obviously it was the Twilight books. The worst of all of them was the partial from Edward’s POV, Midnight Sun.

3. Completed any series?
Oh sure. Most of the books I read are part of a series anyway. As for complete series I read this year, they are all rereads:

  • Tales of the Kingdom // Cynthia Voigt
    My favorite all time book series. These are loosely-connected, non-magical fantasy. I recommend it to everyone, always.
  • Twilight Saga // Stephenie Meyer
    My least favorite series, which I recommend to literally nobody. Love yourselves.
  • The Darkest Minds // Alexandra Bracken

4. Anticipated read for the second half of the year

Oh! Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor! I have it pre-ordered and I am so eager to have it!

5.A book that disappointed you
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I loved the film, but the book just didn’t click with me even a little. I don’t even know if I’ll read the one about the aunts now…

6. How many books have you read so far this year?
I’m glad to say I managed to reach half my goal for the year this month, by just a hair. I have read 38/75 books this year! 🙂

7. A book that made you laugh
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. I know technically it’s called a children’s book, but really any age group can enjoy this book and I recommend it to all.

8. Estimated read count for the year?
I think I’ll definitely meet my goal of 75 if I can keep this up!

Alrighty I tagged some people on tumblr, but I actually want to tag all my WordPress readers. Give me the deets on how your 2018 goals are going at this halfway point in the year! Either comment or make your own post and drop me a link.