Hello! My first post on this account! I am not sure I would call this a review... but a overview of this collection, who I would recommend it to and some other recommendation based on themes and feelings of this collection. So enjoy!

Life Ceremony is a collection of 12 (or 13 if you read the Granta Books published version) stories from Japanese author Sayaka Murata and translated into English by Ginny Tapley Takemori. This is the first of her short stories to be translated into English but she is well known for her two novels Convenience Store Women & Earthlings.

The stories in this collection all are about society and often centres on the loners and outcasts of society. They question societal norms by twisting them in a way to better explore and question them.

Some of these stories take place in modern-day Japan for example; A Clean Marriage which follows a couple who live in a sexless marriage who want to have a baby. Whereas some stories take place in a future or alternative reality such as Life Ceremony which takes place in a future Japan where after people die they are cooked into a meal for everybody to enjoy in a ‘life ceremony’.

For many of these stories there is this feeling of eeriness with the normalisation of this act/behaviour. Individuals who question this (and are sorta like the stand-in for us the reader in our modern POV) for example Nana's fiancée in A First-Rate Material who thinks wearing and using materials which have been made from human skin/nails/hair etc. are barbaric and disgusting. He is an outcast by society, as others believe this to be natural and less wasteful. I do think it is very clever how in the stories in different or future worlds it is the outcast who we the reader most identify with.

Murata is very transparent in her message and feelings about social norms, which I think are best summed up from a few quotes from Life Ceremony:

“Instinct doesn't exist. morals don't exist. they were just fake sensibilities that came from a world that was constantly transforming.”

“Everyone always says that things like common sense or instinct or morals are carved in stone. But that's not true - actually, they're always changing.”

“Everyone keeps telling little lies, and that's how the mirage is created. That's why it's beautiful - because it's a momentary make-believe world.”

Summary of each story:

A First-Rate Material - set in a world in which after humans die their skin, nails, hair etc.. are repurposed as materials for clothes and furniture. Although most of society have come to accept this as natural, Nana’s fiancée finds this disgusting, cruel and barbaric.

A Magnificent Spread - follows a husband and wife who only eat food from a brand called ‘Happy Future Foods’ which include freeze-dried and bright colour drinks, which are healthy foods particularly popular with celebrities in this story. The wife’s sister Kumi believes she is a reincarnated warrior from a magic world called ‘Dundilas’ and eats only food from that world (e.g. Dandelion flowers boiled in orange juice). The conflict in the story comes when Kumi is engaged and her fiancée wants her to cook food from her hometown for his parents.

A Summer's Night Kiss - is a vignette about two older women, one a woman who has never been kissed and her friend who is quite the opposite.

Two's Family- a story following two female childhood friends who made a pack that if they were still single by the time they were 30 they would move in together. This ends up happening, the two live together and both end up having three daughters between them through artificial insemination. They raise their daughters together as sisters in the same house, however even though they and their daughters are happy everybody questions and tries to label their relationship and experience. (apparently is meant to be a alternative timeline of the previous story)

The Time of the Large Star - another vignette this time following a little girl moves due to her fathers work to a town where nobody can sleep

Poochie - a story that follows two schoolgirls who have an… unusual pet.

Life Ceremony - the title story set in a future Japan where instead of funerals people now have ‘life ceremonies’ in which the person is prepared and cooked into a hot pot by their family then everybody comes over to enjoy the meal together… and then everybody pairs off for insemination.

Body Magic - a coming of age story following a teenage girl as she is learning about relationships, her own body while trying to avoid peer pressure (this includes incest as a side character mentions her relationship with her cousin)

Lover on the Breeze - a love triangle between a boy, a girl and her curtain…

Puzzle - Follows an office worker despite being liked and admired by her colleagues, feels disconnected to her own body and humanity in general. After an event things take a weird turn

Eating the City - a story following a woman who has recently moved to Tokyo from the countryside and is struggling to eat vegetables due to their bland taste. The story follows her extreme measures to gather her own vegetables.

Hatchling - following Haruka, a woman who has developed five distinct personalities to suit the expectations of those around her. However, she is getting married. Who will she be when everybody is coming?

A Clean Marriage - a story exclusive to the Granta Books edition (but you can find it here ) the story follows a married couple who both agree that a good partnership is something that would prefer to not have sexual cravings of the other. Therefore they have a sexless marriage, however they both really want a baby.

My overall thoughts: 

I think this is a very strong collection, all the stories fit the overall theme, and nothing feels out of place.

The contrast of stories; contemporary/futuristic, mundane/extremely bizarre, not only keep the stories engaging, and fresh but also help reflect and feel the message and ideas more.

I also think it was very smart to have the reader align with the 'outcast' in the future stories. This not only helps to empathises with the people from the contemporary stories, but also reflect on this idea that 'normal' is fake, it is made and ever changing. So as long as it is not hurting anybody else, people should just live their life the way they want to.

Lots of ideas and themes explored I particularly enjoyed exploring the theme of ethics of using animals in products explored in A First-Rate Material.

The very short stories (e.g. Love on the Breeze & Poochie) however did not work for me. I understand what they were trying to do, but they just didn't hit as well for me compared to the longer stories.

My favourites however are; A First-Rate Material, A Magnificent Spread, Life Ceremony & Hatchling.

A very good translation! Very smooth and easy to read. I think it helped that this was pretty simple writing.

Recommend for people:

Who love ‘weird short stories’

That enjoy fiction that goes from normal to WTF real quick

Who are searching for fiction that question and subvert societal norms

Looking for fiction which explores themes of conformity, isolation, alienation, asexuality, eating habits and food and/or taboo topics

Wanting to read more fiction that centres the female experience in contemporary society

Are okay with reading sensitive and sometimes graphic content

Similar reads:

Convenience Store Woman & Earthlings: the easiest read a likes, if you enjoyed this you will probably enjoy Sayaka Murata’s other work, where she explores similar themes, with similar characters.

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung (translated from Koren to English by Anton Hur): a genre-defying collection which also looks at society by fantastic and surreal elements, and specifically looks at the horrors of patriarchy and capitalism in modern society. Bora Chung also uses a lot of vivid description and body horror in her stories which are also present in many of the stories in Life Ceremony particularly; A First-Rate Material, Life Ceremony and Puzzle

Her Body and Other Parties: Stories by Carmen Maria Machado: another short story collection which blends genres to highlight the violence on women’s bodies, sexual, physical and mental by society or themselves. Murata also looks at the control over the female body and has said in an interview: "I have been suffering from the expectations set for Japanese women for a long time. Since childhood, I felt that neither my body nor my life belonged to me. I felt that I was gradually regaining my body by writing a novel, but I still suffer from the trauma* which is an idea which we particular see in the stories such as; Body Magic, Puzzle & Hatchling.

Out There by Kate Folk: another speculative short story collection which holds a mirror to society and subconscious fears and desires. In a similar vein to Life Ceremony the stories in Out There centre female protagonists who normally outcasts. There is a similar level of eeriness in these stories where something unusual to the modern reader is seen as normal e.g. one story where people are attracted to very specific body parts and organs. This collection also has a lot of vignettes which are very… WTF did I just read which remind me a lot of feels I felt when reading Poochie and Lover on the Breeze.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang (translated from Korean to English by Deborah Smith): is a story of Yeong-hye who, following a dream of animal slaughter, decides to stop eating meat. This decision then leads to her becoming distant from her family in society. The idea of breaking social conventions/ not conforming to the norm and the isolation and in some cases madness is also a reoccurring theme throughout the stories in Life Ceremony.

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai (translated from Japanese to English by Donald Keene): similar to many of the characters in Life Ceremony the protagonist in No Longer Human feels detached and alienated from society, he feels at odds with everyone around him and finding everything about humanity unnatural and impossible to comprehend (comparable to the protagonist of Puzzle) and in high school becomes a ‘clown’ to mask his alienation which reminds me a lot of the protagonist in Hatchling.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters: a literary fiction novel which follows three women: two transgender (Reese and Amy) and one cisgender (Katrina). Amy detransitions, becoming Ames, and goes from dating Reese to dating Katrina. Their lives are intertwined when Katrina becomes pregnant and Ames suggests involving Reese in the parenting. A book that not only challenges societal norms but also displays much like Two’s Family shows a unique family unit.

Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire: a more left field read a like because this is very different in terms of feeling and vibes. I am including because at its heart is also about the outcasts of society and critiques and challenges social norms. Wayward Children is a portal fantasy novella series following children who have been through the wardrobe and felt right at home, however now they are back in our world and can’t get back to the place they belong. Content Warnings: Cannibalism, Body Horror, Vomit, Death, Sexual Content, Incest (between cousins), Stalking

#Giveaway ~ Her #Christmas Pregnancy Surprise by Jennifer Faye... #books #reading #amreading #ContemporaryRomance #romance #rescuedog #SweetRomance

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

. . . I hope you’ll join Pepper, Simon and Daisy this Christmas as they make peace with the past, embrace the miracles of the present and are filled with hope for the future. Happy reading, — Jennifer

For Him and My Family - Review

"Love the abandoned puppy in the story. The author has a distinctive flair to her writing that makes it a pleasure to read. . . . If you love a good romance this book is for you. . . . This is strictly a light-hearted romance that you will enjoy reading curled up in a blanket with a cup of hot tea on a snowy day."

Thoughts of a Blonde - Excerpt

Was this really happening? An invitation to one of the most exclusive parties in New York City. It didn’t get much better than this. Okay, it wasn’t quite an invitation. Still, she was here among the crème de la crème of New York society—actresses, models, politicians, and the list went on. How she got here shouldn’t matter, right? And, okay, she just happened to be one of the waitstaff. Not an actual guest. But still, this wasn’t just any party. This was Simon Ross’s party at the top of the tower. She stifled a squeal of delight as she considered pinching herself just to make sure this was real.

underneath the covers - Spotlight

Locks, Hooks and Books - Review

"I am giving Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy a light romance. It is definitely worth a read."

Becky on Books - Spotlight

FaithLaneAuthor - Excerpt

With Simon standing so close to her, she had to tilt her chin upward for their gazes to meet. As she stared into his dark eyes, she felt as though she could get lost in them. She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do than spend the evening with him. “I’d like to go to dinner with you.” His voice lowered even more. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to ask you out.” “Really?” He nodded. “You intrigue me.”

Rockin' Book Reviews - Review

"This was a, mostly, predictable tale, but was so effectively written, I could not put it down. It captured my complete interest."

Liberty's Literary Loves - Excerpt

“Can I ask you a question?” He shrugged. “Sure.” “If you like animals enough to start up a chain of pet stores, why don’t you own one?” Simon didn’t want to think about the past and how he’d wanted a puppy so badly. Yet the door to the past had been cracked open and now the memories slithered through, filling his mind.

Andi's Book Reviews - Review

"I'm a sucker for holiday stories. . . . It took me a while to fall for them as a couple, because there was such a slow burn and that awkwardness between the two of them. But I did still root for them along the way. And as in all good romances, things start falling into place in the best of ways. I read through it in one evening."

Baroness' Book Trove - Review

"Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise by Jennifer Faye is another laugh-out-loud book. I loved this book; it feels like, with every story, her books get better. Simon and Pepper are the definitive definitions of opposite’s do attract. There are a lot of things to love about this book, but you should read it for yourself. This book deserves the five stars I’m giving it and recommending it to everyone that loves a romance."

Melissa McClone - Excerpt

The new bakery was pulling out all the stops with big ads, radio spots and every other promotion they could think of. The bakery was part of a national chain that could afford to undercut their prices to drive the competition out of business. Then once the competitors were out of business, they’d jack up their prices. The nerve of some people. But Pepper refused to let them drive her out of business—not without a big fight. She’d sunk everything she had into making this bakery a success. It was a dream of hers—a dream that she refused to let die, even if it meant doing things that she wouldn’t otherwise have done, like working round the clock if she had to. The chain couldn’t keep up their deep discounts forever. At least, she hoped not.

Peaceful Pastime - Review

"Overall, I found this heartwarming story a fast and end entertaining read. I normally find novels about billionaires a little unbelievable but that wasn't the case in this book."

janicesbookreviews - Review

"I loved the dog in the story named Daisy. Pepper falls in love with Daisy. . . . I love the author’s books. I think this one of my favorites. It was such an enjoyable story with the dog."

Jorie Loves A Story - Review

"Faye tucks you into the plausible way in which two contemporary career-driven individuals can find each other quite randomly (or was it?) in their ordinary lives and find a strength of connection . . . . Faye charms you with the quirky way in which she allowed Daisy, Simon and Pepper [to] develop into a family - giving you pause for thought about the intricate ways in which our lives can be affected by each other whilst renewing your joy of a romance set during the Christmas season where anything is truly possible when it comes to love, romance and the hopefulness of second chances!"

Wishful Endings - Excerpt

He nodded. “Elaine Haskins is my assistant and the party is at my country home.” Pepper’s face creased with lines of frustration. She didn’t say a word as she digested the information. “I’m sorry,” he said. “This is my fault. Everyone was so impressed with you at the office party that Elaine added you to our catering list. After what happened between us, I forgot to say anything to her. I totally understand you wanting to cancel—” “Cancel?” Her shoulders straightened and she lifted her chin slightly. “I’m not canceling.”

Splashes of Joy - Review

"This is quite the Christmas story, with a little surprise thrown in to make it a bit of a surprise. I enjoyed Pepper’s character. . . . This is a nice sweet read, it only took a few hours to read."

Hallie Reads - Review

"Get in the Christmas spirit with Jennifer Faye’s Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise! It’s a fun story full of delicious treats, complicated romance, and an adorable rescued puppy."

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post...

Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise

By Jennifer Faye

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 256 Pages

November 1st 2019 by Harlequin Romance A festive reunion… …with an unexpected gift! When Pepper Kane’s home and bakery are burned down in the weeks before Christmas, billionaire CEO Simon Ross—the man she spent one unforgettable night with—comes to the rescue! Pepper knows this playboy doesn’t do relationships, but staying with him in his penthouse and caring for an abandoned puppy, their spark is rekindled… And then comes a festive surprise that shocks them both: she’s carrying his baby!

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Harlequin | iBooks | Kobo | Book Depository

Freebie

Go to Jennifer's Contact Page HERE and order your bookmark(s)!

About the Author

Award-winning author, Jennifer Faye pens fun, heartwarming contemporary romances with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published with books translated into nine languages. She is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, named a TOP PICK author, and been nominated for numerous other awards.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube | BookBub | Newsletter

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive (US only):

The Pioneer Woman – Utensil Crock and spoon holder

$25 Amazon Gift Card

Wilton cookie cutters & more…

Plus autographed copy of HER CHRISTMAS PREGNANCY SURPRISE

Ends November 13, 2019

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Photo Credits go to Goodreads!)

This book blog has no book posts. Let’s amend that!

I give you, Heir of Fire. Rating: 4/5

Heir of Fire is the third book in Sarah J Maa-

Oh. Right. Forgot what platform this is on.

Heir of Fire came out right around the time I was becoming aware of the presence of bookish communities on the Internet. 2014 (as far as I can tell) was the year when this series freaking BLEW UP on social media, and HoF was the book that really stoked the young Throne of Glass fandom. So, for me, finally reading this book close to three years after seeing it everywhere in my first explorations of Booktube (And trust me, my first encounter with Booklr a year later got the point across that the love for these books was still going strong) was sort of surreal.

In all honesty, HoF was almost… well, disappointing. I should clarify that I rated Throne of Glass 4.5/5, both times that I read it, and that I gave The Assassin’s Blade and Crown of Midnight a solid 5 stars each. If it feels like I put too much fire (hahAHAHAHA I hate myself so much) on this book, that’s partly because it fell flat in comparison to its predecessors; but, all things considered, this book was pretty great and I definitely recommend giving it a shot if you’ve come this far in the series.

(Mostly thematic but some specific spoilers from this point onward!)

Heir of Fire follows four main storylines through four different characters: Celaena, Dorian, Chaol, and the new one, Manon Blackbeak. One of the most jarring parts of HoF was that only half the book, if that, was set in the city of Rifthold, which was the stage for the other SJM books that I read, except the first half of Assassin’s Blade. By itself, this doesn’t mean much (Lord knows I wasn’t particularly attached to Rifthold), but the shift comes with a greater shift in the nature of the plot that took some getting used to. THIS WAS NOT A BAD CHANGE. I LIKED THE DIRECTION THE STORY IS TAKING I SWEAR. But, it made getting into the story that much harder because I wasn’t expecting it to be so different.

Chaol and Dorian keep on keeping on with regards to finding some of their Magic Answers, and it was beautiful to see them make up (apparently they were still hostile at the end of CoM?). I did find their plotlines more or less interesting, though the only major changes until the end were the subtraction of Celaena and the introduction of new characters.

Sorscha was cute, her relationship with Dorian sweet, and the revelation of her treachery was actually pretty surprising and made me like her character even more. I had a feeling she wouldn’t make it to the end though- I was SURE Tumblr would’ve talked about her more if she was in more than one book.

As for Aedion, he wasn’t at all what I was expecting, either in position or in character- For one thing, he’s a general in the army of the King of Adarlan, when I thought he was in some royal position in Terrasen, while still being ruled over by the King. For another, he’s not nearly so clear-cut and chivalrous as I once believed, though after he reveals his intentions to Chaol it’s clear that he would do anything for his cousin. Yay for unconditional loyalty! I was actually pretty nervous for Aedion’s fate in the end of the book, but it looks like I’ll be able to see that reunion I was wondering about in future books.

Celaena’s plotline takes predominance in Heir of Fire, which makes sense; I really wasn’t expecting any sort of real contact with the other continent, which seemed to me like the land beyond the sea in Lord of the Rings- more dream than reality, anyone who goes is leaving the story (remember that healer in Assassin’s Blade? I miss her. (ALSO REMEMBER ANSEL?? I SAW THAT, SARAH, AND MY ANSWER IS VERY YES)). Wendlyn is a total game changer because, unlike in Adarlan, magic is still very much present and usable, and the Fae and Demifae inhabitants are very magical in nature. Was I excited to explore the magic that the other three books danced around? Of course! At the same time, I was very aware that the introduction of magic meant that this was no longer just a human story.

All of the story emphasis up to this point has been placed on the characters, not the magic. Throne of Glass,_ The Assassin’s Blade_, and Crown of Midnight each did a spectacular job exploring human struggles like grief, fear and tyranny. This may be silly, but I’ll always be a bit nostalgic for the days when the main problems were death by human methods. Which I realize makes no sense because Chaol, Dorian, and Celaena opened a portal into the Wyrd after almost being killed by a human twisted and mutated by magic. And I realize that magic can definitely be a plot mechanism that fuels human characteristics like Celaena’s identity or The Kings’ and Arobynn’s hunger for power. Still, I feel like the change of setting and introduction of magic make the world of this story larger, and more complex (But, I mean, it was large and complex to begin with. Am I making sense at this point? Probably not.).

In a less silly way, the introduction of magic took away from the plot in part because time was needed to introduce the rules and systems of practicing magic, and build up Celaena as a competent user of magic, both of which could barely be played around with in magic-barren Adarlan. I was less interested in Celaena’s plotline in HoF because so much of it felt like a prolonged daily training story- which is fine, but a bit slow after the fast-paced love affairs and killing sprees of the last three books. Ironically, training in magic brings so much more focus onto Celaena as a character because of how it forces her to look introspectively. Given how shielded Aelin can be, even to herself, finally seeing her acknowledge the early parts of her life and seeing a full-ish view of her past was satisfying.

Rowan was also a nice addition to the story, but once again I was wary of setting high expectations for an element of the story that Tumblr had hyped up to the extreme. All things considered, Rowan resonated well with me, almost to the point that I’d be into a romantic relationship between them, even if I’m not sold on it yet (because I mean, it’s not guaranteed to happen, is it? oh wait). Wherever Rowaelin goes, I have to say that as of this book, Rowan has something over Dorian, Chaol, and even Sam (sorry, bro.): Rowan has seen it all. Or at least, closer to all than the others ever got. He’s been with her through her revisiting the deaths of her parents, her time in Endovier, Nehemia, LITERALLY ANYTHING PRE-AROBYNN. Dorian never got anything of the sort (as far as I can remember), Arobynn forced her hand by taunting Sam with her past (after which Celaena still wasn’t willing to say anything to him), and she only gave Chaol a vague hint after their relationship was over and she was about to leave Erilea for a long time. Even if it isn’t romantic yet, Rowan and Celaena have developed a strong sense of trust (on the deepest levels) that’s unique among her relationships so far. That’s really nice to see.

Now. Let’s. Talk. About. MANON FUCKING BLACKBEAK. THIS QUEEN. THIS AMAZING STORYLINE. Manon intrigued me from the start (again, thank you Tumblr for giving me presuppositions of various characters in books 3-5), and she sure as hell didn’t disappoint when I got to know her more. The witches were kind of a blank space so far in the story (ANSEL WHERE ARE YOU), and learning a little more about their backstory, history, and characteristics was very satisfying. As for Manon herself, I am (as usual) a sucker for female badass villains (Is Manon a villain though? Not that it matters. She’s abrasive, she doesn’t take crap, and she’s aware of the empathy within herself, and she’s conflicted, and well-rounded, and I love it). Manon and Abraxos are the ultimate OTP of this book, since most of the other romances are dulled down for now. Sorry, Sorian. But. Animal bonds. Trump. All things. If anyone reading this has also read_ The Scorpio Races_, by Maggie Stiefvater, that’s the kind of sentiment towards fantastical animals that I love to see in books, and Heir of Fire captures it perfectly.

 Anything else? Oh, yeah, Arobynn’s probably back next book. Which I have a feeling about, but I’m not sure how… pulls our Tumblr-English dictionary let’s see…. My… Son? MY SON. Yes.

Overall, even though it wasn’t as awe-inspiring as the other Maas books I’ve read, Heir of Fire had a very distinct flavor; it truly stood out from the other books, and I swear I mean that in a good way. As I got further into the book, I kept finding that I when I wasn’t reading, I actually wanted to read it. I’ve been in a pretty aggressive reading slump for the past few months, so finding that feeling in any capacity was nice. Even typing out this review now, over a week after finishing the book, that same addictive quality is creeping back into my mind. Part of how you should judge a book is how often you think about it once it finishes it. By that standard, Maas has never had much trouble with me.

I really need to stop waiting so long between these books.

Review and Excerpt Tour for TUNES by KC Enders!

 What’s more cliché than falling for a guy in a band or pinning for the one who got away? Find out in TUNES by KC Enders, a Beekman Hills novel where a no-strings spring break fling turns into something more for Gracyn George and rocker Gavin Keller. Fans of A.L. Jackson’s STAY, DRUMLINE by Stacy Kestwick, and authors Jiffy Kate & Winter Renshaw will love this spicy and angsty second-chance romance.

 Title: Tunes

Author: KC Enders

Release Date: October 1, 2018

Publisher: Self-published

Series: Beekman Hills #2

Genres: New Adult Romance

Word Count: 73K

Format: Paperback & digital

 Synopsis:

 What’s more cliché than falling for a guy in a band?

 A no-strings fling is all it was meant to be for Gracyn George. Sun, sand, sex, and then move on. That was before he strummed his way into her life. Each note leaving a tingle in her spine, their lasting melodies burned into her memory.

 What’s more cliché than pining for the one who got away?

 Gavin Keller has sacrificed far too much to chase after the girl who snuck out in the middle of the night and left him wondering, What if …

 No matter how high his star rises or how many sold-out shows he plays, he ends each concert scanning the audience for her.

 What was supposed to be temporary becomes a longing neither is willing to let go. After months of trying to move on, can they sync the tunes in their hearts?

Available on Amazon and FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2IfUuF7

 Add to Goodreads → http://bit.ly/2oBSoX9

 TUNES Excerpt

Copyright © 2018 KC Enders

Gavin

Gracyn’s gone. She fucking left me in the middle of the night, buck-ass naked and in her bed.

I waited more than an hour for her to come back from wherever she’d scampered off to, almost certain that she’d just gone out to grab us some breakfast. Took a shower and threw on my clothes from last night. Well, my board shorts because my favorite fucking shirt was gone, too.

No Gracyn.

No note.

No shirt.

Nothing.

The sun blazes down on my bare shoulders as I walk back to my shitty motel. It’s petty and stupid, but I’m too pissed off to put on a different T-shirt. It’s the principle.

My fist connects with Ian’s door with three solid thumps. The last thing I want to do is walk in on him getting ass when my chick had taken her fill and bailed on me. No fucking way I feel like dealing with his shit over this. I don’t want to hear it.

“Dude, you good?” I call as I hit the door again.

“S’open,” Nate yells. “Hey, didn’t think we’d see you today. She leaves tomorrow, right? That chick you’ve been hanging with all week,” he asks, looking away from the movie he’s watching, head propped up against the headboard of his bed.

“Fuck, man. Forgot we swapped rooms. I’ll—”

Ian looks up from his laptop and leans back, the colorful tats shifting as he folds his arms across his chest. “Jesus, what did she do? Steal your clothes and skip town?” The disgusted look on his face probably mirrors my own.

The door closes behind me as I cross the room and sit my ass down on the edge of the empty bed. I dig through Ian’s pack for a T-shirt. I pull on the first one I find, not caring if it’s clean, and flop back, staring at the water stains blooming across the ceiling by the bathroom. Hopefully, it’s the shower leaking in the room above us and not the shitter.

What the fuck happened? Why did she leave like that?

“Gavin? Seriously, man, what happened?” Nate’s sitting on the edge of his bed, features twisted in concern.

“I don’t know. I woke up, and she was gone.”

“Gone? Or out for a minute?”

“Gone. Left. Bags packed, including my fucking shirt. Just gone.” No matter how many times I go over it in my mind, it doesn’t congeal into anything that makes sense.

“Shit, man. That sucks balls,” Ian mumbles as he goes back to tapping at his keyboard. “What’re you gonna do? You text her yet?”

If only.

I run my hands through my hair, gathering it in my fists, and blow out a frustrated breath. “I don’t have her number.”

“Wait, what? You spent all fucking week with her. How do you not have her number?”

I roll my head to the side, so he can see just how fucking miserable I am. “I spent all fucking week with her. I didn’t really need it … until now.” Jesus, this is the worst. “What time are we playing tonight?”

“Ten, down on the beach. So … nothing? You got nothing? No way to find her?” Nate asks.

“Fuck. No, not really. Just a general idea of where she goes to school, and … no, I don’t even have a last name. I mean, I’m sure I could try to stalk the shit out of her, but she bolted, man.”

“Yeah … I guess she just wasn’t that into you, man. Fucked the rocker on spring break and went back to her Ivy League boyfriend.” As soon as the words leave his mouth, Ian cringes, gritting his teeth and sucking a breath through them. “Sorry, shit. I didn’t mean …”

“Whatever.” I pull out my phone, hoping there’s a message, but this day is nothing but all kinds of disappointments. I pop my earbuds in and pull up my post-show playlist. I crank some old school ’70s disco to clear my mind. And hopefully drift off to sleep.

 Check out these other titles in the Beekman Hill series!

TROUBLES (Book #1)

A chance at true happiness.

Amazon | Goodreads

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2MNfh8u

 TWIST (Book #1.5)

A twist that no one can imagine.

Amazon | Goodreads

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2oCMd5i

  Enter to win a Signed Set of Beekman Hills books! Plus, five will win a Beekman Hills eBook of their choice!

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29577/?

  About KC Enders:

 Karin is a New York Girl living in a Midwest world. A connoisseur of great words, fine bourbon, and strong coffee, she’s married to the love of her life who is also her best friend. The mother of two grown men, she is proud to say that they can cook, open car doors for the ladies, and clean up after themselves (you’re welcome, world). Even though her boys no longer live at home, the three dogs she’s rescued have taken up their empty space.

Follow:  Website | Facebook | Reader Group | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub | Instagram

 http://www.barclaypublicity.com/

Happy Sunday bookworms!

Did you miss me?  You may have noticed that things have been fairly quiet around the blog these past two weeks.  Maybe?  Well if you did, thanks for noticing!  For those of you who didn’t notice, are you wondering what I was up to?  No?  Well I am going to tell you anyways….

*Weekly Wrap-Up is a weekly post where I feature what posts were published on the blog for the past week, any bookish/blog happenings, noteworthy posts around the bookish blogosphere, what I recently finished reading, what I am currently reading, and what I will be reading next.

Personal Update:

The reason I’ve been MIA for the past 2 weeks is that my family and I were on vacation in Florida.  Of course we visited my happy place, Disney World.  If I could visit Disney World EVERY year, I totally would, but my husband won’t allow it.  We compromised on every other year.  And yes, I am already planning our 2019 Disney World trip :)

And for those of you who are fellow Disney World fans, I give you some pictures from the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade…

  On the blog:

Monday 2/13

Book Event: Brit Bennett, Author of The Mothers

Friday 2/24

Kids’ Corner: Buy, Borrow, or Pass – Children’s Picture Books (February 2017)

Bookish/Blog happenings:

» So Cover2CoverMom actually turned 1 this past Friday the 24th and I completely forgot about it.  Who does that?!  Pre-vacation I was really looking forward to celebrating my one year blogiversary, but I grossly underestimated the amount of prepping and recovering from our vacation, so I never got around to drafting a post to celebrate.  I actually went back and re-read my post celebrating my 6 month blogiversary, and found that this post is still very relevant → 6 Month Blogiversary: Reflection + Future Goals.  I did realize that a few of the goals that I listed are STILL not being met.  I still am not posting regular discussion posts and am not active on bookstagram.  I do believe I have accomplished diversifying my reading and stepping up my book photography game… now only if I would post them to Instagram… Some things never change apparently.  Anyways!   I would just like to say a huge THANK YOU to all my book blogger friends and followers.  I truly appreciate you all more than you will ever know.

Around the blogosphere:

» Sammie @Bookshelves & Biros shares some alternate Valentine’s Day reads → Awesome alternative Valentine’s Day reads *Special appearance by yours truly*

» CW @Read Think Ponder shares some book recs of books by black authors → Book Recs: Books by Black Authors

» Casey @Adoptabookaus  asks where all the hype is for YA books with disabled characters → Its 2017… Where is the hype for disabilities in young adult books

» Drew @The Tattooed Book Geek shares reasons to love fantasy → Reasons To Love Fantasy

» Gretcchen @ChicNerdReads  reveals the cover for her poetry book. #SpoilerAlert It’s freaking amazing! → Cover Reveal of My Poetry Book “love, and you”

» Millie @MillieBot Reads shares why she loves Jane Austen’s works → 5 Reasons Why I love Jane Austen’s Work

» Megan @bookslayerReads discusses character lists & maps → Discussion || Character Lists & Maps

» Danielle @Books, Vertigo and Tea shares another pairing teas with reads feature → Pairing Teas & Reads

» Marie @drizzle & hurricane Books talks about blogging goals → Pageviews, Followers, the Community: Goals in Blogging

» Reg @SheLatitude gives us a book look (an outfit inspired by a book) for A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab → Book Looks: A Conjuring of Light – V. E. Schwab

» Naz @Read Diverse Books features a book subscription box that focuses on Black Literature → Call Number: A Library-Inspired Book Box That Celebrates Black Literature!

What have I been reading?

*Book titles link to Goodreads

Recently finished reading:

» The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

This book was way outside my comfort zone, but I am so glad I gave it a go!  Despite the fact that this book made me very queasy at times (blood makes me faint), I am shocked at how addicting this book was.  How can I describe this book to you?  I would classify this one as a “post-apocalyptical psychological thriller wilderness survival story”… is that a genre?  As you can tell, this book doesn’t fit into a specific genre, but has elements of multiple genres.  Review to come!

» The Crystal Ribbon by Celeste Lim

I absolutely adored this middle grade book, though I think this book would appeal more to a older middle grade – YA audience.  Since this book only just came out in January, and it is a debut novel, I have not seen anyone else talking about this book yet.  I’m going to need SOMEONE to pick this one up soon.  I would recommend this book to fans of Thanhha Lai and Grace Lin.

» Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

My second Thanhha Lai book and I enjoyed this one just as much as Listen Slowly.  I really enjoyed reading a refugee experience, especially since Thanhha Lai went through this herself and states that she shared many of the same experiences that our main character Hà experienced as an immigrant to the U.S. during the Vietnam War.  This was my second book in verse that I read this month, the other one being Brown Girl Dreaming.   Review to come!

» Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

I picked this one up hoping to learn what exactly what gender fluid meant.  You all know how much I sometimes struggle with the YA genre, but I am here to tell you that Symptoms of Being Human is YA done right!  Not only was I educated about all kinds of LGBTQIA+ issues and terminology that I didn’t previously understand, but I was also highly entertained while I was learning.  This book also goes into some deeper issues like suicide, hate crimes, bullying, etc etc, but also has some lighter moments with a touch of romance, friendships, and family relationships.  Review to come!

Currently reading:

» Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I am about 40% through this one.  Much like State of Wonder, this book is interesting enough to keep me entertained, but I am not loving it yet.  I hope that things will pick up in the second half.

» A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

I began A Gathering of Shadows last night in order to prepare for the A Conjuring of Light book tour that I am attending next Saturday!!! I had been putting off reading this one until closer to the release date of A Conjuring of Light, but when I heard that V.E. Schwab was coming to Kentucky on her book tour, I knew I wanted to wait and read this one the week before the event to get myself psyched up.   I literally cannot wait.

»Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Since discovering Neil Gaiman last year, I’ve been making my way through each of his books.  Neverwhere was the next one up to bat.  I am 40% through this one thus far and of course I’m loving it.  Honestly I do not think NG could do any wrong in my eyes.  I just love him so much.

On deck:

» The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

Moving right along with my SOKY Book Fest TBR, the next author on my list is Cinda Williams Chima.  I’ve never read any of her work before, so I hope this is a good place to start.  Anyone have any insight into this author/series?  Let me know :)

What are you currently reading?

What will you read next?

Have a wonderful week, and happy reading

I explain where the hell I've been the past 2 weeks in my #WrapUp post! #BookBlogger #Bookworm Happy Sunday bookworms! Did you miss me?  You may have noticed that things have been fairly quiet around the blog these past two weeks. 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme originally from Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things I have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on my blog.

So this week was weird… Had a few stressed out days, but recovered with reading a lot… My bf started working again after having the flu, but was so tired he slept for 13/14 hours straight on Thursday and Friday… He always takes a nap after an early shift, but those two days he slept all the way until next night [he needs to get up at 4 for an early shift =o…] So I didn’t see him much this week, and the two before because of the flu… He likes to sleep a lot, but results in sleeping during the day and being awake when I’m asleep at night… But our three-year anniversary is coming up on Thursday =] We did have dinner at his parents’ tonight and it was cozy again =]… His grandma’s b-day will be next week too =] So I hope it will be a good week next week…

I’m excited for my Taekwondo exam on Feb 3rd !!!! =] =] =] I’m training twice a week, as usual, but it’s not all fun right now… Not because of the exam though… But my Achilles is swollen and the pain is now also in my calf and shin =/ So I’m walking with a limp, once again…. Doesn’t help that my knee is swollen too…. =[ And with no actual cause other than Hypermobility Syndrome… Makes me experience pain without a clear reason… Walked with a brace and sling on my left wrist for a year and a half [I’m a leftie, so that sucked balls] and the doctors were like; we can’t see anything wrong, take an aspirin -_-‘ Story of my life I guess…. So I read just a bit more to keep my head somewhere else…. And not moving helps hahahaha

On other exciting thing was my school night… I DID MY FIRST HAIRCUT AND IT WAS GOOD!!!!! Yeah, it did need some advice, because of things we hadn’t learned in class before hahaha… But after the advice and last corrections [styling wise tips to get a nicer result, no mistakes were made yay me!!] I rocked the haircut =] I’m really happy about that and it counts for my final exam!! So this week will be an exercise week for me, with a model, but no result other than a good blow out.. The week after will be tricky in finding a model again… Need to do a full perm on a woman with the right hair length… already terrified hahaha

I hope all of you have a great week and will empower the rest of the world like you did with the Women’s March.. That had an incredible impact… I loved the Harry Potter signs, the puns from Sir Ian McKellan and Melissa Benoist and all the Pussy Hats =] Keep up the empowerment!!

Xoxo

Goodreads Reading Challenge update: 8/100 books

The Backlist Reader Challenge update: 6/50 books

This weeks posts: [sadly only one, due to my stressed week]

Sunday Post #25. January 22

Coming next week:

TTT#21  Ten Underrated/Hidden Gem Books I’ve Read In The Past Year Or So

TTT#22 FREEBIE — that super specific list you want to make?? All yours to tackle this week!

Tv Thursday #7. Week 3 [will try again to remember making this one]

Sunday Post #26. January 29

Reviews maybe to come:

Sara Raasch – Snow Like Ashes

Sara Raasch – Icicles Like Kindling

C.L. Lynch – Chemistry

So I did a lot of reading this week and I like it. I’m still busy in Tales of Beedle the Bard. My plan was a story a day, but I forgot to do that and will have to continue next week hahaha… I’m almost finished in Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet and I love it so much!!!! I did finish Snow Like Ashes, which left me yearning for more, but I’m on a bit of a book buy ban =[… I did read Icicles Like Kindling today after I’d finished Snow Like Ashes… Tomorrow I’ll be starting Carve the Mark and will finish Breath of Fire..

I got into some ARC and street teams of some wonderful female authors and can’t wait to read their books as well.. I’m talking about Rebecca Hamilton, Laxmi Hariharan, Rachel E. Carter, Kat Ross and K.N. Lee.. I also got a few nice looking/sounding books from Instafreebie. It’s a great platform for authors who don’t have the biggest spotlight… I think I’m gonna make some Author Spotlight posts, if I won’t forget haha… But they are amazing people and deserve some publicity =]

Monday Jan 16, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E5: Fail-Safe

Monday Jan 16, House of Cards S2E1: Chapter 14

Tuesday Jan 17, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E6: Star City 2046

Wednesday Jan 18, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E7: Marooned

Wednesday Jan 18, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E8: Night of the Hawk

Thursday Jan 19, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E9: Left Behind

Thursday Jan 19, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E10: Progeny

Thursday Jan 19, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E11: The Magnificent Eight

Thursday Jan 19, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E12: The Refuge

Friday Jan 20, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E13: Leviathan

Friday Jan 20, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E14: River of Time

Friday Jan 20, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E15: Destiny

Friday Jan 20, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E16: Legendary

Friday Jan 20, CSI S2E9: And Then There Were None

Friday Jan 20, CSI S2E10: Ellie

Saturday Jan 21, CSI S2E11: Organ Grinder

Saturday Jan 21, CSI S2E12: You’ve Got Male

Sunday Jan 22, CSI S2E13: Identity Crisis

Sunday Jan 22, CSI S2E14: The Finger

Sunday Jan 22, CSI S2E15: Burden of Proof

  With the boyfriend:

Tuesday Jan 17, Modern Family S8E6: Grab It

Tuesday Jan 17, Modern Family S8E7: Thanksgiving Jamboree

  Woohoo I got my copy of Carve the Mark… A day late, thanks to my delivery service… She left the note with ‘nobody at home’, but my boyfriend was waiting for her [had to go to an appointment myself], and my neighbours were at home too.. Next day she wanted to dash again, but I got up from deep sleep very quickly, opened the door and she was cranky in pushing the package into my hands… I filed a complaint the previous day…. she never did this before and I’m sorry that it had to go this way…. I hope she won’t do this again in the future. But for now I’m very happy with my beautiful hard copy of this beauty… Will start reading it tomorrow =]

In case you’ve missed these:

Sunday Post #23 & #24. January 8 & 15

#72 The Diabolic.

The Backlist Reader Challenge 2017.

TTT#20 Top Ten 2016 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to).

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Awesomeness!!

Sunday Post #25. January 22 The Sunday Post is a weekly meme originally from Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share News.

Guest Post ~ The Second Chance by Catherine Mann... #romance #books

This is my stop during the book blitz for The Second Chance by Catherine Mann. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 29 October till 11 November. See the tour schedule here. The Second Chance (Alaskan Oil Barons #5) By Catherine Mann Genre: Contemporary Romance Age category: Adult Release Date: November 1, 2018

Blurb: She can’t remember the last five years… Or the man who says he’s her husband. Chuck Mikkelson knows Shana doesn’t remember him…or that she wanted a divorce. But now she’s back in his home, and he vows to save their union at all costs. This may be the only second chance he has to win back his wife. Will their rekindled passion be enough to convince her to stay when her memory returns?

You can find The Second Chance on Goodreads You can buy The Second Chance here: - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo EXCERPT: Until today, Charles “Chuck” Mikkelson had run out of ideas for a second chance with his wife. Admitting defeat had never been an option for him, professionally or personally. But amnesia as a do-over with Shana was extreme, even for him. Surely he’d heard the neurologist wrong. Chuck’s gut knotted. “Do you mean Shana is disoriented? Fuzzy on things like the time or date? Forgot what she had for dinner?” After all, she’d suffered a minor aneurysm that had left her unconscious for just over thirty-six hours. The longest day and a half of his life. But finally, she was awake. Alive. Two physicians occupied the secluded sitting area where Chuck had been brought after a staffer located him grabbing a bite in the cafeteria while a privately hired nurse sat with Shana. Chuck couldn’t believe his wife had actually woken up the one time he’d stepped away from her hospital room. The neurologist—Dr. Harris—sat beside Chuck. Another of Shana’s physicians stood at the window. Snow was coming down in thick sheets of white, as if the hospital sterility was outside as well as indoors. “Shana is disoriented, but it’s more than that,” Dr. Harris explained slowly from the chrome-and-leather chair he’d pulled around to face Chuck. “You need to accept that she has lost her memory.” Amnesia. The word still ricocheted around in Chuck’s brain. “She doesn’t know who she is?” Dr. Harris closed the tablet that he’d used earlier to show the part of her brain that was affected. “Actually, she does know her name. She recalls details about herself. The memory loss focuses on more recent events.” “How recent?” Chuck asked, unease creeping up his spine. “She has the month correct. But five years prior.” Five years ago? That meant… “She doesn’t remember anything about me.” Much less about being married to him. There were some times between them lately he wouldn’t mind forgetting. But the thought of losing memories of the good times with Shana? Unthinkable. The two doctors exchanged somber looks before Shana’s other doctor took a seat in the other wingback. Dr. Gibson was young, but tops when it came to fertility specialists. It meant a lot to Chuck that the man had shown up to weigh in on Shana’s condition even though they weren’t trying for another baby. “Chuck, I’m sorry to say, she does not remember you,” Dr. Gibson said in the quietly comforting tone he’d used during Chuck and Shana's failed in vitro and three miscarriages. A phantom sucker punch to the gut wracked Chuck. It had been bittersweet when Dr. Gibson had assisted in caring for Chuck’s stepsister two months ago, after she delivered twins in a car. Pretending nothing was wrong had been hard as hell for Chuck, and Shana hadn’t wanted his comfort. “We were having trouble. Do you think this memory loss is more psychological than physical?” He’d blamed himself repeatedly for this aneurysm. If they hadn’t been fighting, if intense emotions hadn’t raised her blood pressure, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. “There’s no question she’s had an aneurysm, and she’s incredibly lucky to have come through it so well. But that’s not to say there aren’t psychological aspects in play. The body and mind work in tandem.” Staring at the tablet in the doctor’s hand, Chuck moved toward a planter, something to rest on. “How do we proceed from here? What do we tell her, and what’s her prognosis?” “I realize that you need answers, but it’s too early to project the long term. For now, the counselor on staff here suggests we answer questions as she asks them, no additional information,” Dr. Harris warned. “A psychiatrist will be consulting. Things are still so very new.” The obstetrician leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Let’s focus on the positives. Shana’s awake and physically fine. The baby’s heartbeat is strong. That’s news to celebrate.” Chuck frowned, certain he’d misunderstood. Gibson had to be confusing patients after a late shift. Dr. Harris straightened. “The baby?” "What pregnancy?" Chuck said precisely...

Start the Alaskan Oil Barons series with the first two books! The Baby Claim (Alaskan Oil Barons #1) From a family feud...to a one-night stand ending in heartbreak. Now will these rivals get a second chance at love? Links: - Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo The Double Deal (Alaskan Oil Barons #2) Snowbound with a sexy stranger…will sharing his bed destroy her plans or lead to forever? Links: - Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo

About the Author: USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann writes contemporary romance for Harlequin, Tule, Sourcebooks and Berkley. With over seventy-five books released in more than twenty countries, she has won a RITA Award, the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the Bookseller’s Best Award. She’s also celebrated six RITA finals, an RT Reviewer’s Award finalist, three Maggie Award of Excellence finals and a Bookseller’s Best win. After years moving around the country bringing up four children, Catherine has settled in her home state of South Carolina. The nest didn’t stay empty long though as she is active in animal rescue. Catherine enjoys hearing from her readers and can be found online frequently on Facebook. She can also be reached via mail at: P.O. Box 291023, Columbia, SC 29229. (For a free bookmark, send a self addressed stamped envelope.) You can find and contact Catherine Mann here: - Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads - Amazon - Instagram - Pinterest

Giveaway There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of The Second Chance. Five winners win an ebook of their choice of either the first or second book in the Alaskan Oil Barons series – The Baby Claim or The Double Deal by Catherine Mann. US Only. For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme originally from Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things I have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on my blog.

I so forgot my Sunday Post last week, so I’ve combined the two as one big one. Not much exciting has happened these past two weeks. Been tired a lot lately, especially the last few days. My bf has a kind of flu thingy and gets a weird sleep cycle because of it, which results in screwing up my sleep as well… Feel like I could sleep for two days straight and still not have enough sleep… Fell asleep on the couch at least four times in the last few days… One at night and most during the days, watching a movie or episode… Maybe it’s also the winter coming down at my energy levels… It’s cold, sad weather and not much to do… And especially with him having the flu, it means I can’t do a lot – besides reading, sleeping, eating, cooking, blogging or watching an episode or movie – I know you need your rest when not feeling well, so I won’t bother him with too much noise and stuff… But it’s gets kinda boring after a few days… In combination with my sleepiness, it makes me less motivated to watch or read anything.. So it get’s real boring.. Hope he feels better soon and I feel more energetic again… Gotta work out tomorrow again, prepare for my first Taekwondo exam on February 3rd!!

One exciting thing that did happen was discussing out holiday. It’s becoming more permanently set and booked =]=]=]=]=] I so wanna go to Orlando and Harry Potter’s Wizarding World…. Biggest issue is saving money to spend there hahahahaha

Big thingy did happen on the blog…. I WROTE/PUBLISHED/ MY FIRST REVIEW IN THREE MONTHS AGAIN!!!!!

This weeks posts:

What about that bookchallenge 2016 + goal 2017.

December Wrap-Up + January TBR.

The Backlist Reader Challenge 2017.

TTT#19 Top Ten 2017 Debuts I’m Excited For.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Awesomeness!!

TTT#20 Top Ten 2016 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to).

#72 The Diabolic.  <<<<<————- !!!!!!!!!!!

  Coming next week:

TTT#21 Ten Underrated/Hidden Gem Books I’ve Read In The Past Year Or So (up to you if you want it to be those published in the past year or so or just ANY underrated book you’ve read recently).

Tv Thursday #7. Week 3 [need some motivation there too, don’t want to let you guys down…]

Maybe some reviews =]

So in the last two weeks I’ve had a great start of this year’s Goodreads Reading Challenge 2017. I’ve finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I’ve read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them all by J.K. Rowling and The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid.

I’m currently reading Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet [Kingmaker Chronicles #2] as a NetGalley review, Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling and Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. After Breath of Fire I’ll start reading Halfway Bitten by Terry Maggert and/or The Gender Secret by Bella Forrest. After Snow Like Ashes I’ll start Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth. That beautiful hardcover will arrive this Tuesday and so I hope I’ve finished reading Snow Like Ashes before it arrives =]

So these two weeks I watched A LOT of episodes… If you’ve noticed a weird watching order with bones that’s true nothing is weird there… Apart from the fact that the first two episodes of Season 4 were a double episode and my streamer made episode 1 episode 1&2 and made episode 2 number 3 and so on… So I got confused in the episode titles and figured it out after watching episode 8 hahaha… A bit late, I know but I’ve watched the missing episode after all…

My bf finally wants to watch series again during dinner – instead of brain-dead comedy central re-runs – and now we’re watching Modern Family S8. We’ve watched How I Met You Mother as our dinner series before Modern Family and You’re the Worst will probably be our next. We also watch a few others together, but mostly they wait a long time because of the snack series [HIMYM and Modern Family, eps of 20-23 minutes instead of at least 40 minutes an episode]. Those are Gotham, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Scorpion. The rest of the shows can’t be watched together because of work, our preferences in watching series and our progress if watching the same series.. haha we love a lot of the same things, but in some series I’m ahead of him and some he’s ahead of me.. So we watch together separately mostly lol.

Monday Jan 2, Charmed S4E18: Bite Me

Thursday Jan 5, Charmed S4E19: We’re Off to See the Wizard

Friday Jan 6, Charmed S4E20: Long Live the Queen

Saturday Jan 7, Charmed S4E21: Womb Raider

Saturday Jan 7, Charmed S4E22: Witch Way Now?

Saturday Jan 7, Bones S4E1: Yanks in the U.K. (1)

Saturday Jan 7, Bones S4E2: Yanks in the U.K. (2)

Sunday Jan 8, Bones S4E4: The Finger in the Nest

Monday Jan 9, Bones S4E5: The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond

Monday Jan 9, Bones S4E6: The Crank in the Shaft

Tuesday Jan 10, Bones S4E7: The He in the She

Tuesday Jan 10, Bones S4E8: The Skull in the Sculpture

Tuesday Jan 10, Bones S4E3: The Man in the Outhouse

Tuesday Jan 10, Bones S4E9: The Con Man in the Meth Lab

Thursday Jan 12, Bones S4E10: The Passenger in the Oven

Thursday Jan 12, Bones S4E11: The Bone That Blew

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E12: The Double Trouble in the Panhandle

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E13: The Fire in the Ice

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E14: The Hero in the Hold

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E15: The Princess and the Pear

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E16: The Bones That Foam

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E17: The Salt in the Wounds

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E18: The Doctor in the Den

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E19: The Science in the Physicist

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E20: The Cinderella in the Cardboard

Friday Jan 13, Bones S4E21: Mayem on a Cross

Saturday Jan 14, Bones S4E22: The Double Death of the Dearly Departed

Saturday Jan 14, Bones S4E23: The Girl in the Mask

Saturday Jan 14, Bones S4E24: The Beaver in the Otter

Saturday Jan 14, Bones S4E25: The Critic in the Cabernet

Saturday Jan 14, Bones S4E26: The End in the Beginning

Saturday Jan 14, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E1: Pilot (1)

Saturday Jan 14, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E2: Pilot (2)

Sunday Jan 15, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E3: Blood Ties

Sunday Jan 15, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S1E4: White Knights

Movies:

Sunday Jan 15, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

With the boyfriend:

Tuesday Jan 3, Mars S1E4: Power

Wednesday Jan 4, Mars S1E5: Darkest Days

Wednesday Jan 4, Mars S1E6: Crossroads

Friday Jan 6, Modern Family S8E1: The Tale of Three Cities

Thursday Jan 12, Modern Family S8E2: A Stereotypical Day

Friday Jan 13, Modern Family S8E3: Blindsighted

Saturday Jan 14, Modern Family S8E4: Weathering Heights

Sunday Jan 15, Modern Family S8E5: Halloween 4: The Revenge of Rod Skyhook

#2016bestnine

A photo posted by Felicia (@felicias.ink) on Jan 2, 2017 at 5:54am PST

When you were being cheeky and asked if you could have them after the movie leaves the movie theatre. When you hear you can take them now and the lady helps you get them down. When this happens, I'm a very, very, very happy girl😍😁 • #fantasticbeasts #fantasticbeastsandwheretofindthem #fangirl #fandom #luckygirl #happygirl #newtscamander #queeniegoldstein #tinagoldstein #jacobkowalski #nomaj #happy #fangirling #movietheatre

A photo posted by Felicia (@felicias.ink) on Jan 4, 2017 at 7:18am PST

Getting my geek up again🖖🏼 first time entering the Star Trek universe in chronological order. Awesome to see what they could already do in the 70s. And such a young Shatner haha. And what a difference in voice volume and effects. • #startrek #startrekuniverse #startrekthemotionpicture #startrek1979 #mrspock #🖖🏼 #captainkirk #geek #geekgirl #geeky #nerdy #nerdygirl #geekygirl

A photo posted by Felicia (@felicias.ink) on Jan 15, 2017 at 11:22am PST

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Sunday Post #23 & #24. January 8 & 15 The Sunday Post is a weekly meme originally from Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share News.