How to Be Productive During the Holidays

So here’s a thing: in the US, Thanksgiving is next week.

Say what?

Yeah, that was my reaction too when I looked at my calendar. I’m already behind for NaNoWriMo but felt pretty relaxed about it. “I totally have time to catch up on my word count!” Then I realized Thanksgiving was next week and all of the sudden reality hit me. My neice’s birthday was this past weekend, this upcoming weekend my family is heading out of town to celebrate my grandpa’s birthday, then BOOM! It’s Thanksgiving. Then we’ll be full swing into Christmas.

I do not have nearly as much time on my hands to catch up on my word count as I thought. On top of it there’s blog posts to write, books to read and review, presents to buy, food to cook… as much as I love the holiday season, it also can be pretty stressful and hectic.

What’s a person to do when they have a to-do list a million miles long, but in reality all they really want to do is curl up with some hot chocolate and watch Hallmark Christmas movies? Here’s some ideas:

Be Realistic

Every year for NaNoWriMo I swear I’ll get writing done on Thanksgiving. “Even for just a few minutes! I can get some words in!”

Do I get writing done on Thanksgiving?

Nope.

It’s just not a realistic goal for me. As you’re preparing for all that you need to do and determine what you can actually do. For me, that means on major holidays I’m not going to get anything extra done, so I need to work extra hard the days before so I can have fun later.

Or maybe you had a goal of reading a certain number of books in one month and you need to cut that number down. Maybe you need to cut back on the number of projects you work on through these next several weeks. Maybe it’s not realistic for EVERYONE on your gift list to receive a handmade item by you.

Work Ahead

Yes, this will require some planning. (Which is why I’m writing this post before Thanksgiving.) But once you get the leg work done, it’ll be so helpful!

For me - this meant planning out and writing all of my blog posts for the remainder of the year. Yup. I have every blog post from now through December (and even the start of January) planned. I’ll have them all written before Thanksgiving hits (if not before) save for the ones which are more time sensitive.

Example: I can’t finish my November Reading Round-Up until November is over. However, I can write each review for the books I complete right after I finish them so I’m not cramming it all in at the last minute.

This way, I don’t have anything to worry about blog-wise while I’m trying to enjoy the holiday festivities.

Be Flexible and Make Compromises

This weekend was my niece’s first birthday, which meant we were busy with presents, decorations, and spending time with friends and family. Good times were had by all! Going in, I had a plan for catching up on my writing. I got a lot done that morning, and once I got home after the party I’d get even more done. Then… friends decided to hang out more afterward and through the evening. I really wanted to go. But, I had words to write.

I ended up compromising.

I didn’t go out with my friends, but I did help watch my niece so my sister and brother-in-law could. I was able to bring my laptop and sit in the living room while my niece slept. (Or rather, played in her playpen because each time we put her down she cried.) I didn’t get quite as many words in as I planned, but I got far more than I would have if I went out.

Then this upcoming weekend, I plan on bringing my laptop with me while my family and I road trip for my grandpa’s birthday. If possible, I’ll be writing while others are driving.

Is it ideal? Nope. But, I’ll still get more done than if I were to skip those days of productivity.

Remember It Doesn’t Need to be Perfect

We get this image in our minds of the perfect holiday seasons. Nothing goes right, the tree looks just so, the presents are all wrapped in a timely fashion, and we can sip eggnog by the fire at the end of each day.

Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out like that. And that’s okay.

You need to learn to forgive yourself for when things aren’t completely perfect. The last sentence you wrote for your novel might not be the most brilliant piece of literature ever written. The tinsel on the Christmas tree might get clumped up a bit. You might not reach your book reading goal for the year.

All of this is okay. As long as you’re taking care of yourself, there’s a roof over your head, the kids are alive, priorities are in order, and you’re spending time with the people you care about, you’re doing a great job.

What goals do you need/want to complete the next several weeks during this busy time? What’s your action plan or any advice for people who need to get through their own to-do list?

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Self Care for NaNoWriMo

It’s been a slightly rough start for NaNoWriMo this year.

With the exception of Sunday night, I’ve hit all of my word count goals - but at the bare minimum and after a lot of procrastination and dragging of my feet. Leading up to November as I was preparing and bouncing back after PitchWars, I was excited to dive back into this book. I’ve learned I like the revision/rewriting stage because you finally start to see your hot mess of a book become something pretty and shiny that you imagined it to be.

I saw VE Schwab speak at a local book store at the start of October and I loved how she talked about the writing process. When you get a new book idea, it’s this pretty shiny perfect sphere. Then, once you start to write you’re essentially throwing that sphere as far away as possible and as you write you’re making your way to wherever you threw it. The problem is, when you’re at the start of that journey you can’t see what the sphere actually looked like any more. Then, as you continue to write and revise, you slowly make your way to the sphere and you start to see what it looks like again.

I was excited to get closer to my sphere again.

Yet, each time I sit down at my computer with my notes and preparation, my mind panics and blanks. When I do eventually get the words on the page, I’m not satisfied in the least other than hitting that word count and being glad I don’t have to write any more for the day. This then makes me even more frustrated and confused. I love this book, this story, and these characters. I was so excited to get back into it. What happened?

It all culminated Sunday evening. I’d been coming down with a cold, I’d had a rough day at work, then had to go to an event right after which was great - but also left me feeling tired and drained, and on top of it all the crimson wave had to hit me that afternoon. I started my day around 5:30am and finally arrived home at 7pm. I tried to open up my Scrivener project but as I looked at the blank screen I couldn’t will myself to put any words on it.

But, it was only the 4th day of NaNoWriMo. This is the time when I’m supposed to be pumped up and ready to go! I couldn’t be burned out yet!

Friends told me it was okay to skip a day and reminded me that I essentially did my own NaNoWriMo in August in preparation for PitchWars. Then, someone on Twitter shared about how taking care of yourself is more important than hitting your daily word count goal sometimes.

If you’re not taking care of you, NaNoWriMo isn’t going to be a great experience. You won’t like or be proud of the work you’ve done. You’ll just be tired and burnt out at the end of November. No one wants that.

Take a Break

I took the night off from writing on Sunday. I got into my PJs, watched TV, and read a book instead. I went to bed with a clearer head and feeling much more relaxed. I even fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the pillow which rarely happens.

It’s going to be a pain to have to catch up on that word count because I know this week is going to be another busy one for me. Yet, when I got up on Monday morning and was drinking my coffee and heading out to work, the ideas started to flow again.

“What if I did this…”

“What if in this scene this happened…” “

I could do this in today’s chapter to prepare for something else in a later chapter…”

Do Something Completely Different

Most of the time on my commute to work I listen to podcasts. Usually writing and publishing based podcasts. Instead, the last couple of days, I listened to music. Your mind can’t be on writing 24/7. Sometimes you need to sit in your car and belt along with some show tunes. (Or whatever music it is that you listen to.) You can turn on the TV and watch an old favorite or start a new one. You’re allowed. It’s okay.

Write in Short Spurts

A friend of mine who is doing NaNoWriMo for the first time this year texted me a picture of her coffee and laptop and talked about how she was so excited to get to writing! As a mom of two kids (both still in diapers) and watching a third kid during the day, she doesn’t have the time to sit for hours on hours to work on her book. Instead, she said that she’s keeping her laptop open and whenever she has a couple of minutes she jots down some words.

Your writing doesn’t all have to be done after you’ve spent long hours at a coffee shop with inspiration pouring out of you. Not many of us have the time or energy for that. Instead, take a few minutes here and there. It’ll make it easier to turn off your brain when you need to, and if you leave off at a spot where you’re excited to go on, it’ll motivate you to write that next time you have a short time slot.

Get A Writing Support Group

It can be other people who write, others who are participating in NaNoWriMo, or simply those who support you in your endeavor. There’s moments you need someone to give you permission to take a break, to give you a pep talk, and listen to you whine and complain about your words. (Or lack thereof.) Writing doesn’t always have to be a solitary act!

Sleep

Here in the US, NaNoWriMo falls in the middle of autumn and we’re on our way to winter. Which means it’s cold and flu season. What helps to ward that off? Sleep. If you’re not getting the rest you need, you’ll be more likely to get sick, and when you’re sick you’re not going to feel like writing. Beyond that, when you’re well rested your ideas are going to flow more and you’ll get more done.

Remind Yourself Why You’re Doing This

In the midst of all of the frenzy of updating your word count, participating in word sprints, and trying to figure out your next plot point, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget why you decided to do this in the first place.

Make an inspiration board of all of the things you love about your book and why you made this goal. Keep a motivational quote by your computer or wherever it is you write to help you keep going. Be like Rachel Berry in Glee when she put a star in front of her treadmill to remind herself of what she was doing all of this hard work for.

You can do this my friends, and so can I! Take a break if you need to. Find a distraction. Then it’s time to get back to work.

Here's your #NaNoWriMo Eve pep talk: If @veschwab can completely rewrite Vengeful in two months - you can get 50k words in November. (This is basically what I keep reminding myself every few minutes when I start to panic) pic.twitter.com/aJvaRRikul

— Emily - is NaNoWriMoing -Hornburg (@eehornburg) October 31, 2018

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October Reading Round Up

October was a sightly different reading month for me than usual. Other years I’m all ready for Halloween and fill up my reading list with books about monsters, the paranormal, urban fantasy books I’ve been meaning to get to, etc.

That was not the case this year for a couple of reasons.

1) Five of my auto-buy/favorite authors had new releases this month. FIVE. I didn’t even get to read all of them. (Bummer, I know.) If the staff at Barnes & Noble didn’t know me before, they sure do now because I was there at least once a week to pick up a pre-order.

2) I want to become more familiar with recent releases for adult fantasy since…. you know… that’s what I write. So, I went to the library and picked up a few. I only got to one of them, and it took me longer than usual to read. I had to renew the others.

3) KINGDOM OF ASH IS LIFE.

So. Let’s get to it, shall we?

*=affiliated link

Vengeful* (Villains #2) by VE Schwab

• Genre: Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy

• Format: Hardcover

• Rating: 5 stars

Quick Summary:  A few years after the conclusion of Vicious a new EO wants to take power in Merit.

If it wasn’t for Kingdom of Ash, this book would take the top spot for my favorite of October. Unless something drastic happens, it will definitely make the list of my favorites for 2018. I read Vicious a couple of years ago and it is my favorite VE Schwab book. When I heard she was working on a sequel, I was ridiculously excited!

I loved the new characters/villains introduced in this one, the additional depth we got for the characters we already knew, and it was beautifully crafted. I was able to see the author speak at a local store and it was so awesome to hear her talk about the process of writing this book!

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  The first book Vicious, super villains, anti-heroes, pissed off women who want to take down the patriarchy, found family

Content Warnings: torture, violence, death (a lot of death), references to sexual assault

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The Queens of Innis Lear* by Tessa Gratton

• Genre: Adult Fantasy Retelling

• Format: Library Hardcover

• Rating: 3.5 stars

Quick Summary: A fantasy retelling of King Lear where 3 sisters fight for the crown.

King Lear is one of the Shakespeare plays I’m not familiar with other than it was a tragedy. Which means don’t get attached to anyone since they’ll probably die a terrible terrible death. I debated if I should read a plot synopsis before diving into it. I decided to just read a quick run-down of the premise.

I truly loved the concept for this book. Three women of mixed race who all could take their father’s crown after he dies. The oldest is asexual, a total bad ass, and prepared to take the throne to be king. (Yes, king. Not queen. She won’t take that s***.) The second oldest is happily married and has this super fascinating arrangement to rule at her sister’s side, has great forest/tree magic, but is also dealing with infertility. Then the youngest is close to her father, is super sweet, and is this star priestess person.

The beginning, I loved. I was interested, it pulled me in, I loved the characters. The ending was also great. It wrapped up everything well, it was intriguing, I wanted to keep going and see it all through. But the middle… meh. It was a struggle to keep going. I had a hunch that the end was going to be better, so I continued on. But that middle section definitely brought down my rating. There was so much potential though!

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  Shakespeare, tragedy and death, stand alone fantasy novels, more pissed off women who want to take down the patriarchy, sisters, star cross lovers

Content Warnings: violence, infertility/miscarriages, a lot of death and blood

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What If It’s Us* by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

• Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance - M/M relationship

• Format: Hardcover

• Rating: 4 Stars

Quick Summary:  Arthur and Ben randomly meet at a post office in New York then go on a hunt to find each other once again.

I love Becky Albertalli a ridiculous amount. (I’ve read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda at least six times.) As for Adam Silvera, I’ve read some of his books and I really appreciate him and his stories and I’m glad they exist, but they aren’t my favorite. When they teamed up to write a book together, I was cautiously excited.

There was no need for the cautious, apparently.

After how intense some of Queens of Innis Lear was, it was great to have this fun romantic book. A bit predictable, kinda corny, but I like those things. I mean, you don’t read a romantic comedy type of book because you want the end to surprise you, let’s be honest.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  romantic comedy, meet cutes, summer romance, M/M relationships, a lot of Hamilton fangirling, NYC

Content Warnings: not a whole lot to be honest with you. There’s some friend fight, a bit of a divorce worry, cheating, homophobia

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Kingdom of Ash* (Throne of Glass #7) by Sarah J Maas

• Genre: New Adult Fantasy

• Format: Hardcover

• Rating: 5 Stars

Quick Summary:  ITS THE FINAL THRONE OF GLASS BOOK WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

Yes. My most anticipated book of 2018. If not for the last several years. It’s actually here and I finished it. My heart… I don’t even have words.

This book was 992 pages.

I cried for 992 pages.

I’m writing this not even 24 hours after completing the last page and I’m almost ready to start crying again. I’ve been wallowing over how the Throne of Glass series is over ever since I put it back on my shelf.

Literally my only complaint is SO MANY BATTLE SCENES. Which, I can’t even complain about because the whole thing takes place during war so… there you go. It’s just that battle scenes aren’t my particular favorite and I have a hard time focusing on them. Beyond that - I LOVED EVERYTHING. This book also had the most “classic epic fantasy” feel out of all of them.

I’m not going to go on much more (I could if I wanted to- trust me!) because if I share anything about this book, it’ll spoil the entire series for those who haven’t read it yet. If you’re a fellow Throne of Glass fan, please feel free to reach out to me and we can talk and fangirl together. As well as cry.

I will say this though: while I’m so sad that this series is over, I’m completely satisfied with how it ended. It was beautiful, and wonderful. My heart is heavy, but it is also full.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  Sarah J Maas’ other books, epic fantasy, war stories, bad ass queens, witches, fae, shape shifters, romance, multiple points of view

Content Warnings: on page torture/breaking of bones (this was particularly difficult for me to read), a lot of violence and death, references to past abuse, PTSD, psychological torture/manipulation, loss of loved ones

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The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky (Montague Siblings 1.5) by Mackenzi Lee

• Genre: Young Adult Historical- M/M Relationship - Short Story/Novelette

• Format: ebook

• Rating: 4 Stars

Quick Summary:  We check in on the Montague siblings and friends between The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy.

This was a freebie for those who pre-ordered The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy so sadly… I don’t have a link for you all to purchase it yourself. Hopefully it will be available for purchase at some point!

Reading TGTGL was the perfect cure for my “book hangover” after reading Kingdom of Ash. It was fun, light, and I was able to check in on some of these fabulous characters.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, M/M relationships, navigating a new relationship, historical fiction

Content Warnings: references to homophobia, epilepsy, and past abuse

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Currently Reading:

Kings of the Wyld* (The Band #1) by Nicholas Eames

• Genre: Fantasy

• Format: Library Paperback

Quick Summary:  A former band of mercenaries reunite to save the daughter of one of their members.

I feel really bad for this book because it has to follow Kingdom of Ash. Nothing will be able to live up to that. I planned on reading a lighter book, or one of the other new releases that came out in October. However, I already had to renew this book and one other one from the library and I really need to get to it.

I’m not super hopeful about it though, because I was looking on Goodreads and apparently the author claims that the “only” way to get women in the book was to make them antagonists. This produced a lot of eye rolling from me even though he also claims that all of his characters have a lot of bad qualities. After most of the books I just finished are about pissed off women who want to take down the patriarchy… that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But, I did see that the second book’s main character is a woman so maybe it’s better than I’m anticipating.

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Paperbacks 3 for $30, available only at BN.com

How I'm Preparing for NaNoWriMo 2018

It was the fall of 2008. I was a few months into my full-time internship and living away from Chicago for the first time. I’d been writing my whole life, but in college it was much more sporadic than usual. I was ready to write more. I had a retelling of Snow White I’d been working on for literally years, but never finished it. A friend of mine from high school mentioned one day “Have you ever heard of this this called National Novel Writing Month? You should try it.”

Okay, I don’t remember if that was the exact quote. But you get the idea.

Looking back on it, that novel was awful. Like… it should never see the light of day awful. But, it was a start.

Since then I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo every single year. 10 wins. 1 Loss. 8 fantasy. 2 contemporary. The first was to complete what I’d already started, the rest were brand new novels starting from scratch.

Now it’s 2018 and low and behold - I’ve come back to that original Snow White novel.

Funny how life works, isn’t it?

Yet, nothing could be more different than that first attempt 10 years ago.

My relationship with NaNoWriMo is vastly different than it was ten years ago. The months leading up to November I lived in the forums looking for inspiration, grabbing character names, and finding writing buddies. When they started the word sprints on Twitter I was there for them all! I searched for write ins (but rarely went due to schedules and some minor social anxiety) and even put together one with a couple of people.

Now… not so much. Instead of going to the forums for ideas and brainstorming, I go to my small writing group or other people I’ve connected with who are also writers. For me, it’s much more effective and helpful. If I need the motivation, I’ll jump in on the writing sprints on Twitter, but not the way I used to.

In fact, I’m not even starting a book from scratch this year.

I used to have a hard time with my changing relationship. Isn’t the point of NaNoWriMo to write a new book? Isn’t part of the joy of NaNoWriMo the community that comes along with it?

Last year, I was listening to the Writing Excuses podcast and they were discussing NaNoWriMo. One of the hosts pointed out that the intent of the event was for new writers. The people who have always said “I’ve always wanted to write a novel” but never did. Experienced novelists of course can participate too, but the purpose is going to be different for them.

When I listened to this perspective, the weight of my changing relationship with the event I loved so much was lifted. It’s okay if I don’t interact on the website as much as I used to. It’s okay if I don’t jump at each Twitter notification that a writing sprint is starting. It’s okay if the book I work on isn’t a brand new project.

This year, I’m focusing on my revisions and rewrites for White Rose. It’s the original Snow White retelling that I started all those years ago. (For those of you freaking out that I’m trying to resurrect a terrible old project full of teen angst- you can calm down. I started this book from scratch last year and the only things that are the same are a couple of character names and maybe one or two plot points. It’s a vastly different book than it was!) I’ll be rearranging scenes, rewriting chapters, and piecing together what’s decent enough to salvage for the new draft.

To be honest, I’m not sure how I’m going to keep track of my word count this coming November. It’ll be an adventure!

How am I getting ready? A couple of different ways.

A Lot of Help and Guidance

While I wasn’t picked for PitchWars, I am fortunate enough to have made some great connections with people who believe in me and my book. I’ve been given tips, resources, worksheets, and excel documents to help me organize my thoughts and look at my novel from an objective perspective to figure out what I need to do moving forward. Pretty much all of my prep resources have been given to me by other people and goodness it’s helpful.

I have writing friends who are loving and patient enough to listen to me ramble about my characters and plot lines. Even if they don’t have suggestions, it’s useful just to have them there to be like “yes, what you’re saying makes sense” or “I understand your pain.”

Character Profiles

I’m attempting to make a detailed character profile for each of my main characters before November. Eventually, I want to have them for my minor characters as well. If I can get them all in before November, that would be great! But, I have so many that I know this is probably an unrealistic goal. I have a couple of them done and it is so helpful for me to dig deep into the characters so I can figure out their story lines and how I need to change things for them in my manuscript.

Detailed Outlining and Scene Trackers

I’ve always been an outliner, but the last few years for my first drafts they’ve been pretty loose ones. When I go into revisions though, I want to have a fully laid out plan so I know exactly what I need to fix and do.

It’s tedious and time consuming, but having everything laid out for me is opening my eyes to what’s broken and how to fit it in this draft. I’m seeing what scenes need to be cut, combined with others, rearranged, and added. If I had done this for a rough draft, I would have been completely overwhelmed. For a rewrite revision? It’s gold.

By the time November is here, I want to have this outline sketched out in Scrivener. That way when I’m ready to write, I can jump in and not worry about “so what am I doing next?”

Or at least I won’t be as much - hopefully.

Honestly… that’s pretty much it. The list is short, but each one of them are so time consuming and helpful, I’m feeling confident for November.

Who else is prepping for NaNoWriMo? Any tips? What kind of project are you working on for November? How are you preparing?

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Paperbacks 3 for $30

How I Save Money On Books

In October alone, I have at least one book on pre-order each week. (So many awesome new releases this month!) They’re all going to be hardcovers. This means their retail price will most likely be anywhere between $15-$30.

I don’t need to go much further for you to get the idea that if you are as avid of a reader as I am, it doesn’t take long for the numbers to rack up.

Let’s be real - books can be expensive!

Also, I’m not the best example when it comes to saving money with books. I spend far more than I should and I’m at the bookstore so often that the guy at the counter asks “Weren’t you just here the other day?”

I have a lot of spending habits I need to work on - especially in this area.

However, that doesn’t mean I haven’t learned some tricks for saving my money. I rarely spend full price on the books I purchase. In fact, just the other day a book had a retail price of $30 and I bought it for $16.

Here’s some of my tips.

(Please note, I buy books A LOT. Like… A LOT A LOT. Far more than most people do. Therefore, some of these tricks may or may not work for you. For example, if you don’t buy books very often, the price of a membership may not be the best option for you. Just want to have full disclosure!)

Go to the Library

This is the most important one! In fact, I wouldn’t have hurt feelings if after reading about going to the library you stop reading this blog post. The library is your biggest and best resource!

Guys - it’s like Netflix for books. Thousands of volumes right there at the tips of your fingers waiting to be borrowed. (Also - does anyone else find it sad that I need to compare libraries to Netflix to sell it? But you’d be surprised how many times I see people talking about “I wish there was a Netflix for books” and I’m all “THE LIBRARY.”) They’re free, my friends. FREE.

A habit I’m trying to get myself into is to read a book from the library before I purchase it. Particularly when it’s a new author or series. If I fall in love with the book and/or see myself reading it again in the future, only then will I decide to purchase it for my personal collection. This will save you a ton of grief when it comes to getting a book and then hating it. Who wants to spend $25 or more on something only to have a terrible experience? (Although, it doesn’t hurt to know your local bookstores return policy. Yes! You CAN return books!)

Or, I wait until the whole series is out. That’s what I did with Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill. I started reading the books via the library and read the entire series that way. When I knew it was an all time favorite, I slowly started to collect the books.

Don’t see the title you want? Talk to the librarian about inner-library loans or if the book is somewhere in your network. A majority of the books I’ve checked out from my library did not come from my local library itself. They are from other libraries in our network. Granted, I’m privileged enough where I live in the Chicagoland area and have a ton of libraries in our network I can use as a resource. If you live in a rural area, this could be more challenging. But, it never hurts to talk to your librarian to see what options are out there.

Still can’t find what you want? Request your library to get a copy. Libraries want to give you the books you want! If they see people are wanting a certain book on their shelves, they’re going to get copies.

Many libraries now also have access to ebook loan systems such as Overdrive. I’m OBSESSED with overdrive and how I can find so many books, and audio books there and have them downloaded right to my Kindle. It’s amazing.

Basically - go to your library and make friends with the people who work there. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Read ebooks

This is one of those weird moments where you might have to spend money to save money.

I know not everyone likes ebooks, or may not have an electronic device at their disposal. So yes, some of my privilege is talking. However, if this is an option for you, hear me out.

Some of your basic Kindles/Nooks/ereaders, etc. aren’t all that expensive, depending on what kind of money you have coming in. Just from a quick look on Amazon, you can find some simple refurbished ones for under $50.

Don’t want to get an ereader or tablet? No problem. Do you have a cell phone? The Kindle, Nook, iBook, and Google Play Books apps are FREE. You can even download them to your computer most of the time if you don’t have a smart phone.

But here’s the thing - a majority of ebooks are cheaper than physical books. Personally, I don’t purchase ebooks unless they are under $5. Even if you don’t set a limit like that for yourself though, they’re still cheaper. When a new release in hardcover comes out it’s usually between $15-30 right? The ebook many times is under $15. That’s before it goes on sale.

That’s a lot of money to save my friends.

Still don’t want to buy them? Then we go back to the whole library thing. Check to see if your library offers ebook services. That’s how I started to use my Kindle app. I downloaded library books and decided I liked to use my tablet for reading.

Join Membership Programs

This is another one where you might have to spend a bit of money to save money. But, in the long run, it’s worth it.

A big popular one of course is Amazon Prime and/or Kindle Unlimited. I tried Kindle Unlimited, but a lot of their selection wasn’t in my taste. I know a lot of people who use it all of the time though! Then, I also tried Amazon Prime. If I purchased more on Amazon beyond books, the price tag would probably have been worth the discounts and free shipping. Yet, it’s pretty rare when I buy something that isn’t a book from there.

I am, however, a Barnes and Noble member, which is only about $40 a year. THE WHOLE YEAR. I get free shipping with all of my purchases, get a discount with all of my purchases, and on top of it I regularly get coupons emailed and mailed to me. This past holiday season, I think I got an email with a coupon at least 2x a month if not more often.

Also, Barnes and Noble online prices are lower than their in store prices, AND you now can purchase books online at the online price AND pick them up for free within the hour in store. (This is how I nabbed that $30 book for $16.) Basically, my savings far outweigh the price I pay for the membership.

I know other book stores have similar programs. (Books-A-Million does… I’d have to research more for other stores.) Barnes and Noble just happens to be the store which is most convenient for me, and that’s where I go 99% of the time. Visit your local stores and/or visit their websites and see what you can find out.

If you buy books as frequently as I do, and you aren’t part of your favorite store’s membership program, what are you waiting for?

Sign Up for Newsletters

This one has it’s pros and cons.

The pros? You find out about sales, get coupons, and see deals right away. I get my Kindle daily deal emails all of the time and when I see a book I’ve had my eye on go on sale, you bet that I click that “one-click-buy” button! Or, because I follow an author’s newsletter, I was informed about a one day only event where romance authors were giving away their ebooks for FREE.

FREE.

Yeah… I got like 12 book that day and didn’t spend a penny.

The cons? Your email inbox can fill up quickly, and it’s super easy to fall down the “This book is only $.99! I’d be a FOOL to not buy it!” Then you look at your ereader and have countless titles sitting there that you haven’t read yet. This is my biggest downfall when it comes to book purchases.

The key is to know what books you want and wait for them to go on sale, and only purchase those. It’s way easier said than done, trust me. But, it’s so exciting when there’s a book I’ve really been wanting and then one day I open my email and it’s magically only $1.99.

So… this bit of advice is a “do this at your own risk” sort of deal.

Go to Discount Book Stores

I love my local discount book store. Maybe two times a year or so when I feel the need to purge my collection, I pack up the books I no longer want and take them over to my discount book store to sell them. Granted, I don’t always make a ton of money doing this. There’s still some perks though.

One, I love that even if I didn’t enjoy a book or won’t read it again, it’s going to go to someone who will enjoy it and may not otherwise had been able to buy their own copy.

Two, you can use that money to buy more books!

Yup. A majority of the time when I go sell my books I end up perusing the shelves and buying more books with the cash they give me for the old ones. This is another instance where I only buy books that I know I’ve been wanting. If you know for sure you’re going to buy a book and you can find a way to get it at a discount, do it!

Besides, I kind of like used books. It’s fun to know that other people have read and enjoyed this particular copy of a book that I’m currently reading. I once got a really pretty copy of Jane Eyre and it was obvious that someone read it for school because they had a bunch of notes in the margins. It was honestly really fun to read their thoughts and observations!

Buy Paperbacks

You’d think this was obvious but so many people only want hardcovers.

I know… I know. The hardcovers are super pretty and look awesome on your shelf. If that’s truly what you prefer, go for it. Just remember the price tag.

However, I genuinely love paperbacks. Yes, I do end up caving and buying the pretty hardcover books for some of my favorites because 1) I don’t want to wait and 2) I do enjoy how they look. But, for actual reading, I love paperbacks. They’re so much easier to hold! I mean come on. Would you rather carry a massive hardcover epic fantasy that’s over 500 pages around everywhere? Do you know how heavy that s*** is? You can break your arm with that! Or would you rather carry it’s cute little mass market copy that you can throw in your bag easily?

And… they’re cheaper. SO MUCH cheaper.

If you’re willing to wait until it comes out in paperback, you’ll save a ton of money. In fact, a lot of fantasy (particularly urban) and romance come out in paperbacks right away and I’m always super excited when they do.

So there you have it. Some of my tricks for saving money on books.

Remember - I don’t have this down to a science. I have a terrible book buying problem and let’s be honest, the best way to save money on books is just to have self control and not buy a million books a year. Haha.

However, if you’re willing to do some research and maybe invest in an ereader or a membership program, and utilize your library as much as possible, you’ll save so much money on your reading hobby!

What tips and tricks have you used for buying books?

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September Reading Round Up

Happy October, everyone! This is one of my favorite months. The weather is cooler, the leaves are turning pretty colors, PUMPKIN EVERYTHING, and of course… Halloween! I consider October to be the kick-off for the holiday season and I am READY.

But first, it’s time for reviews of the books I read in September. Compared to how August was, I am definitely back to “normal” when it comes to my consumption of books because I read 9 of them and am currently reading one.

Let’s get to it!

Wild Hunger* (Heirs of Chicagoland #1) by Chloe Neill

• Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

• Format: Paperback

• Rating: 4 stars

Quick Summary:  (If you haven’t read the Chicagoland Vampires books and don’t want spoilers…. go ahead and skip this review cause… ALL THE SPOILERS. You’ve been warned.) Elisa returns to Chicago after her schooling in Paris with other vampire houses is complete only to have to deal with assassinated diplomats and the sexy but arrogant werewolf she grew up with.

This book was a delightful way to jump back into my old reading habits. It’s the spin-off of Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires series (which I’m obsessed with) and follows the daughter of Merti and Ethan.

Technically it is a spin off so you don’t need to read the first series. However, I think it is highly beneficial that you do. 1) You’ll already understand the whole world and how it’s built. 2) Some of the background and set-up for this book would be lost. I’m sure you’d be able to follow the story fine, but without the background info to me it wouldn’t make as much sense. 3) You’ll get to see how Elisa is the perfect blend of Ethan and Merit. 4) ETHAN AND MERIT

It was really fun. Some of the plot itself I wasn’t super excited about, but I loved the characters, seeing a slightly “future” version of Chicago, and some of the twists of what/who Elise is. I’m excited to see where she goes with it next.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  The Chicagoland Vampires series, urban fantasy, family, childhood rivals to lovers, witches, werewolves, vampires, paranormal, action packed

Content Warnings: It can get pretty violent at times and there’s some references to addiction from the previous series, but beyond that I don’t think there’s a whole lot of content to be concerned about.

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A Duke by Default* (Reluctant Royals #2) by Alyssa Cole

• Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

• Format: Library Mass Market Paperback

• Rating: 4 stars

Quick Summary:  Portia goes to Scotland for a sword-making apprenticeship and starts falling for her boss - a silver fox who also happens to be a duke.

I’ve jumped on the Alyssa Cole bandwagon and grabbing each of her books as they release! I read the first book of Reluctant Royals back in March and it was super cute! Dare I say that I liked this one even more? I wasn’t sure about Portia as our heroine at first. I wasn’t a huge fan of hers in the first book. But oh goodness I fell in love with her. Then our hero? Silver fox who makes swords and has a Scottish accent?

Yes, please!

However, I learned that there are a lot of mishaps when it came to the representation of royalty and living in the UK. (Also, if you’re writing about British dukes… maybe pick one that isn’t super famous or make one up. Or SOMETHING.) Beyond that, it was great. I mean, you had all of the perks of historical romance (castles, swords, knights) along with the perks of a contemporary romance. Can’t wait for book three!

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  Romances featuring royalty, romances with a significant age difference, finding yourself, swords, ADHD representation

Content Warnings:  spiked drinks, alcohol abuse, sex addiction, bad parenting, racism

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Crazy Rich Asians* (Crazy Rich Asians #1) by Kevin Kwan

• Genre: Adult Contemporary

• Format: Library Paperback

• Rating: 3.5 Stars

Quick Summary:  Rachel goes on vacation with her boyfriend in Singapore to attend his best friends wedding to find out that he’s a member of one of Asia’s most wealthy families.

Okay, since the movie was coming out I knew I had to read this book. It just wasn’t my favorite.

I love the concept, I love the overall plot, I love that we get to have Asian rep in a fun contemporary romance, and as I read I could totally see all of this as a movie and it made me SUPER EXCITED to see the movie.

However.

I cannot stand his writing style. He’s always hopping heads. One second you’re reading from one character’s POV and then literally in the same or next paragraph we’re reading from another character’s POV. This is such a HUGE NOPE when it comes to writing. I just… I can’t. You can switch POVs. That’s fine. BUT NOT IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH.

I also felt like I didn’t really get to know the characters. Especially Rachel and Nick. (I loved Astrid.) They were cute and I was never not rooting for them. But I also wish I could have seen more reasons as to why I should root for them.

All in all though, I’m really glad this book exists and so many people like it because representation matters. There were a lot of things that I probably didn’t really fully understand or appreciate - but I was 100000% okay with that because I wasn’t supposed to have gotten it. I’m not the intended audience, and I’m glad for that. Because us white people have far too many books that are intended for us.

I also plan on seeing the movie because I can almost see it translating to screen better than to a book. I might read the other books in the trilogy, but we’ll see.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  rom coms, big families, soap-opera type plots, outrageously rich people, Asia (specifically Singapore)

Content Warnings:  Racial slurs, graphic dog fight, father threatening violence against child, cheating, classism, prejudice

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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before* (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han

• Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

• Format: Library Hard Cover

• Rating: 3.5 Stars

Quick Summary:  When Laura Jean’s secret letters to all of her past crushes are mysteriously mailed, chaos, romance, and shenanigans ensue.

I am SO LATE to the party for this book series. Everyone on Booktube has been talking about it for years but I never read them. Then, the Netflix movie was released and I was like “fine, I’ll read the book.”

It was cute. Laura Jean is refreshingly naive which I really appreciated because I was the same way in high school. (Heck, I still am, let’s be real.) Peter was also super adorable, and I loved the dynamics with Laura Jean and her sisters.

This was another one where I just wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style. It was very… simple. Which made sense and it’s a young adult contemporary romance. But, I was expecting just a bit more to the prose itself. Which, I’m usually not one to say that. I’m not a fan of big complicated flowery writing. That being said, if even I’m saying the writing could have a bit more to it, I feel like that’s saying something.

But, I did watch the movie almost immediately after and it was super adorable. I also think I really would have loved these books in high school - which is a good thing since that’s the audience it’s intended for. I kind of wish they existed back then because I probably would have loved them that much.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  teen romance, fake relationship turned real relationship trope, sisters

Content Warnings: loss of a parent, divorce, fear of driving, there’s a theme of how rumors spread and how girls’ reputations can be easily damaged, slut shamming

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The Fated Sky* (Lady Astronaut #2) by Mary Robinette Kowal

• Genre: Adult Historical Science Fiction

• Format: Library Paperback

• Rating: 4.5 stars

Quick Summary:  Several years after The Calculating Stars, the USA is now planning their first trip to Mars and Elma plans to be on that rocket!

It’s the sequel to The Calculating Stars! I was SO EXCITED for this book. It’s really rare when an author released the first and second books of a series within months of each other.

I love these books SO SO MUCH and I haven’t been able to shut up about them. Whenever people have asked for book recs (or even when they’ haven’t…) I’ve been telling them to read these books!

I didn’t love it quite as much as I did the first one. (Probably because she wasn’t with Nathaniel as much as she was in the first one - ha!) But, it’s still amazing.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  SPACE! MARS! HAPPY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS! Historical fiction, Hidden Figures vibes, feminism, women in STEM roles

Content Warnings: anxiety, death by violent accident, death by disease, anger, racism, bullying, violent attacks, hostage, loss, sorrow 

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The Lady Astronaut of Mars* (Lady Astronaut #4.5) by Mary Robinette Kowal

• Genre: Adult Sci-Fi Novelette

• Format: ebook

• Rating: 4.5 stars

Quick Summary:  We see a glimpse of life for Elma and Nathaniel on Mars.

Naturally, I had to read the novelette which inspired it all. Yes, this one was written before either The Calculating Stars or The Fated Sky. Kowal wrote this story, then decided to go backwards in time and write the other books.

Well… this story completely destroyed me. I can barely even write this review because I just want to sit in a corner and cry.

It’s so beautifully written though and the fact that it destroyed me so much is just a sign of how attached I am to the characters and the story.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  space, Mars, women in STEM, established relationships

Content Warnings: loss of a loved one, diminishing health

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Empire of Storms* (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J Maas

• Genre: New Adult Fantasy

• Format: Hardcover

• Rating: 4 stars

Quick Summary:  Our heroine and her friends all journey on their separate paths to reclaim Tessaran.

Personal note: technically this book is considered YA but considering none of the main characters are teens and how graphic the violent and sex scenes are I label this as “new adult.” Not that teens cannot read this book - they totally can! Just be prepared for more adult content.

Onward with the Throne of Glass re-read! Reading Empire of Storms for the first time since it was first released was an interesting experience.

I don’t think it’s my favorite of the series. I love Elide and Lorcan the best in this book, and I’m still obsessed with Mannon, Dorian, and my girl Aelin.

Just… I don’t know. Something about this book just misses the mark for me. The second half I prefer to the first. There are some things I think which could have either been cut or shortened. Then the end is completely heartbreaking and will destroy you. Just… structurally some things could be improved.

But you know me and my undying love for ToG. Even with my critiques, I still love this book more than a lot of others so… there we go. Can you believe the final one releases THIS MONTH? I’m gonna die. I’m not ready.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  epic fantasy, romance, sexy times (but it’s only 2 scenes. They’re pretty graphic, but it’s not like it’s an “erotic” novel), epic battles, young queens rising into power, feminism,

Content Warnings: LOTS of violence, torture, references to sexual and physical abuse

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Girl, Wash Your Face* by Rachel Hollis

• Genre: Adult Non-Fiction/Motivational

• Format: Library Hardcover

• Rating: 4 stars

Quick Summary:  Social Media star and former party-planner shares how to “Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant To Be.”

I’d heard people talking about this book and I haven’t read a non-fiction book in awhile so I thought I’d give it a shot.

I was pleasantly surprised! It wasn’t that I thought I wouldn’t like it, but I didn’t think it’d like it as much as I did. A lot of what Hollis discusses isn’t all that new about going after what you want, how we shouldn’t compare ourselves to other people, etc. However, I haven’t heard a lot of these topics discussed by an openly Christian writer.

For those who don’t read Christian books and such, what she has to say may or may not be super ground breaking for you. But those of you who do, this is pretty big. Focusing on empowering yourself, making your own choices, realizing that you are enough, and heck- even going deep into talking about sex outside of “wait for marriage and then once you have a ring on your finer your sex life will be amazing!”, is really unheard of for most Christian writing.

A lot of people claim that she doesn’t talk about “God’s plan for your life” and how “God is in control” enough - but I found it refreshing. (Sorry, sometimes “if you pray and have faith God will rain blessings upon your head” isn’t the answer.)

Granted, Hollis is more privileged than she realizes. That’s not to say that she hasn’t worked her ass off or that she doesn’t deserve what she has or hasn’t faced a lot of trials and challenges in her life or anything like that. But… it is also very easy for an upper middle class (even if she didn’t start that way), straight, able-bodied, white girl who graduated high school a year early, moved to LA at 17, and was able to quit college because she had a full time job opportunity, then met her future husband that same year to say “don’t feel like if you haven’t accomplished certain things by a certain age that you’re behind.” Not that this isn’t true, but I also think she’s a bit out of touch of other people’s realities.

Overall though, this was good. Not for everyone, but I can think of some friends who would enjoy it.

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  Rachel Hollis’ blog https://thechicsite.com/, motivational books, feminist books, Christian books

Content Warnings: references to depression and suicide, unhealthy relationships, unhealthy weight loss, divorce, bad parenting

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P.S. I Still Love You* (Laura Jean #2) by Jenny Han

• Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

• Format: Library Hardcover

• Rating: 3 Stars

Quick Summary:  When the recipient of one of her love letters emerges, Laura Jean wonders if she could be in love with two boys at the same time.

I didn’t think I was going to read the second book for Lara Jean- but the first one ended on a bit of cliff-hanger and I was like “now I HAVE to read it!”

Not as good as the first, there were definitely times I was like “ugh… how much more do I have to read?” But, it was still really cute. I like Laura Jean and her family, Peter is still great, and it was classic high school drama. Again, I really think high school me would have LOVED these books.

I’ll probably read the last one just because I’ve gotten this far so, why not?

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  love triangles, teen contemporary romance, close families

Content Warnings: loss of a parent, some references to racism and prejudice (and general ignorance) to Japanese, ongoing theme of how a girl’s reputation can be tarnished quickly thanks to social media, cyber bullying, slut shamming

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Currently Reading

Vengeful* (Villains #2) by VE Schwab

• Genre: Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy

• Format: Hardcover

I can’t really give a good summary since I just started the book and there’s several character POVs so far. Once I finish it and I include a summary in my October round up.

So far, it’s wonderful! It starts out with a super intense scene and grabs you right away. I still love these characters as much as I did in the first book, and I’m super excited to see where this sequel takes me!

As for content warnings, so far it’s VERY violent and ruthless.

That’s what I read in September! What good books have you read recently?

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Tooting My Own Horn

I’ve never been good at choices. Even with seemingly simple things, if I think too hard or have too many options, my completely freeze up. Back in college picking a table to sit at in the dining hall was always a dilemma and drove my friends nuts. (There were just a lot of people I liked to have meals with, okay???? If my usual group of friends weren’t eating at the same time I was, it made picking a table very difficult.) Even now, when one of my friends and I try to decide on where to hang out after church we both slightly panic and then usually end up going to one of the same places we always go simply because it’s easier than making any other choice.

I’m always in that classic dilemma of “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?”

Needless to say, if I can’t even make a decision on where to eat or hang out on a certain day, when presented with bigger questions such as “what do you want to do in your life” or “where do you see yourself in 5 years” leave me completely overwhelmed.

I’m sorry, but how do I know that what I want now will be the same thing I want in 5 years? Just look at my career history for example. All through college I knew for sure that I wanted to be a youth minster. I did that for 5 1/2 years… for at least 2 of those years I was wondering if that was what I really wanted and ended up leaving that career path.

I’ve never been one for bucket lists and writing down my goals.

Yet lately, I’ve been wondering if it’s something I should be doing. One of my favorite bloggers, Helene In Between, on her blog the last few weeks has been talking a lot about getting what you want in life, making bucket lists, and reaching your goals. Then, this week I picked up the book Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis.* They’re both basically saying, if you want something, then find a way to get it.

As much as I avoid making choices and setting five year plans and all of that, I still have to admit there are things I want in life. Things I want to accomplish and goals to achieve. So, making that list for myself is a project I’m working on for myself. The goals might change over time, and that’s okay. But there is merit to writing them down because they become more tangible. Something that “yes, I am going to do this.” Whether I share this list or not, who knows. But it’s a start.

In this vein, Helene wrote a blog post about her bucket list and what she’s done and what she still hopes to do in life. I’ll admit, I tend to get a bit jealous as I read her blog and browse her Instagram account. If you don’t follow her - you should, but be prepared for major travel envy. She and her husband live in Germany and she’s a full time travel blogger. So many times I think “why can’t my life be like that?”

Then, something interesting happened. I read through her bucket list and some of the things she hopes to do one day and more than once I thought “Oh, I’ve done that.”

Yup. Little me who lives a completely boring life, works an hourly job, lives with her parents, who is perpetually single, doesn’t have kids, and doesn’t travel often, has done several items on Helene’s bucket list that she hasn’t gotten to yet.

Say whaaaaaaa?

It was kind of a cool feeling. (Not that we should be comparing our lives to others, and maybe this seems super shallow and selfish of me, but I was kind of excited. Sue me.)

It made me think back on the last 32 years a little differently.

Then, as I was reading Girl, Wash Your Face, one of the things she suggested the reader do is to write down the things they’ve accomplished. (She’s also mentioned writing down your goals.) We as women I think have a hard time with this. We don’t want to brag or seem to full of ourselves. But, we should celebrate and acknowledge these things. Even if they seem small.

So…. I sat down this morning and started a list of all of the things I’ve done so far in my life. Yes, I started with the things on Helene’s bucket list that I’ve done because I’m shallow like that.

To be honest, once I got going, this list was much easier to make than the one of what I hope to accomplish. Which was kind of awesome.

Here it is. I am tooting my own horn and saying “LOOK AT WHAT I DID.” We all have gifts, opportunities, and talents we’ve been given, and we need to use them. We can celebrate what we’ve done with our lives, even if it seems simple.

• Written 2 novels in 5 years (both were over 100k words)

• Queried one novel

• Won NaNoWriMo 9 times

• Sung in Pearl Harbor, the first Christian church in Hawaii, and on TV (thanks to my high school choir director)

• Performed in Disney World, Toronto, Michigan State University, state competitions, and local band competitions (thanks to my high school band director)

• Performed in 5+ local theatre productions

• Been paid to play/teach music

• Built a youth program

• Became a godmother

• Rescued an animal

• Read over 100 books in a year

• Seen a show on Broadway

• Met Broadway stars Samantha Barks, Steve Kazee, and Tony Baracco

• Met the following authors: VE Schwab, Becky Albertalli, Laini Taylor, Jay Kristoff, Amie Kauffman, Keira Cass, Leonard Sweet (we shared a golf cart at a conference once), and Stephanie Perkins

• Seen John and Hank Green live

• Seen Blake Mycoskie (the founder of Toms) speak live

• Met cast members of Gilmore Girls and This is Us

• Watched the sun rise on a mountain in the Appalachians

• Graduated college (this is a privilege I think too many of us take for granted)

• Seen Hamilton (I’ve seen several musicals, but considering how these tickets even here in Chicago can be super hard to get, I’m proud of this fact)

• Gone 8 years without a major injury (for someone with my bone condition, this is a BIG deal)

• Been on several service and missions trips

• Learned to play 5 instruments (one self taught)

• Traveled/Lived in the following states:

  • Illinois

  • Indiana

  • Missouri

  • California

  • Hawaii

  • New York

  • Alabama (Including going to Selma and seeing the inspiration for To Kill a Mockingbird and other important places relating to the civil rights movement)

  • Iowa

  • Louisiana

  • Florida (gone to Disney, The Magical World of Harry Potter, and Panama City Beach multiple times)

  • Minnesota

  • Michigan

  • South Carolina

  • Virginia

  • Ohio

  • Kentucky

There you have it, things I’ve accomplished in my life. Honestly, I think it’s a good list. Granted, we shouldn’t judge ourselves and our worth based on what we’ve checked off of a list or if our lists are longer than others, or anything like that. But, I do think that it’s a nice little confidence booster.

Because guess what? You’re awesome. You can, and have, do things! Awesome things! Even if they seem small.

I encourage you to make a list too. Even if there are only a few items on the list, but I think as you get going, you’ll surprise yourself. I know I did.

Because if I can accomplish all of this, then I can accomplish other things too, and so can you.

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August Reading Round-Up

Friends... August was a weird month. 

I only read three books. One was a re-read, two of them I'd actually started in July and finished at the start of August. Then only one which I started and completed in August.

However- it was for a good reason.

I decided to participate in the writing contest PitchWars and it's a slightly long story but it basically ended with me needing to hide out in my writing cave for about a week and a half finishing the last quarter of my fairy-tale mash-up and doing any edits or revisions it needed by August 29 at 9pm North American Central Time.. It was exhausting- but it's done!

I can finally say that this draft of White Rose is completed and I'm really proud of myself. I even had a few hours to spare on August 29 after I hit the "submit" button. 

I won't know anything about if I got chosen until October, which is slightly nerve-wracking because it means 6 weeks of my agonizing over Twitter and thinking about every detail I could have changed or done with my novel. However, it also means that September I am officially taking a writing break. 

You all know how passionate I am about writing and telling stories, but we all need a rest sometimes even from things we love. My brain needs to relax a bit. 

Basically, all I'm going to do in September is read, watch  Netflix, and drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes because... I'm basic like that.

It's going to be amazing.

Anyway - onto the three books I read!

QUEEN OF SHADOWS* (THRONE OF GLASS #4) BY SARAH J MAAS

• Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy
• Format:  Hardcover
• Rating: 5 Stars

Quick Summary:  Our heroine returns to the empire to rescue her friends, family, and people, as well as for vengeance for all she's lost. 

The first time I read Queen of Shadows I was unsure of my feelings toward it. It took such a different turn than when the series started and it felt like I wasn't even reading the same books anymore.

The second time I read it, I understood it.

The third time - I LOVED IT. Now that I'm seeing where the series is going, everything else Maas did to build up to QoS my views have completely changed in regards to this book. I'm so bummed I wasn't able to get to the next one in August as planned, but I'm super excited to re-read Empire of Storms in September!

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  SJM's other books, epic fantasy, romance, assassins, political intrigue, fae, shifters, adventure, a lot of plot twists

Trigger Warnings: graphic violence, references to past emotional/physical/sexual abuse

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LOVE OVER LATTES (DESERT MONSOON #1)* BY DIANA A. HICKS

• Genre:  Contemporary Romance
• Format:  ebook
• Rating:  3.5 Stars

Quick Summary:  A young mom and college graduate falls for the guy she's been eyeing at the coffee shop - who also happens to offer to be her landlord when she's in need of a place to live. 

This book has been sitting on my Kindle app (along with many others) for several months, and I needed something to occupy my time while sitting at the hair salon waiting for my hair to dry. So, I pulled out my phone and started this one.

It was really cute! My one complaint with some of these romances is that they happen so fast where I can only willingly suspend my disbelief for so long. Like... there's no way you fell in love that hard that fast. But... whatever. Everything else was fun. I loved that they met at a coffee shop, her kid was cute, and the twists with his ex-wife were interesting and different. 

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy:  single mom trying to find love and get back on her feet again, coffee shops, ex-wife drama, Arizona, steamy, 

Trigger Warnings: abandonment by a past love, divorce, single parenting

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Catwoman: Soulstealer (DC Icons #3)* by Sarah J Maas

• Genre:  Young Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Superhero
• Format:  Hardcover
• Rating: 3.5 Stars

Quick Summary:  Selina returns to Gotham and the cat plays while the bat is away.

This is the third book in the DC Icons series - but each one stands completely alone and has nothing to do with the others so you can pick and choose as you please!

It was interesting to read something by Sarah J Maas that wasn't ACOTAR or TOG, as well as a stand alone book. It's also interesting to read when I literally know nothing about Cat Woman save for a couple of Batman movies I saw years and years ago and have hardly any memory of. 

From what I read in other reviews, Maas stuck pretty well to Batman cannon, particularly with the inclusivity of the characters, which was really great. (I had no clue Batwing was a person, and that Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn were bi/lesbian. I'm sorry.) In spite of my ignorance of DC Comics, I was able to follow the story fine.

It took me a bit to really get into the story, and while the keeping certain plot points a secret so there's a big reveal in the end is pretty classic SJM, it bothered me more in this book than her others. I had a lot of moments where I was like "OMG JUST TELL ME CAUSE I'M CONFUSED." I also felt like Selina was basically just another version of Celeana from ToG. Which, I love Celeana and she's one of my favorites. That doesn't mean I need a repeat of her. 

In spite of that though, I still really enjoyed this book. Once I got into it, I didn't want to put it down and I liked the different twist on Catwoman. I particularly liked her inclusion of Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn and the bad girl squad the three of them became. 

You'll Like This Book If You Also Enjoy: the other DC Icons books, DC comics, superheros, villain origin stories, assassins, girl squads, action, sisters, SJM's other books

Trigger Warnings: drug/alcohol abuse, abusive and negligent parents, abusive relationships, terminal illness, violence, mental illness

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What did you all read in August? Any other writers out there who particiated in PitchWars? Are you exhausted as I am?

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15 Underrated Books You Should Read

I'm as big of a fan girl for popular books as anyone. It's great to talk to people about something you've all ready and fail about like Kermit over how awesome it is!

But, I also love talking about books that don't get as much hype - because so many times they deserve just as much hype if not more! I was really excited that Underrated Books was the topic for Monthly Recs this month, and I hope you pick up some of the books I mention. 

Depending on what circles you run in, the books I mention may or may not be talking about as much. I tend to read a lot of fantasy and young adult novels. So, there could be a good that's contemporary literary fiction that EVERYONE is talking about, but I've never heard of it. Therefore, take all of these recommendations with a grain of salt. 

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His Fair Assassins Trilogy* by Robin LaFevers

• Genre: YA Fantasy/Historical
• Quick Summary: Three young women serve as death's handmaidens. 

When this trilogy first came out a few years ago, I'm sure it was hyped up. However, no one talks about it anymore and they totally should! It's about nun assassins who serve the god of death. 

NUN ASSASSINS MY FRIENDS.

That's not enough to make you want to read this trilogy? Fine.

It's also historical fantasy that relies much more on the historical side of things than fantasy. So, if you're not into magic and fae and witches and all of that, you'll still enjoy this book because the fantasy side is very light. There's romance in all three books. There's political intrigue based on real historical events.  It has interesting insights on religion and faith - but it's not an "inspirational/religious/Christian" book either. Each book focuses on a different young woman, but they still all tie in together. I've seen on Goodreads that the author might be making a fourth book or a spin-off series, so that's super exciting! 

So... you're going to go read them now, right? The first one is Grave Mercy. Go read them. Right now. After you finish this blog. Then go read them. 

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If I Fix You* by Abigail Johnson

• Genre: YA Contemporary
• Quick Summary: Jill is the only one who knows the real reason her mother left and deals with the aftermath.

This book was so fantastic! If you like more gritty/realistic/serious young adult contemporary novels, you'll love Abigail Johnson! Mindy McGinnis interviewed her on her podcast, Writer Writer Pants on Fire, a month or so ago and I put her book on hold at the library right away! 

I loved the character Jill and how she was a mechanic, her relationships, and how sucked into her life I became!

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The Calculating Stars* by Mary Robinette Kowal

• Genre: Science-Fiction/Historical
• Quick Summary:  A meteorite hits the USA east coast post-WWII and scientists look to colonize space.

Depending on what bookish circles you run in, this book might be hyped up. I'm not sure. In the circles I run in, they don't talk about this book AT ALL and each time I've tried to find it at a bookstore lately it is no where to be found - and it was just released this summer.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK.

Kowal's research about the space program is incredible. The romance between our main character and her husband are the ultimate relationship goals. The girl power in STEM is amazing. I mean... a freaking astronaut has a blurb on the cover to talk about how good it is. I loved this book and the second one comes out this month and I NEED IT.

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Song of Blood and Stone* by L. Penelope

• Genre: Fantasy Romance
• Quick Summary: Jasminda teams with a soldier named Jack to save her country and her home.

This book was fantastic! It's another new release this year, but originally was released as a self-published book. A traditional publisher picked it up, the book went through revisions, and voila! Here is this amazing and beautiful fantasy romance! Why more people haven't been talking about it? I'm not sure. 

Love, adventure, magic, black lives matter, rescuing refugees, African culture... SO GOOD. And they don't have a release date for the second book and I NEED IT.

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The Queen's Rising* by Rebecca Ross

• Genre: YA Fantasy
• Quick Summary:  Brienna has been training in the passion of Knowledge, but fails to gain a patron and much forge her own path.

I might have kind of been flailing about this book all year. It came out in May and I'm obsessed. First, look at that cover. Isn't it gorgeous? I need this book in my possession just because it's SO PRETTY.

The book itself is wonderful too though. It has a lot of your "typical" YA fantasy elements:  magic school, a princess regaining her throne, epic battles, found family, etc. But it still manages to be unique and interesting and completely compelling. 

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The Paper Magician* Series by Charlie N Holmberg

• Genre: Historical Fantasy
• Quick Summary: Ceony is unhappy when she is assigned to apprentice under a paper magician instead of metal. However, she finds more than she ever dreamed with her new instructor.

The reason these books aren't hyped as much I think is because it is through Amazon's traditional publishing branch. Therefore, a lot of book stores won't carry these books. But, Holmberg has made an awesome career for herself and I believe Disney has picked up the rights for these books. (SO EXCITED!)

The premise for this series appears simple, but as you read Holmberg has a unique twist and is surprisingly dark. I adore Ceony and Emery, and I want more adventures with them!

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Sunshine* by Robin McKinley

• Genre: Vampire/Post Apocolyptic
• Quick Summary: Baker "Sunshine" is kidnapped by vampires and deals with the aftermath.

My summary of this book does not do it justice at all. Most people know McKinley for her retellings of Beauty and the Beast. However, this book deserves just as much praise! It has a unique stream of consciousness narrative, it's dark, the world building is amazing, and I'm completely fascinated with the vampire Constantine. I wish there was a sequel!

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The Girl at Midnight *Trilogy by Melissa Grey

• Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy
• Quick Summary: Echo searches for the firebird which could bring peace and end a war between two worlds. 

When you first pick up this book, you think it's going to be just like Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone. But as it goes you, you realize it's A COMPLETELY different story! It's an own voices contemporary fantasy, there's a M/M relatioship I'm obsessed with, the group of friends are total #squadgoals, and you'll be "shipping" characters left and right! It's everything you look for in a fun YA fantasy and I have no idea why more people aren't gushing about it!

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The Red Hood Chronicles* by Kendari Meeks

• Genre: Urban Fantasy/Fairy Tale Retelling
• Quick Summary: Geri turns her back on her family line of Red Hoods and goes to college in Chicago where she meets vampire scientists and an on the run werewolf.

Urban fantasy fairy tale re-imagining? YES PLEASE! This is such a great spin on Red Riding Hood. She's a werewolf hunter who has turned her back on her family and recovering from a broken heart. There's vampire scientists, girls in STEM, conpiracys, and while there is some "Tension" it's not necessarily a romance which is refreshing from time to time. Especially in urban fantasy. 

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Kindred* by Octavia E Butler

• Genre: Time Travel 
• Quick Summary: Dana and her husband time travel back to pre-civil war American on a southern plantation. 

Those who are really familiar with older science ficiton and fantasy are probably familiar with Octavia E Butler's work. However, in the groups I tend to talk to, NO ONE talks about this book and totally should!

Butler was the first black woman to publish a SFF book. So... that alone is amazing. It's this interesting look at slavery and racism in the eyes of a modern inter-racial couple and it still leaves me thinking to this day. It's beautiful and poignant and brutal and everyone needs to read it. 

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A Madness So Discreet* by Mindy McGinnis

• Genre: YA Historical
• Quick Summary: Grace Mae is found pregnant and put into an asylum by her family, and then teams up with a doctor to solve crimes.

Mindy McGinnis has a steady readership, but apparently this is one of her least read books and I have no idea why! It completely blows my mind because this is my favorite of hers!

I read this book around the time of the 2016 election and it was exactly what I needed at the time. Grace is such an awesome and strong character, I loved the friendships she made at the asylum, and the tie-ins of murder mysteries kept things exciting. I love this book so much and I want everyone else to love it too. 

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The Hollows* Series by Kim Harrison

• Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Quick Summary: Rachel Morgan is a witch bounty hunter who opens her own business inside an abandoned church along with a vampire and a pixie.

If you're a fan of urban fantasy, you're probably familiar with The Hollows. If you aren't, then these books will make you an urban fantasy fan! Rachel is fun, Jenks the pixie is the actual best, I love Ivy the vampire and her friendship with Rachel (I ship the two of them SO HARD btw), and there's so many outstanding characters. 

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All We Have Left* by Wendy Mills

• Genre: YA Contemporary/Historical
• Quick Summary: In 2016, Jesse and her family are still dealing with the aftermath of 9-11. In 2001, Alia, a proud Muslim, is trapped in the twin towers. 

Oh this book. It is so emotional and heart-wrenching, but so good. It made me think about 9-11 in ways I hadn't before and brought out emotions about it I didn't realize I had. It's wonderful for those of us who remember that day well and makes you think about how we handle anger and our response to it. Then it's wonderful for those who are too young to remember and teach them about it. 

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The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences* Series by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

• Genre: Steampunk
• Quick Summary:  An unlikely duo are paired up to solve unusual crimes in Victorian London.

I still have two books to read in this series and there are a ton of short stories I haven't gotten to yet, but this steampunk series is so fun! Braun and Books are one of my favorite opposites attract pairing. I especially love Wellington Books, he's adorable! It is more on the sci-fi end of things, but it's not so "scicency" where if you don't like sci-fi you'll still enjoy it. 

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Once Upon a Time *Series by Various Authors

• Genre: YA Fantasy/Fairy Tale Retellings
• Quick Summary: Authors retell classic fairy tales

I was OBSESSED with these books when I was in high school. They were what got me interested in retellings and they're short fun reads. I own most of them, and I still haven't gotten through them all! Each one stands completely alone, so you can pick and choose which books you read. They also have different authors so if you didn't enjoy one book, that doesn't mean you won't enjoy a different one. The series has a variety of different fairy tales to choose from, and they all have such unique takes on them! The book I have featured is the first one, but can you read them in any order.

What are some books you love that you feel don't get enough hype?

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